Would you rather the cops had raided before they had a case, thereby facilitating the charges being thrown out of criminal court? Now who's being irrational about Muslims?

I hate organized religion as much, if not more, that you, Hitch. But I can't see how you're advocating anything less than rounding up people based on ethnicity or religion and the fact that other's of the same ethnicity/religion have done some very bad things. I thought that WW2 had taught us that lesson, more than any of the other lessons that the Bush administration likes to take from WW2. But apparently this only applies now to Israel and your friends, the Kurds.

Chemist, if your assumption is true, i.e. that there was no case, then you are correct. But is that, just an assumption. It would appear that many crimes were already committed, and that the local authorities simply did not want to act. If so, then Hitch's points remains valid, and your analysis is misplaced.

Both me and Hitch are assuming basic facts on this case, melon: the charges have yet to be made public. Hitchens, however, is the only one arguing Islamic appeasement and base bigotry.

America benefits from unique geographical and historical realities and enjoys immense world influence. Radical Muslim realities confuse understanding and bred anger. Most Americans chose to deny all Muslim realities and back the secularization of Iraq, patiently waiting for a shift in perspective, not fearful but determined to prevail. American Muslims concerns and crimes are appeased on many levels, to smooth acceptance of this desired fantastical shift.

I don't think he's saying anything of the kind, Chemist. He goes on in his article to state that the murder of this journalist was just one in a long line of criminal acts the Bakery had committed. He was absolutely not suggesting that we just round up Muslims for being Muslim.