Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Cromwell and Islam

I had rather that Mohmetanism were permitted amongst us than that one of God’s children should be persecuted.” —Oliver Cromwell, 1652, in support of religious liberty  Abid Katib/Getty Images

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587914_090310_51551287_resiz2.jpg

I had rather that Mohmetanism were permitted amongst us than that one of God's children should be persecuted." --Oliver Cromwell, 1652, in support of religious liberty 

I had rather that Mohmetanism were permitted amongst us than that one of God’s children should be persecuted.” —Oliver Cromwell, 1652, in support of religious liberty 

Abid Katib/Getty Images

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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