Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Terrorism and fundamentalist Islam
Michael Scheuer (aka Anonymous) in Imperial Hubris: Why the west is losing the war on terror (2004) gives this explanation for terrorism facing America:
"The threat facing Amrica is the defensive jihad, an Islamic military reaction triggered by an attack by non-Muslims on the Islamic faith, on Muslims, on Muslim territory, or on all three. In this scenario, it is doctrinally incumbent on each Muslim - as an unavoidable personal responsibility - to contribute to the fight against the attacker to the best of his ability.... Once Islam is attacked, each Muslim knows his personal duty is to fight. He needs no one else's authority, not even his parents; indeed, he would be guilty of sin if he did not respond to an attack as best he can."
In Afghanistan and now in Iraq, the United States has replaced, in the former, the Soviets, and in the latter, the British, as the principal enemy to Islam. Bin Laden and other Muslims view U.S. policies and actions as "challenging God's word," "attacking the Islamic faithful and their resources," and "occupying and dismembering Muslim lands."
For example, in challenging God's word, America has demanded Muslims change their curricula to teach a brand of Islam more in keeping with the modern world. America has demanded donations to Islamic charities be tracked, and has imprisoned hundreds of mujahideen around the world.
In attacking the Islamic faithful and their resources, America supports India, the Philippines, Russians in Chechnya, the Usbek ex-communists, the Chinese in Xinjiang Province, and the Israelis in Palestine, all of which are waging a battle against Islamic fundamentalists. The U.S. government supports "apostate" Islamic governments in Kuwait, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere. (The majority of terrorists come from these countries.) America in concert with the UN imposes economic and military sanctions on Muslim people sin Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, Iran and Indonesia. The U.S. and its oil companies seek to control the Arab Peninsula to assure the supply of oil to western markets.
In occupying or dismembering Muslim lands, America helped the UN create a new Christian state in East Timor, it now occupies and effectively rules Afghanistan, Iraq, and the states of the Arabian Peninsula, and it backs Israel's occupation of Palestine and invaded Iraq to advance the goal of creating a "greater Israel" from the Nile to the Euphrates.
It is for these reasons, explains Scheuer, a member of the U.S. intelligence community that fundamentalist Muslims are in open jihad against the U.S.
It is not that these policies are all wrong, nor right. By understanding this viewpoint, the United States could certainly shape its policies to be more compatible with regional interests. At a minimum we could develop a policy of neutrality. Stop supporting corrupt and despotic regimes. Let regional coalitions intervene to protect human rights. Let opposing parties solve their own problems. Do not impose our values on other peoples. Become energy self-sufficient so that we do not have to rely on Middle Eastern resources.
"The threat facing Amrica is the defensive jihad, an Islamic military reaction triggered by an attack by non-Muslims on the Islamic faith, on Muslims, on Muslim territory, or on all three. In this scenario, it is doctrinally incumbent on each Muslim - as an unavoidable personal responsibility - to contribute to the fight against the attacker to the best of his ability.... Once Islam is attacked, each Muslim knows his personal duty is to fight. He needs no one else's authority, not even his parents; indeed, he would be guilty of sin if he did not respond to an attack as best he can."
In Afghanistan and now in Iraq, the United States has replaced, in the former, the Soviets, and in the latter, the British, as the principal enemy to Islam. Bin Laden and other Muslims view U.S. policies and actions as "challenging God's word," "attacking the Islamic faithful and their resources," and "occupying and dismembering Muslim lands."
For example, in challenging God's word, America has demanded Muslims change their curricula to teach a brand of Islam more in keeping with the modern world. America has demanded donations to Islamic charities be tracked, and has imprisoned hundreds of mujahideen around the world.
In attacking the Islamic faithful and their resources, America supports India, the Philippines, Russians in Chechnya, the Usbek ex-communists, the Chinese in Xinjiang Province, and the Israelis in Palestine, all of which are waging a battle against Islamic fundamentalists. The U.S. government supports "apostate" Islamic governments in Kuwait, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere. (The majority of terrorists come from these countries.) America in concert with the UN imposes economic and military sanctions on Muslim people sin Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, Iran and Indonesia. The U.S. and its oil companies seek to control the Arab Peninsula to assure the supply of oil to western markets.
In occupying or dismembering Muslim lands, America helped the UN create a new Christian state in East Timor, it now occupies and effectively rules Afghanistan, Iraq, and the states of the Arabian Peninsula, and it backs Israel's occupation of Palestine and invaded Iraq to advance the goal of creating a "greater Israel" from the Nile to the Euphrates.
It is for these reasons, explains Scheuer, a member of the U.S. intelligence community that fundamentalist Muslims are in open jihad against the U.S.
It is not that these policies are all wrong, nor right. By understanding this viewpoint, the United States could certainly shape its policies to be more compatible with regional interests. At a minimum we could develop a policy of neutrality. Stop supporting corrupt and despotic regimes. Let regional coalitions intervene to protect human rights. Let opposing parties solve their own problems. Do not impose our values on other peoples. Become energy self-sufficient so that we do not have to rely on Middle Eastern resources.
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