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The New Enemy

Reader comment on item: When Conservatives Argue about Islam

Submitted by Bob Jack (United States), Jul 7, 2007 at 18:32

World War III

The War Against Radical Islamic Jihad

Chapter 1--Origins of the Enemy

We are at a war today with a new enemy. WWIII is in progress.

This war started years ago. The exact moment when is difficult to say.

Initially we called it terrorism.

A plane would be hijacked, and people inside held as hostages.

The hijackers espoused some political reason for the hijacking, and made demands.

There was the terrorist attack on the Israeli athletic compound at the Summer Olympics in Munich, and the ensuing death and destruction.The capture of a cruise liner and the wanton brutal murder of a crippled Jewish passenger, with his body shoved overboard. There was the uprising in Iranaccompanied by the taking of American hostages by the Iranian revolutionaries.

The barracks of U.S. Marines were blown up in Lebanon by a Hezbollah suicide bomber, murdering well over 200 Marines.There was the first bombing of the WorldTradeCenter in NYC by al Qaeda resulting in death and injury to persons. Al Qaeda was implicated in this incident

There was the damage to the USS Cole in Yemenby a suicide bomber, and the deaths of U.S.sailors on board that ship. Al Qaeda was implicated in this in incident also. There were many other terrorist attacks in between. Always these events were attributed to "terrorism". Always these events were terrorist acts by committed by terrorists.

During the early years of new enemy's formation, terrorism was considered a tactic not an enemy—it was a tactic used to frighten people into
submission to some cause or demand of the terrorists. And then there were unintended consequences that helped to shape the new
enemy.

For example, with the support of the United Statesin Afghanistan the Russians were eventually defeated by Afghan warriors. This was the
terrorist birthplace of Osama bin Laden, and the clearly identifiable root of al Qaeda ("the base").

As America started to populate various countries in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, with U.S.industry and military the terrorists were
increasingly linked to particular radical political movements or state sponsors. There was a growing outcry from terrorist groups, and from state sponsors, for the United Statesto retreat from its strong partnership with Israel, and to withdraw its military from the Middle East. Bin Laden and al Qaeda is a defining example of this outcry.

Gradually the United Statesbecame an enemy; known as the "Great Satan" to forces that were becoming a more formalized and identifiable opponent of the United States. Eventually a Jihad ("holy war") was declared by bin Laden against the United States—an overt act of war. This was a rallying cry to all people of the Islamic faith to follow the dictates of the Koran, and take up arms against the United States, the infidel.Those who did not wage jihad against the Great Satan were not considered to be "true believers".

Enter the culture of hate, and the overt declaration of war against the United States. Bin Laden and his al Qaeda became the first enemy to openly declare war on the United States. Now it was clear that an identifiable enemy existed, and this enemy was planning attacks against the United States. Also, the new enemy constituted a brand of radical Islam.

By referring to the Koran and a call to all believers in Islam to follow bin Laden into a Jihad against the United States, this new movement was
branded international radical Islamic jihad. In view of international radical Islamic Jihad there are important internal security questions that need to be answered by the United States. One of these questions is "which Muslims inside the U.S.have decided to take up this call to Jihad, and which ones have not?"

Another question the United Statesmust answer is "exactly which believers in Islam that live in the United Statesare sympathizers of the Jihad?", because Jihad involves not only the "violence of the sword", but also the acts of those who aid and abet this violence. Therefore, one may define the new enemy as radical Islamic jihadists and their sympathizers.

Chapter 2--World War III: The U.S.Awakens

It was a peaceful morning in CarletonPlace, Canadaon September 11, 2001 where I was visiting a friend. Carleton Placeis a small town about 45 minutes south of Ottawa. I was just getting adjusted to a new day when suddenly the phone rang. On the other end of the line was my son James phoning from Southern California. His voice was filled with alarm, sadness, and anger. He said" Dad, turn on the television, a plane has just flown into the WorldTradeCenter." I thanked him for the call, we hung up, and I raced to turn on the TV.

When I saw the initial pictures on TV the first tower was already burning. A second plane then crashed into the WTCTower, and it was obvious we were under attack. A rage that exits to this day welled up inside me. I remember the feelings that I had, as I watched the brutal and murderous progression of events. On first impression, as all Americans, I was uncertain of the extent of the attacks. Then I learned of the Pentagon plane crash, and the destruction there, and then both of the WTCTowerscollapsed. Then there were accounts of a plane in Pennsylvania, and that Air Force fighter jets were being scrambled possibly to take down the United Airlines Flight in Pennsylvania.

