Why are people offended by the term "Islamic fascists"?

Fascism - A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary.

This sounds like organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Quaeda (As was represented by the Taliban). They've legitimzed themselves and placed themselves in seats of legal power. I believe then, that the term "Islamo-Fascism" would apply in these cases.

Furthermore, to reply to CryHavoc's oddly self-righteous indignatory comment from way out in left field, no one is categorizing all muslims (or arabs/indo-aryan peoples) as such. Simply the ones who continue to commit violent acts in the name of Islam.

I would also describe Bush as a religio-fascist. He uses his seat of power to enforce his religious beliefs.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I don't have a very high opinion of the way the Israelis are treating the displaced Palestinians, either.

However, I do not see how you can not classify organizations like Hezbollah or the Ayatollah family as fascists. The Ayatollahs for years have used their positions in the clergy and government to drive their vision of an Islamic world, they do use ALOT of social control and quite a bit of economic control to keep the populace under their thumbs.

Maybe I do have a loose term of Fascism, but when someone in a seat of power can make decisions regarding basic social interactions of people (for example, what religion they choose to practice, who they want to marry) and reinforce those decisions with threats of violence or economic sanction without any sort of reasoning with concern to public safety or economic growth-- that starts to set off alarms in my head.

Because I do not want to convert to Islam or support the idea of forming new statehoods (as is with palestinian struggles), in the mind of the muslim extremists, that makes me worthy of a violent death. Because I do not conform to their worldview, they want to see my way of life squelched, I'd call that Fascism.

Most amazing jew boots

I do think that the media publicizing the actions of the military makes the military a lot more self conscious about its actions. Which is good in the sense that it does sort of keep a leash on what they are willing to do to achieve victory.

In some ways, yes, the media is a negative influence, then again it also sort of acts as a body which indirectly carries out the will of the people through its influence "against" what may be field commanders' designs.

However, I don't think we'll really see any benefit from that on our end, because our enemies aren't really members of the "free-world" and thus have no such thing as a free-press and aren't concerned with public opinion.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.