Duly Forewarned

How soon we forget whom we have irremediably wronged, insulted, humiliated to the extent that the assault against their sensibilities will never be forgiven, forgotten or viewed as the absurdity that it represented. But then, this is Islamic sensibilities we're talking about here. Where the very nuanced hint of criticism of Muhammad or Islam is viewed as a violent affront that can only be assuaged by hordes of rioting Muslims wreaking havoc and crying 'death to the infidels!'.

It is perfectly all right when mosques are assaulted by other Muslims, when Shia Muslims murder Sunni Muslims and vice versa. At those times all is still, not a word of condemnation, for this is Islam at its traditional best; rampaging, marauding, causing havoc and strife between their various tribes and sects. And should those outside the world of Islam point out the hideous human rights abuses that Muslims visit upon one another, this too is a vicious assault against Islam.

That being the case, it should not have been at all surprising that the choice of Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark to assume the rank of political head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, would be seen as yet another assault upon Islam. The one Muslim member of NATO, heretofore secular Turkey has objected to the candidacy of Mr. Rasmussen, noting the crisis that beset the world on the memorable publication of Danish cartoons deemed to be insulting to Islam.

And as far as Turkey is concerned, Denmark's acceptance of the right of radio stations producing content sympathetic to the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party is additional fodder for rejection. Rasmussen additionally, it was pointed out, "showed blatant neglect of the sensitivities involved during the cartoon crisis". Which is a shame, since the U.S., the U.K. France and Germany consider Mr. Rasmussen best choice for the position.

Islam does not forget. Oh, it does forget and handily overlook assaults against its own. That, after all, is an internal matter for Muslims themselves to ponder, and certainly not to be held to account for, even when it concerns gross bloody massacres against their own co-religionists, massive human displacement, rape and other human-rights abuses.

But insults from infidels? Islamist terrorists are still inveighing against Denmark, still calling for revenge, still agitating for attacks on Danish targets. The last one of which blasted Denmark's embassy in Islamabad, killing six, injuring dozens of people. Non-Islamic countries have a long learning curve ahead.

Primarily to politely enquire of Muslim countries whether they will agree to any and all enterprises that the West sets about, lest the fragile sensibilities of the Islamic world is once again set aflame.