It was a horror, and nightmare unfolding before my eyes and the eyes of the world. I remember that the rage I felt was overwhelming. This was a devastating blow to my country. My first thoughts were directed toward revenge to all fanatical terrorists, to hunt down every last one of them and kill them.

Six years later, I still feel this way.

This became the awakening that was needed to put the United Stateson notice that we were at war—"what else would the nation need?" I thought. I didn't suspect that there would be people odd enough in this country to actually doubt the events that had occurred, or who would soon forget the devastating attack that we had sustained on our own soil. But these people exist.

As the day progressed speculations started to emerge that it was al Qaeda behind the attacks—bin Laden. As the death toll slowly came in from the WTC and the Pentagon and about the passengers on the four planes that had crashed, nearly 3,000 people had been killed by these fanatics. Al Qaeda was operating training camps with the approval of the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The response of the United Statesto the 9/11 attack was rapid. Within days we invaded Afghanistan, and were hunting down the Taliban and al Qaeda.

But bin Laden escaped and remains at large to this day! This is a public relations issue that the Bush Administration lives with today. The hunt for bin Laden continues. In many Muslim countries there was open celebration in the streets—bin Laden had just struck a blow against the Great Satan, and bin Laden was their hero. The enemy was coming into focus—radical Islamic jihadists and their sympathizers, the new enemy.

War in Iraq: A Digression? Iraqand Saddam Hussein had been an enigma to the civilized western democracies ever since the Gulf War when Iraqhad invaded Kuwait. After Iraq had been defeated in the Gulf War, the Hussein regime had been under continual UN sanctions, and had refused to allow inspectors into his country to look for Weapons of Mass Destruction, and he had used these weapons on both the Iranians during Iraq/Iran war, and on the Kurds in his own country to put down an uprising.

And then previous UN inspections had also confirmed the existence of WMD in Iraq. So there was solid evidence that Iraqhad had these weapons, and the refusal of Saddam Hussein to allow UN inspectors into examine the WMD sites and programs only fueled suspicions that Iraqhad WMD to hide. After the attack by al Qaeda, there was concern by the Bush Administration that Saddam Hussein might cut a deal with terrorists to give them WMD that could be used against the United States. In spite of these facts, China, France and Russia all had large
investments in Iraq, depended on Iraqi oil, and were at odds with the Bush Administration's, and even the UN's position on Iraq. After all, France, Russia and China had not been the victims of 9/11. The United States had, and it was our problem, not theirs they reasoned.

Nevertheless, and without UN approval, the US and the UK combined with a few smaller ally nations to invade Iraq. After the fall of Baghdad, there were no WMD to be found anywhere. After a quick victory over the overt armed forces of Saddam Hussein, and his eventual capture, and the complete destruction of his regime, the real war in Iraq started.

This struggle with insurgents and al Qaeda terrorists, including Saddam's previous forces has raged until this day. The only region in Iraqwhere there is real peace is in the Kurdish North. That may even change with Iranand Turkeyconcerned over factions of Kurdish rebels located there. Not only has there been raging fighting with insurgents and al Qaeda forces, there has been sectarian violence between sunnis and Shiites that has taken thousands of Iraqi lives.

There seems to be no way to curtail this slaughter. While it is a fact that a new government has been elected, and a new constitution adopted by popular voting, these other menacing forces have caused Iraqto become a dark hole in the war on terror. The Iraq war has become an increasingly unpopular war in the United States and has had a significant negative impact on the Bush Administration's ratings.

But President Bush has been adamant in his defense of the war, and the number of troops committed to Iraqmay even increase in future months. Right now there is no exit strategy from this war, and our troops may have to remain there indefinitely. Possibly there may have to be a permanent base that remains there to secure this front in the war against the enemy. We must not leave. One approach to a resolution of the Sunni/Shiite sectarian violence is to carve up Iraqso that each major group has its own territory, and to guarantee that the Sunnis who populate an oil poor region in Iraqreceive a proportionate share of the oil that exists in the Shiite region.

The Kurds in the north possess enough oil to secure their future. In the Kurdish north there is peace and progress at the present time. This would allow each group to have a form of strong regional or provincial government, but be integrated through a central government. As a closing statement on Iraq, only history will decide whether the invasion of Iraqbrought a better way of life to the inhabitants and the region.

At present the Kurds in the north definitely are prospering, and this is one positive result of the war. Another is that Saddam Hussein is gone, and on trial for war crimes. His regime has fallen. On the downside, the slaughters continue in Baghdad, and other cities where the Sunnis and Shiites populate Iraq. And al Qaeda has infested the country since the war began.

