Out on a Limb

The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal’s “Best of the Web” at WSJ written by the editor, James Taranto.

Out on a Limb
“Middle East Peace Prospects Are Slim, Outgoing U.N. Envoy Says”—headline, Washington Post, March 31

Testing the Administration’s Theories
Here’s some good news: “The majority of British Muslims oppose violence against people who publish images depicting the Prophet Muhammad, a poll for the BBC suggests. The survey also indicates most have no sympathy with those who want to fight against Western interests.”

Now for the bad news: “But 27% of the 1,000 Muslims polled by ComRes said they had some sympathy for the motives behind the Paris attacks. . . .

Asked if acts of violence against those who publish images of the Prophet Muhammad can “never be justified,” 68% agreed that such violence was never justifiable.

But 24% disagreed with the statement, while the rest replied “don’t know” or refused to answer.

President Obama has declared categorically that terrorists are not true Muslims. One wonders where he draws the line: Are those who sympathize with terrorists or think terrorism justified also apostates, or can they be true Muslims?

(Note: The excerpts above are from March 31 and Feb. 26 BOTW archives.)  For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.”