(Reuters) - A majority of Dutch people want an anti-Koran film made by a politician to be broadcast even though they fear it will stoke tension with Muslims and harm relations with Arab countries, a poll showed on Wednesday.

Source: !domain via Swan

This is an interesting stand for the Dutch people to take, considering that such an action could and probably would put the Netherlands at risk of economic sanctions.

Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, is not so gung-ho about the movie, warning not only of the possibility of economic sanctions but the liklihood of attacks on it's troops in Afghanistan.

The Netherlands risks economic sanctions and attacks
on its citizens and businesses because of a plan by a right-wing
politician to broadcast an anti-Islamic film, the Dutch Prime Minister
warned on Friday.

The craftsman of the movie is named Geert Wilders, a right-wing  politician who described the Koran as "a fascist book that incites violence," further saying that "it should be banned."

Dutch government lawyers are looking into whether or not they can ban the film, with the government fearing repurcussions on it's people.  However, Wilders claims that the Koran keeps the same company as Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf  and should be seen.

Even though the film named Fitna has yet to be seen:

"Dutch products have been rejected at an exhibition, the Taliban (in Afghanistan) announces actions against Dutch soldiers, stewardesses are
afraid to work on certain air flights,"

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Fitna is an Arabic term used in the Koran and translated as "dissension - or strife."

A Dutch newspaper said the coalition government was currently divided on it's opinion.  Christian Democrats are calling for a ban, while Labour is pushing for freedom of expression and calling on Muslim countries to prevent violence against the Netherlands.

Unfortunately, if the film is aired - violence will not be prevented - especially not in the Dutch Prime Minister's back yard.

Protests are being heard from many Muslim countries, including Pakistan who have now adopted a resolution condemning the denigration of Islam.

Pakistani foreign office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq told a weekly briefing:

"Wilders' anti-Koran film reflects his biased, bigoted thinking.  It has nothing to do with the right of freedom of expression." [...] "Bigoted and blasphemous acts such as the Danish cartoons and Wilders' film (are) tantamount to propagating politics of hate and promoting xenophobia in Europe." [...] "This cannot be justified on any pretext."

Source: !domain via Swan

However, Wilders isn't phased and is already negotiating with various TV stations for broadcast of the film in March or April.

Pakistan have also raised the issue in Brussels, the Vatican and The Hague - and of course at the Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit in Senegal this month.

Oddly, in thinking about this, my mind conjured up a cartoon of all the
members of the Islamic Conference wearing dynamite in their turbans,
arms raised and yelling "Death to the West," - calling for a worldwide Jihad on the entire West.

This comes on the heels of the Danish cartoon of Mohammad sporting
dynamite in his turban.  Protests then killed at least fifty people,
including five in Pakistan.

In Afghanistan, mostly religious clerics in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, marched and demanded withdrawal of Danish and Dutch troops from Afghanistan.

Turkey too, has weighed in on the film by "voicing it's concern," while Iran (unsurprisingly,) has called it "a provocative and Satanic act.

Wilders has already been targeted for death on Islamic militant web sites but is not phased by them in the slightest.  He said:

"Our Prime Minister is so afraid of the consequences of the film that he seems to give in to Islam instead of defending our democratic values and rights. Let me make one thing clear: the film will be broadcast."

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Islamists all over the world are coming together on their views of the film and intent if it's not banned - so apparently - this may not be just a cartoon in my head.

Sources:

Reuters by Emma Thomasson
Reuters by Gilbert Kreijger
Reuters by Augustine Anthony
Reuters by Reed Stevenson

Photo:
    Dennis Balibouse