Chapter 3--Organization of the Enemy: State Sponsors, Charismatic Leaders, Grass Roots Support, Decentralized Cells and Decentralized Guerilla Fighting Units Very basically, the enemy is organized into a complex web consisting of state sponsors and those they sponsor, charismatic leaders, grass roots support and decentralized cells and decentralized guerilla fighting units. A twisted extremist Islamic ideology of violent jihad links these elements together.

This jihad ideal permeates in all directions, and gives life to the movement. It radicalizes and gives directional force to all jihad believers. Each follower, therefore, becomes an autonomous jihadist to whom there is little need to give any direction or supervision. State sponsors are the most easy to locate. We know who they are and where they are. We know who they sponsor also. For example Iran and Syria both sponsor Hezbollah.

Hezbollah is intertwined with the Lebanese people, their government, and also constitutes a guerilla military force in Lebanon. Hezbollah is part of the social and political fabric of Lebanon. The money to support Hezbollah comes primarily from Iran. Both Iran and Syria cooperate to furnish logistical efforts in transporting military materials and weapons to Hezbollah. In addition, it is now well considered that there are Hezbollah agents and cells in the United Statesthat are planning and waiting on instructions to make strikes in this country.

Hamas exists in Palestine, and, like Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas is part of the social and political fabric of Palestine. Hamas is sponsored by Syriaand Saudi Arabia, and, like Hezbollah, is devoted to the elimination of Israel. Hamas shows no signs of softening its objective of eliminating Israel. Iran also sponsors the insurgents and al Qaeda fighters in Iraq, and supplies materials and technology that are used in making improvised explosive devices (IED). Iran, being a Shiite nation, also is interfering in the internal politics of Iraq by engaging in direct discussions with the Iraqi Shiites, and the Shiite militias.

These state sponsors of terror, Iranand Syria, operate in the open with impunity. The charismatic leader who stirs the most attention is bin Laden. He issues statements and directions ("calls to jihad") to the masses of Islamists, and direct statements to the United Statesand the other western democracies, usually in the form of warnings of impending terrorist strikes. Bin Laden formulates ideological thought which inculcates itself into the very fiber of the global jihad movement. It is often his ideals that embed themselves into the masses of individual Islamists stirring them on to global "holy war" and martyrdom. Bin Laden has been a coordinator of jihad training camps and terrorist strikes, a source of fund raising, and an ideological inspiration for the radicalization of the Muslim world.

To an extreme extent, radical Islamic jihad relies on ideals to energize it. Therefore, charismatic leaders like bin Laden are crucial to the internal operation of the radical Islamic jihad movement. Without such leaders issuing their calls to jihad, and giving specific directions, the radical Islamic jihad movement would lack an important energizing ingredient. That is why it is important to track down and eliminate these people, because no matter what propaganda may flow out of al Qaeda it actually does serious harm when their inspirational leaders are removed. The jihad movement relies on a series of reinforced messages from these leaders.

A good example of grass roots supporters are the Islamic funding sources and preachers of hate that are spread throughout the world. Many of them are here in the United States. Some of them are wealthy Saudis. The world is filled with them. The UK and France have plentiful numbers of them. They populate local mosques, and Islamic learning centers everywhere. Many of them are imported by loose immigration practices. Some are local converts to Muslim. They imbed themselves into the social, educational, and political fabric of the countries they populate, and are growing in numbers. This is rapidly occurring in the United States. They are an increasing part of a geographically dispersed and organizationally decentralized force of radical Islamists.

A difficult part of our counterterrorism efforts is to detect which of these growing numbers of Muslims may be radicalized, and plotting to bring
down our nation, and other western democracies. Electronic eavesdropping is crucial to identifying the radical Islamists who are planning terrorist attacks. Our survival depends on these tools. As the President has said we have to be correct every time to prevail in our attempts to prevent these terrorist plots from materializing. The radical Islamists only have to succeed once. The difficulty of detecting every plot is enormous.

Chapter 4--Defeating the Enemy

This is an enemy that must be ground down. Consistent grinding away is the course to an ultimate hard fought and bloody victory. This will be a long and difficult war. It will be fought on many fronts, geographical, psychological, political and operational. It is a global war. It is a guerilla war. The enemy hides in the population, hides in holes, hides in houses. The enemy is nimble, clever and moves quickly. The enemy is geographically dispersed. The enemy is decentralized. Its decision making powers and ability to take independent actions are disseminated widely. We will defeat this enemy only if we understand this enemy. We will defeat this enemy only if we are united against it. This enemy values martyrdom more than it does life. The enemy relies on terror or fear to achieve its ends.

