# How was Operation 'Infinite Justice" offensive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 9, 2001, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368 "2001-10-09T17:23:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/1 "2001-10-09T17:23:56Z")
I’ve heard people say how we changed the name of our operation against terrorism from “Operation Infinite Justice” to “Operation Enduring Freedom,” because it was offensive to Muslims. How was “Infinite Justice” offensive to Muslims? I am totally missing this one. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/2 "2001-10-09T17:26:17Z")
Muslims believe that Allah alone is capable of dispensing infinite justice. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/3 "2001-10-09T17:31:57Z")
I know this is IMHO territory, but I cringe every time I hear the words _justice_ and _bin Laden_ in the same sentence. It ain’t about justice… ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/4 "2001-10-09T17:32:26Z")
What **Libertarian** said. Or you can go to [http://www.ubique.ch/](http://www.ubique.ch/) and create your own codenames with the handy-dandy military operation codename generator. (Apparently, my planned air strike on the UK is named ‘Desert Obelisk’. So, eh, YMMV.) ---
**Author:** ![Iconoclast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b77776/32.png) [@Iconoclast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iconoclast)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/5 "2001-10-09T20:37:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dignan \* > \*\*I’ve heard people say how we changed the name of our operation against terrorism from “Operation Infinite Justice” to “Operation Enduring Freedom,” because it was offensive to Muslims. > > How was “Infinite Justice” offensive to Muslims? I am totally missing this one. \*\* Christians believe the same thing, no? Albeit referring to their version of “god” rather than the Islamic one. (before anyone jumps all over me: yes I know “allah” means “god” but clearly Christianity and Islam have differning versions of a suppoedly single deity) ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/6 "2001-10-09T20:54:39Z")
Yes, but because the general Christian view of God is much more personal — as Father, Brother, and Friend — dispensation of infinite justice by mankind would not be considered a usurpation. “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” — Jesus ([John 14:12](http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=JOHN+14:12&language=english&version=NIV&showfn=off)) ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/7 "2001-10-09T21:49:41Z")
But Muslims _do_ believe that crimes should be punished, like by other people, while here on Earth, don’t they? Do they not consider this to be “justice”? Maybe we should have called it “Operation Chop Off The Hands of Those Who Assisted.” ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/8 "2001-10-09T22:04:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Muslims believe that Allah alone is capable of dispensing infinite justice. Wow, that sure does sound like something to get upset about. :rolleyes: Thanks for (all of) your response(s). As for Muslims being offended by that, it’s just another strike against organized religion in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/9 "2001-10-09T22:06:30Z")
**Dignan** , bear in mind that we’re treading a diplomatic tightrope here. The US doesn’t want to piss off other Muslim populations any more than it inevitable will through action in the middle east. It’s about keeping allies – especially wavering ones – on side, not about pussyfooting around religious sensibilities. ---
**Author:** ![Saxman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Saxman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saxman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/10 "2001-10-09T22:33:19Z")
Anti-American firebrands over there _live_ for these sorts of diplomatic gaffes so they can better fan the flames of paranoia to “prove” that the West cares nothing for Islam. (Disclaimer: my family is from “over there” and I have spent plenty of time “over there”.) Witness how an early bin Laden statement made ample reference to America’s “crusade” against Islam. His “argument” became, unfortunately, more persuasive in the minds of the ignorant masses thanks to Bush initially calling this anti-terror campaign a “crusade”. Calling this a “crusade” while requesting the Muslim world’s assistance seems about as insensitive as a mayor asking African-American community leaders to lend a hand in “lynching” inner city poverty. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/11 "2001-10-10T01:24:29Z")
The thread [Noble Infinite Eagle Justice](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=88415) goes into a bit more detail on the reasons it was such a dumb name. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-operation-infinite-justice-offensive/86368/12 "2001-10-10T02:05:52Z")
The question has been answered. Anything else is more appropriate to Great Debates, including your sarcastic second post, **Dignan**. This thread is closed. bibliophage moderator GQ