Darwish, Nonie. “Cruel and Unusual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law.” N.p.. Thomas Nelson, 6 January 2009 <Print>.
Nonie Darwish has a distinct and credible perspective when it comes to describing the implications of Islamic Law. She lived under Islamic Law for the first thirty years of her life in her native Egypt. Darwish was taught not to challenge “Allah’s Law” because anyone who questioned it would be punished. She eventually escaped the oppressive Islamic regime and now risks her life by speaking out against the brutal laws of Islam. In her book, Cruel and Unusual Punishment, The Terrifying Global Imlications of Islamic Law, Darwish states that the goal of Islamic Law is to “infiltrate western culture and destroy democracy.” The Quran teaches that jihad is “a religious duty of Muslims.” The Quran also teaches jihadists to “strike fear in the heart of unbelievers.” According to Darwish, jihadists are seeking to penetrate the West by any means. She points out that having already done the terror, jihadists are now trying to play with American minds by desensitizing Americans to Islamic tyranny and to confuse the issue of who is right and who is wrong. She says Islamists want to “put the West on the defensive by presenting them with manufactured propaganda of Arab grievances.” Darwish believes that goal will be easy for them in today’s cultural climate where many people are quick to “blame America first.”
The facts put forth by Nonie Darwish in her book are relevant to the question, “Was it wise for the United States Senate to vote in October, 2009, to allow terrorist suspects to be tried in civilian courts with all the rights of U.S. citizens?” By shedding light on the goals of jihadists, Darwish exposes the risks of granting suspects civil trials. The trials could be used by the terrorists as a platform to present themselves as victims and to give some people the idea that America deserved the 9/11 attacks. The trials could help jihadists Infiltrate American culture by providing an audience for their extremist views. Trying the suspected terrorists in civilian courts with all the rights of an American citizen on trial runs the risk of actually putting America on trial and placing the focus more on what Americans did or didn’t do wrong instead of on the guilt or innocence of the suspects. The unintended result could be the strengthening of Islamic influence in the U.S. and the undermining of America’s ability to defend itself against jihadists both on the battlefield and in court.
