Ranks Of West Point Muslims Grow

(CBS)  Since Thomas Jefferson signed legislation creating West Point Academy more than 200 years ago, it has often had to move with the times – admitting the first African American cadet and letting in women, reports CBS News correspondent Russ Mitchell. Now it's coping with another new challenge.

The serene Hudson Valley campus, with its history, traditions and ceremonies, has given birth to some of America's greatest wartime leaders. But now, even as the U.S. Army is fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, West Point finds itself training a new generation of leaders – some with a surprising background. They are American Muslims.

"Muslims of West Point are unique in themselves because they are going to be the leaders of tomorrow…of platoons, companies, battalions and maybe even of the whole Army itself," Imam Asadullah Burgos tells Mitchell.

Asadullah Burgos is the Imam at West Point, where he has seen the number of Muslim cadets grow from just one 10 years ago to more than 30 now. This fall West Point dedicated a prayer room solely for use by Muslims.

Two of the Muslim cadets are Faraz Bala and Shuja Kazmi. Bala, a junior from Seattle, hopes to work in military intelligence. Kazmi is a former combat medic who has already served in Iraq.

When asked what is difficult about being a Muslim at West Point, Kazmi responds: "I think the toughest part may be trying to educate people about the religion and break any stereotypes that might exist."

In the past there have been reports of hazing of women and minorities at West Point but Muslims don't seem to have faced anything like that, reports Mitchell.

Both Bala and Kazmi know too well that if they are sent to Afghanistan or Iraq there's a very good chance they will be fighting against Muslims.

"Just like in out previous wars it's been Christian on Christian in World War I and World War II," says Bala. "This was isn't about religion – our mission there is just providing security."

"It's wrong for it to happen," says Kazmi when asked what he thinks of Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq carrying out car bombs and beheadings. "That is something as a soldier you try to stop."

But not everyone finds it easy. Imam Burgos says some Muslim cadets have sought guidance over their personal conflict about going to war.

"We are taught to save humanity not destroy humanity," says Imam Burgos. "So that is a conflict. A conflict within our souls, within our own selves. A conflict we have to deal with regardless of what faith we're from."

West Point does not actively recruit Muslims. In fact, it never asks the religion of anyone applying to the academy.

"That's the big thing with society today," says Faraz when asked if he feels like an American Muslim soldier – American first, Muslim second. "We would like to separate things into categories but sometimes it's just more complex than that."

[styker1224]

I want to commend these West Point Muslim grads.

Apparently by reading some of these hateful posts and seeing Cramer's racists jibe, it seems that intrinsic hate remains as relevant as ever.

As one female historian said: Many whites like (myself included) to think of themselves as tolerant, but true depths of their feelings towards black and brown people comes to the surface under the guise of anonymity. Hmmm.

[styker1224]

MissAmerica,

I love your cowering under this goofy name...you male, warmongering chauvanist.

It is neocons like yourself why we find ourselves stuck in Iraq!

You say "Muslims attacked America on 9/11." 19 did, but a billion did not!

Where were you when the US gov't attacked and killed Muslims in Lebanon (supporting Israel with US navy resulting in the barrack bombings), Iran (supported Saddam and gave him chemical weapons as I recall), Iraq (500,000 killed via sanctions), and in Palestine! Did you ask yourself then "why they hate us?"

You're a sicko and you're logic twisted.

[olebd]

Die or be killed by those who don't like what you believe. That's not the way I want to go.

[olebd]

Amen to that!!!

It's sad that some still live in a bubble and can't see beyond the charity/acceptance this country has offered to so many in the past.

[missamerica4]

olebd

If the people who love this country do not defend America there will be no hope. The majority are asleep, a large percentage of the rest are naive and just stupid.
It is for those who see the danger to defend our way of life. Many will not wake up until they or their loved one dies.

[missamerica4]

RandalDS

I would be careful if I was you. You and Timmy McVeigh share the same belief.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_McVeigh#Motivations_for_the_bombing

"McVeigh claimed that the bombing was revenge for "what the U.S. government did at Waco and Ruby Ridge."
"McVeigh was considered by many an anti-government extremist,"
In 1998, an imprisoned McVeigh penned an essay that criticized US foreign policy towards Iraq as being hypocritical. (sounds like you )
"If Saddam is such a demon, and people are calling for war crimes charges and trials against him and his nation, why do we not hear the same cry for blood directed at those responsible for even greater amounts of %u201Cmass destruction%u201D %u2014 like those responsible and involved in dropping bombs on the cities mentioned above? "
Yep, sounds just like you. The hate America, blame America first gang.
You sure you were not related to him ? Sounds like a carbon copy.

[olebd]

And how passive and naive are we in the U.S. as we waste time debating on racial profiling (against Muslims acting suspicious on airplanes)as we still try to accept everyone (allowing Hezbollah chapters to operate in the U.S. as well as all the Saudi schools operating in this country that teach from anti-American textbooks)

Considering amnesty for anyone who crosses over a U.S. border.....(radical Muslims can slip through just as easy as anybody else.)

Enough is enough. Someday soon I hope we wake up and realize it's better to be cautious than dead.

[missamerica4]

cont:
2. Why were we attacked?
"Envy of our position, our success, and our freedoms. The attacks happened during the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2. We cannot fault either the Republicans or Democrats as there were no provocations by any of the presidents or their immediate predecessors, Presidents Ford or Carter."

3. Who were the attackers?
In each case, the attacks on the US were carried out by Muslims.

He continues:And finally, name any Muslim countries throughout the world that allow freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal rights for anyone -- let alone everyone, equal status or any status for women, or that have been productive in one single way that contributes to the good of the world.

I look forward to your answer.
Please do read the entire letter. It is vital that we unite.
France has waited to long. They cannot contain their muslim population as you saw in the riots .
Muslims have shut down Spain and holds Spain hostage now.
Pavel Kohout, an associate of the Center for Economics and Politics in Prague, believes that Europe's cultural passivity and naive ideas will be its downfall:

[missamerica4]

RandalDS

Ever heard of MAJOR GENERAL (DR.) VERNON CHONG ?
Here is his bio. As you can see he is well qualified to judge our current situation. MUCH better than you or I.
http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5000

Now read his letter.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006012403719

This WAR is for REAL!
"To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WWII)"
.1. When did the threat to us start?
Many will say -September 11, 2001. The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us:
Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979;
Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983;
Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983;
Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988;
First New York World Trade Center attack 1993;
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996;
Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998;
Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998;
Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000;
New York World Trade Center 2001;
Pentagon 2001.
(Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide"

2. Why were we attacked?
cont:

[randalds]

An even better example is that thousands of Americans are murdered every year by other Americans. Certainly many more times then are killed by terrorists. Using your logic missamerica we should all renounce being Americans because a tiny fraction of Americans are evil murders. That is the EXACT same thing.