The enemy is both process oriented and goal oriented. Terror and martyrdom comprise the processes that it implements. Death and destruction of the United States are its main goals.

The enemy is patient. It will wait years to attack. It seeks maximum death and destruction.

Submitting....

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Title Commenter Date Thread
Where are the letters? [116 words]jennifer solisMay 6, 2008 02:57127845
truth is truth and every country should look into this [207 words]john howardOct 17, 2007 14:48111704
1Conservatives neutered by Political Correctness [142 words]guy leven-torres (agricola)Aug 29, 2007 06:29107164
1Radical Islamists Trump Moderate Muslims [230 words]Bob JackAug 1, 2007 00:43105207
Faith and Reason [188 words]Lactantius JrJul 25, 2007 07:24104700
1Special Interest to the Rescue [1450 words]SSJul 17, 2007 03:05103832
1The special interest groups are the problem not the solution [639 words]HomefrontJul 23, 2007 04:56103832
1The "Special Interest" We Dont Know [1108 words]SSJul 23, 2007 20:12103832
THE MUSLIMS ARE COMING [46 words]tabingins911Aug 19, 2007 21:01103832
Stopping the invasion. [14 words]Paul.Sep 20, 2007 13:45103832
The Political Process - Make Your Voice Heard [829 words]SSSep 24, 2007 16:36103832
American Muslims must fight Usama Bin Laden [150 words]poor sinnerFeb 7, 2008 23:19103832
what is the defination of radicals moderate and liberal muslims? [234 words]syed mohammad aliJul 16, 2007 13:05103798
1There is Nothing Like a Moderate Islam- Qoran and Mohammad Personally testifies [1980 words]beststarsignNov 8, 2007 02:30103798
i would think you bring some thing new ...you use same old islamophobes [639 words]syed mohammad aliNov 12, 2007 03:58103798
1Malapropism [74 words]GodotJul 10, 2007 11:56103353
1Non violent ISLAMISTS? [117 words]donvanJul 10, 2007 11:35103351
1When Conservatives argue about Islam: A reply to donovan [298 words]Jaisingh ThakurJul 29, 2007 02:43103351
A Rational Approach to Middle East Peace and Islamic Relations [612 words]MarciJul 9, 2007 12:39103296
right on, Marci! [33 words]Bob JenksMay 4, 2008 14:56103296
1Moderates More Dangerous than Al Qaeda [616 words]Linda KeayJul 8, 2007 22:02103267
2Indian Question - Recommended Approach [1406 words]SinghaJul 8, 2007 12:21103243
Hindus and Greeks both polytheists [149 words]Lonely in KabulJul 11, 2007 23:24103243
1Western Civilisation is based not just on Judeo Christian Morality [76 words]SinghaJul 17, 2007 12:08103243
3How does the ordinary citizen fight Islam ? contd.. [1498 words]Steven SehgalJul 18, 2007 05:55103243
1So what is wrong with polytheism? [4 words]dhimmi no moreJul 21, 2007 21:07103243
1Our dear Lonely in Kabul aka drano rabina ya3tihu zawjatun! [20 words]dhimmi no moreJul 21, 2007 21:11103243
1Every Muslim is a Jehadi ..............We need to counter their Jehad agressively on every level in every field [113 words]TakatJul 22, 2007 03:22103243
Confused??? [162 words]Arius the PriestJul 22, 2007 23:57103243
1Good thought....Arius [201 words]Steven SehgalJul 26, 2007 09:15103243
False blame on the muslim religion [75 words]FaizSep 27, 2007 12:20103243
Non-muslim [217 words]ChrisJan 14, 2008 12:34103243
1Moderate Muslims are a far greater threat than the terrorists [111 words]Roosevelt's DiscipleJul 7, 2007 22:05103216
Please do not do that [128 words]Yuval Brandstetter MDJul 14, 2007 16:12103216
Question about French communists [67 words]HarrakJul 7, 2007 19:03103203
silence is the sign of consent [23 words]MAMAMIA TONTERIYAJul 27, 2007 11:12103203
The New Enemy [2821 words]Bob JackJul 7, 2007 18:32103200
Bravo [95 words]JBKJan 8, 2008 09:44103200
WWIII Against Radical Islam is in Progress [36 words]Bob JackJan 8, 2008 20:37103200
