The State Department has in effect sided with Islamists  in the cartoon controversy. This stance of appeasement certainly will not win the U.S. Moslems' good graces. Nothing will. We have to look no further than France to see that any such hope is in vain. France has done more than any other Western country to mollify Islamists, and yet today they are marching in force while chanting 'Death to France.'

We need to take an unequivocal stand in defense of one of our core and most cherished values — the freedom of expression. We are in the midst of a clash of civilizations that has pitted us against ruthless fanatics who swear by a failed ideology. We must not capitulate to their absurd demands and betray something that has defined our way of life for over two hundred years.

Let France be our warning: Caving to Islamists' bullying carries dire consequences. Confused about their national identity, the French are now also hated by those whom they so pathetically sought to appease.

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