The Associated Press is doing backflips of approval and delight over the sermon preached today at Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia: Top Saudi Cleric Assails Terrorists. AP always surrounds the word “terrorists” with scare quotes when it’s used by a Western source—but notice the complete absence of quotes in this article.

MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia’s top cleric called on Muslims around the world Saturday to forsake terrorism, saying those who claim to be holy warriors were an affront to the faith.

In a sermon that was remarkable not only for its strong language but also its timing — at the peak of the annual hajj — Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Sheik told 2 million pilgrims that terrorists were giving their enemies an excuse to criticize Muslim nations.

Sorry, Sheikh baby, but I prefer to call it a “reason,” not an “excuse.”

Let’s look a bit closer at this highly-touted denunciation of terrorism:

“Is it holy war to shed Muslim blood? Is it holy war to shed the blood of non-Muslims given sanctuary in Muslim lands? Is it holy war to destroy the possessions of Muslims?” he asked.

Do I even have to point out that there is no condemnation of holy war against non-Muslims who are not “given sanctuary in Muslim lands?” (Another word for this “sanctuary” is dhimmitude—second-class citizenship akin to Jim Crow laws.)

And do I need to mention that in yesterday’s sermon in Mecca, one of his fellow freaky Sheikhs said:

“Oh God, give victory to the mujahedeen (holy warriors) everywhere,” al-Taleb said. “Give them victory in Palestine. Oh God, make the Muslims triumphant and destroy their enemies, and make this country and other Muslim countries safe. Oh God, inflict your wrath on the criminal Zionists.”

But back to Sheikh al-Sheikh:

Al-Sheik also criticized the international community, accusing it of attacking Wahhabism, the sect whose strict interpretation of Islam is followed in Saudi Arabia.

“This country is based on this religion and will remain steadfast on it,” he said.

“Islam forbids all forms of injustice, killing without just cause, treachery … hijacking of planes, boats and transportation means,” he said.

Islam forbids hijacking of planes? That’s a pretty forward-thinking 7th Century religion.

And of course, the Saudis would have us believe that the best way to combat this awful terrorism (which is only terrorism when it harms Muslims) is for them to become even more fundamental and rigid in their adherence to the brutal codes of shari’a:

Al-Sheik warned against “changing the religion’s basics” in school curricula.

“The minds of youth in the Islamic nation need to be shielded with Islamic sharia (law) and good manners and deeds. The nation’s future generations will only be reformed by what reformed the past generations,” he said.

“