But where does Islamism come from? [147 words]David W. LincolnJul 7, 2007 13:39103187
Muhammed's alter ego? [79 words]Linda HaslamJul 12, 2007 11:29103187
His hand against everyone, and everyone against him [135 words]David W. LincolnJul 14, 2007 09:50103187
Where Islamism comes from [726 words]Lactantius JrJul 26, 2007 07:53103187
Well put [82 words]David W. LincolnJul 27, 2007 10:56103187
advise to israelis [115 words]skydiverJul 7, 2007 12:04103177
stuff and nonsense [162 words]yuval brandstetter MDJul 11, 2007 10:23103177
The thorny question of what is Islam [152 words]Rebecca MouldsJul 7, 2007 09:51103170
too few critical thinkers - on both sides.. [96 words]DarrenJul 7, 2007 09:44103169
There is an information gap [424 words]Denis MacEoinJul 7, 2007 09:21103168
What to do with these moderates? [157 words]Richard B.Jul 7, 2007 01:15103148
re Pipes on Islamism's "moderates" and his comments on Muravchik' [684 words]Jascha KesslerJul 6, 2007 23:46103145
Is Pipes A Shachtmanite? [102 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Barry MillerJul 6, 2007 22:05103141
Attitudes of conservatives and liberals [91 words]Egil UlateigJul 6, 2007 19:57103132
#2 [208 words]dfwhite19438Jul 6, 2007 19:05103130
This is a message to Dr. Pipes (not related to any article) [300 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Leonid Kaplun-LeonovJul 6, 2007 14:58103129
To Sum Up [51 words]Monte GardnerJul 6, 2007 14:48103126
Thank you Dr. Pipes. [153 words]YnnatchkahJul 6, 2007 14:16103121
The nature of religion including Christianity and Islam [273 words]Ralph C Whaley MDJul 6, 2007 13:23103119
Clash of Cultures II [362 words]M. ToveyJul 7, 2007 18:40103119
the faith of reason [328 words]yuval Brandstetter MDJul 8, 2007 04:25103119
Not so Forceful ... [314 words]OliverJul 8, 2007 23:56103119
What is needed is a combination of Faith and Reason not just more Reason [1534 words]HomefrontJul 9, 2007 04:01103119
We can agree on one point [228 words]Abu NudnikJul 10, 2007 11:20103119
Get over this whole Reason vs Faith thing [1530 words]HomefrontJul 11, 2007 21:54103119
"Not so, Dr Whaley" [1182 words]Lactantius Jr.Jul 12, 2007 16:04103119
FAITH AND REASON.... [187 words]DONVANJul 19, 2007 16:39103119
resonable political step 1 [139 words]Donald OJul 21, 2007 20:05103119
not at all harsh.... [145 words]donvanJul 23, 2007 09:00103119
The Destruction of Radical Islam [75 words]Bob JackAug 1, 2007 05:48103119
Left and Islam [58 words]Burton J. DeFrenJul 6, 2007 11:18103113
Moderate Muslims? [95 words]KennyJul 6, 2007 10:41103110
Agree with you, Kenny. [253 words]YnnatchkahJul 7, 2007 16:12103110
Don't Destroy America YOU Conservatives. [32 words]free beeJul 10, 2007 00:49103110
Reply to Kenny -- no entry of muslims at all in any democratic country [411 words]Romesh ChanderJul 11, 2007 07:43103110
Islam is incompatable with democracy [123 words]KennyJul 14, 2007 11:41103110
America will be here with blessing of God forever [31 words]johnAug 1, 2007 05:52103110
Analogy [283 words]Bill StoreyJul 6, 2007 10:27103108
The conflict between "Faith" and "Reason". [262 words]Seamus MacNemiJul 7, 2007 09:15103108
Stopping muslims coming to the West -- reply to Bill Storey [319 words]Romesh ChanderJul 7, 2007 13:18103108
Not Enough Time [81 words]BlackspeareJul 8, 2007 21:32103108
The silent radicals are called "moderates" [205 words]JaladhiJul 9, 2007 13:16103108
Even Jews, eh? [4 words]Abu NudnikJul 10, 2007 13:47103108
Islam in 600 Years [377 words]Bill StoreyJul 13, 2007 18:20103108
RE: Islam in 600 years [43 words]JBKJan 13, 2008 02:44103108
Abandon concept of 'moderate muslim' and 'moderate islam' [31 words]Romesh ChanderJul 6, 2007 09:26103104
Another Difference [81 words]Edward HalperJul 6, 2007 08:46103098

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