I ain't changin', Leigh, cos' reckon I understand the Middle East problem much better than someone like you who still follows the wornout Bush Routine.

In fact, my concept like my writing, is admittedly crude, and thus being a great grandfather, have found the best way to solve family arguments is to try to admit one is wrong occasionally, which in politics Mr Smart Arse, means the age-old concept of Sharing the Blame, which with the Middle East problem should certainly place over-cocky little Israel in a back seat with Bush, where she belongs.

From BB, Buntine, WA

bushbred,

" a few admittances to the Islamics ..." yes, however that also requires an admittance on the part of the Islamic world what rotten mongrels they were to the West for 1,000 years from the 7th century,Moslems, like the Japanese, suffer from selective amnesia. The West left the Moslem world far behind, otherwise they would still be a menace. I agree we should leave them alone and I certainly don't support Israel's aggression.

Bushbread

"You are no historian, Bassam, otherwise you would not preach that we should make war on the Islamists because of their religious beliefs."

If being a historian means projecting your own vain imaginings onto others then it is just as well I am not a historian. Nowhere did I preach war on Islamists because of their religious beliefs. Not only are you narrow minded, you are also a liar. But that's ok, I understand, just keep driving down the middle of the road, you wise old fence sitter.

Foxy

I have family who are Lebanese and friends who are Indonesian. In no way do I want them harmed or feared. I have simply come to understand how Islam causes their suffering. By being aware of what Islam is will bring about the relief. You say yourself, there is a lot of work to do in this country and that we don't have all the answers, that is why I am trying something. Even though I am constantly called a racsist, Islamophobe, bigot, warmonger or kafir, I still feel I should make people aware of Islam. What do you think Foxy? Is this a bad thing? People trying to bring about this awareness? Would the cessation of discussing Islam change anything, like what the UN have done by making it illegal to criticize Islam. Like what many OLO contributors do here, that is stifle debate by calling people Islamophobic or racsist.

Oh bollocks!

At the time Hilaly made his comments he was Grand Mufti of Australia and Imam of the Lakemba Mosque, the largest mosque in Australia. He was, if not THE voice of Australian Islam certainly a MAJOR voice. When the grand mufti speaks it is reasonable to consider him a voice of Islam.

By contrast Nalliah is a "null." Were it not for the publicity he gained when the Victorian Government tried to censor him he would be a minus. His comments are good for a laugh; but no one in their right minds imagines Nalliah speaks for any major branch of Christianity in Australia.

I'll match your "oh bollocks!" and raise you a "selective memory".

You must have missed all of the media during the Hilali blow up, which were full of muslim commentators pointing out that the "grand mufti" represented no-one but the members of his mosque, let alone every muslim in Australia.

Danny Nalliah would no doubt tell you he is a great Christian authority, but it ain't necessarily so.

Sancho, if you look at the ABC's Sunday Profile website for March 11, 2007 they describe Sheikh Taj el-Din al-Hilali as "Australia's most senior Muslim cleric" - http://www.abc.net.au/sundayprofile/stories/s1868267.htm. And the website AussieMuslims.NET describes the position that Sheik al-Hilali had from 1989 until mid-2007 of mufti, as being "the most senior Islamic spiritual leader" in Australia. Therefore at the time The Australian ran the story that is mentioned in this article (October 26, 2006), it would be quite reasonable to describe Sheik al-Hilali as being a Muslim leader. And it has nothing to do with any Orientalist framework that David Chibo might want to ascribe to it.

People reading the article in The Brisbane Times would know that someone described as a "pastor" would be a Christian minister. But to describe Danny Nalliah as a Christian leader would be quite laughable as his sect is at best insignificant.