Opinion

Bam’s blunt message

Imagine the scene in the White House yesterday when word arrived that Islamist thugs had scaled the wall at the US embassy in Cairo and were shredding an American flag.

Holy moly — not another hostage crisis! Whatever shall we do?

Answer: Shred the First Amendment, and hope the mob goes away.

Which is pretty much what happened.

Some 2,000 howling Islamists commemorated the 11th anniversary of 9/11 by attacking the embassy, ripping down Old Glory and replacing it with a banner emblazoned with the words “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger.”

Why? Who knows the real reason, but ostensibly to protest a new film that “insults” the prophet Muhammad.

The movie reportedly was produced by Coptic-Christian ex-pats and Koran-burning pastor Terry Jones — who’s nuts.

But there is a principle involved.

Nevertheless, the embassy’s knees quickly buckled; it issued a statement that condemned “the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims,” adding:

“We reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.”

James Madison, call your office.

Better yet, Barack Obama, read the Federalist Papers.

Speaking of the president, the administration took the occasion of the 9/11 anniversary to wave a single-digit salute to America’s sole trustworthy Mideast ally — rejecting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request for a face-to-face meeting with Obama when the PM comes to the United States for next month’s UN General Assembly session.

The snub apparently came in response to Netanyahu’s growing impatience with Team Obama’s refusal to set a public red line for Islamic-fundamentalist, embassy-storming Iran to stop its nuclear-weapon-driven uranium-enrichment program.

“The world tells Israel: ‘Wait, there’s still time,’” said Netanyahu. “And I say: ‘Wait for what? Wait until when?’ Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don’t have a moral right to place a red light before Israel.”

He’s not the only one who must be wondering about Obama’s claim to have Israel’s back regarding Iran’s nuclear chase.

So, come the 9/11 anniversary, Israel — facing a rapidly maturing existential threat — gets the bird from Washington.

And Cairo thugs — soul brothers to the 9/11 attackers — get a bowed head.

Troubling? You bet.