"Jihad Doesn't Mean Holy War" Thread

Muslims sometimes make the claim "Jihad doesn't mean holy war". As if this hand waving can simply make the violent aspects of the religion go away. Here is a thread with references that jihad is holy war, and is very much a part of Orthodox Sunni Islam.

“I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which Jihad is best?’ He said: ‘(That of a man) whose blood is shed and his horse is wounded.’”
https://sunnah.com/urn/1276430 

Who can declare Jihad?
According to mainstream Islam, needs to be declared by a state or ameer. No vigilantism is allowed. But who is to decide who is a valid ameer?

Is Jihad defensive only?
No, it's used to spread Islam and grow the state.
Usama b. Zaid was sent to fight the Syrians, this was Muhammad's dying wish.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usama_ibn_Zayd#Muhammad's_last_expedition

The Quran talks about fighting the disbelievers until they give jiyzah. This is clearly outgoing not defensive. https://legacy.quran.com/9/29 

Muhammad's rules of Jihad - Ask them to accept Islam, if they reject it, and if they refuse, ask them to accept jizyah in humiliation, and if not, they should be fought and killed.
https://sunnah.com/abudawud/15/136 

The best way to protect yourself from Day of Judgement is die as a martyr. It means you will go into paradise SCOT FREE. No reckoning. No questioning. Every sin is forgiven. It's a blank check.
See 40 Hadith Qudsi which explains Quran 3:169 https://sunnah.com/qudsi40/27 

Not to mention that the promise of sex and beautiful big breasted women in paradise. Quran 78:33 "And full-breasted [companions] of equal age" https://www.scribd.com/doc/4851927/Qualities-and-Attributes-of-Hoors-Hoor-al-ayn-Houris-of-Jannah-Paradise

A straightforward reading of the texts leads you to antagonism and hate:
Disbelievers are the worst creatures (8:55), polytheists are the worst creatures (98:6), etc..

Muslims are the biggest victims of terrorism (i.e. Boko Haram and so on).

Are there peaceful interpretations of Islam? Sure there are. Many scholars nowadays consider that there is no longer any 'dar ul islam' and 'dar ul harb' (The abode of Islam and abode of War)
But we can't deny there are violent interpretations as well.

A straightforward reading of the texts does lead to something quite awful. Muslims are usually better than their religion. That's why we find most Muslims are not going around killing and murdering disbelievers.
But Islam does have a problem with violent extremism.

If this is God's final religion, he left it in a messy situation with lots of ammunition for violent terrorism.

My full video on Islam, Jihad, and Terrorism

Not equal are those who stay behind and those who fight. Those who fight are superior
https://legacy.quran.com/4/95