Some people aren't thinking here. I don't believe people realize how seriously innocent Muslims, across the country and down the street, take their holy sites. You're not going to break the hearts of the al-Qaeda members of the World, or the pro-terrorist dictators of the World, by destroying Mecca. They don’t care. They don't have hearts to break anyway. They won't give a rat's behind, apart from the welcome propaganda value of it all. So, why kick hundreds of millions of good Muslims--that never did anything to harm anybody--in the metaphorical stomach? For what? Go after military targets. There are a lot more of those to hit anyway. Why break the hearts of the Muslims around the World who never did anything to harm anybody? You may not like Islam, I may not like Islam, but it's the religion that a billion people learned on their parents' knee.

India is 20% Muslim. Ask the Hindus what they think of them.

We could also tell, on the QT of course, North Korea and Iran that _any_ nuclear bombs going off in the US will be blamed on them. Just so they don't think of helping any terrorists out with some nuclear material and/or bombs itself. The strikes on them would be similiar to the "Great Convention" concept Frank Herbert did in the 'Dune' series. That is, you target not just military targets but plan on literally turning the countries into seas of glass. If they love their kids then they will behave.

The "plains of glass" idea is fine if you are dealing with rational actors who do value the lives of their citizens and their nation/state. But I'm not convinced that Korea or Iran quite are there, the way the Soviet's were. Plus they have to believe you won't blink. Again I'm not sure they believe we would be serious, the way the Soviets did.
This is not a new discussion. I would direct you to the Good Rev. Sensing at One Hand Clapping, who has done an extensive analysis of the nuke Mecca idea, and lays out why that would be a futile course of action.
I think Belmont Club has touched on the subject as well.

Remember also that there are Muslims (the Saudi-Iraqi Sunni-Shiites) and then there are muslims. The Sunni-Shia Muslims consider all the other 'believers' (Indonesians, etc) lesser outsiders. The true 'Nuc' would be "poisoning the waters" of the 'outsider' muslim world in which the elitist fundamentalist terrorist heads currently swim.

"Remember also that there are Muslims (the Saudi-Iraqi Sunni-Shiites) and then there are muslims."

This is true. Small-m "muslims" are more political and social movement than religious.

"The Sunni-Shia Muslims consider all the other 'believers' (Indonesians, etc) lesser outsiders."

Not at all. "Muslim" means "one who submits to Allah", dereving from the same root word as "salaam", meaning "peace". As such, there is no "higher believer" nor "lower believer", no "richer believer" nor "poorer believer", only "believer". Although there is a religious hierarchy (ie mullah, imam, etc), individuals stress wanting closeness and submission to Allah. This is part of the appeal of Islam in poorer countries--the notion of equality before Allah.

So I strongly disagree that those who live in the Middle East feel that they are somehow "greater" or "better" than those who live elsewhere. Having lived for several years in Indonesia, I don't think that Indonesians see themselves as "outsiders", nor do Middle Easterners think of Indonesians as "outsiders". All are equal.

To accept your statements I would have to be convinced that Shia and Sunni consider themselves equal. If that is the case, then our fears of civil war in Iraq must be unfounded. I haven't been to Indonesia, but have spent some time on the 'sandy peninsula' and can only speak to the perceptions I noted from the "haves" toward the "have nots"

Fingers,

You shifted gears on me, buddy. In your original post you're talking about Middle Eastern Moslems vs. the rest of the world, but then say that "I would have to be convinced that Shia and Sunni consider themselves equal" and you "have spent some time on the 'sandy peninsula'". So which are we talking about ? Middle East Sect vs. Middle East Sect or Middle East vs. The World ? (FYI most (90%) of the world's Moslem population is Sunni).

You do, however, have a good point about the possibility of Civil War in Iraq based upon the Shiite vs. Sunni split.

Mitch,
Sorry about holding a personal debate on your site. This is your space, and I'm sorry.