Letter: ISIS does not define Islam

Editor,

Whenever tragedy strikes in the world today, it is common for some bigots to come out and say something like, “Everything I need to know about Islam, I learned on 9-11.” This is an intellectually lazy approach, and it is downright dangerous, because if enough people in the West adopt such an attitude, then future generations can only expect a future of war and hatred.

It is with this thought in mind that I would like readers to consider the response of some Muslim leaders to the recent attacks in Paris. Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, said, “I deem it necessary to officially condemn the terrorist attacks in the French capital, Paris, which were committed by Daesh (ISIS).” Lebanon recently suffered its own attacks by ISIS terrorists last week in an apparent retaliation against Hezbollah for its fight against them in Syria.

Make no mistake: Hezbollah and the Syrian government of Bashar al Assad are fighting ISIS to the death in Syria, and this makes them mortal enemies. The fact that both sides claim to be Muslims became irrelevant once the fighting started.

It is unfortunate that groups like ISIS have adopted such an uncompromising, all-or-nothing approach; this will only lead to their demise. Often in civil wars you have negotiations, which can lead to the rebels laying down their arms and accepting some kind of truce. ISIS has no interest in this approach, and must be defeated militarily on the ground in Syria and Iraq.

The West would be wise to listen to Muslim leaders like Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah when he tells the world that groups like ISIS cannot be reasoned with to lay down their arms. I find it appropriate to compare ISIS to a dog that has become infected with rabies. Sure, you might wish that you didn’t have to kill an infected dog, but safety and common sense force you to do otherwise.

France, Lebanon and the rest of the world need to treat ISIS like the rabid dog that it is and put it down before it can spread its nasty virus of an ideology anywhere else.

Sincerely,

Muhajir Romero

UNM student