Where Zawahiri is Right

Our friend Ayman the bearded cave monster released another video today chastising Bush and blaming the GWoT for our financial crisis followed by the obligatory alter call to join Islam. But just because he's a sociopath devoid of feelings for the innocent--unless they are "his" innocent--and just because he's mistaken about the roots of the financial crisis (it was triggered by a socialist experiment not 9/11), he's not too far off-base with this particular grievance:

"The modern economy has been destroyed by the strikes of the mujahedeen (in Iraq and Afghanistan) and usury," he said, using the Arabic term for holy warriors. Under Islamic Sharia law, usury, like drinking alcohol, is among the grand sins.

Zawahri then called on the American people to "embrace Islam to live a life free of greed, exploitation and forbidden wealth."

In truth, avoiding usury (credit) is not a tenet owned exclusively by the Muslims, unless Dave Ramsey is a hidden mujahadeen warrior. Or unless everything we know about Ben Franklin is wrong. Avoiding excessive credit just makes good common sense.

It's human nature to want it all, and want it now. It's also intuitive to know such a philosophy is a path to ruin. I'm not against credit per se--have some--but leveraging yourself to the hilt with tomorrow's projected earnings without a whit of caution about tomorrow is not real wise. It might even lead us to a socialist hell at some point if we don't 'collectively' wise up to the sin of excessive credit.

What Zawahiri doesn't understand is that avoiding it doesn't require a conversion to Islam, only a conversion to common sense. An America living within means would allow more freedom to invest (and strengthen the economy) while freeing up money for charitable donations. Meanwhile a stronger dollar puts the government in better position to wage necessary battles against Zawahiri's barbaric civilian-murdering thugs.