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Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror
 | Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror Anonymous Date: 15 July, 2004 — $17.32 — Book Rating: |
This book is a real eye-opener. If you suspect President Bush is full of crap when he says, "they hate us for our freedoms," this book validates your suspicion.
It turns out that bin Laden has been telling us why they hate us for years. "Why are we waging jihad on you?" bin Laden rhetorically asks, "The answer to that question is very simple. Because you attacked us and continue to attack us."
According to the author, an anonymous CIA analyst, Osama bin Laden's jihad is meant to advance "clear, focused, limited, and widely popular" goals:
- The end of U.S. aid to Israel and the ultimate elimination of that state.
- The removal of U.S. and Western military forces from the Arabian Peninsula.
- The removal of U.S. and Western military forces from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other Muslim lands.
- The end of U.S. support for the oppression of Muslims by Russia, China, and India.
- The end of U.S. protection for repressive, apostate Muslim regimes in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, et cetera.
- And the conservation of the Muslim world's energy resources and their sale at higher prices.
The author argues the sooner we accept that the worldwide network of Islamic militants, inspired by al Qaeda and bin Laden, hates us for what we do, rather than who we are, the sooner we can effectively deal with the threat. He also argues that using the term "terrorist" focuses us on a law enforcement response, rather than effectively dealing with the root problem through changes in our foreign policy - or by recognizing that defending those policies means fighting a long, bloody, global Islamist insurgency.
In the Muslim world, bin Laden is seen as a humble, pious defender of Islam calling the ummah to fight a 'defensive' jihad to repel the Zionist/Crusader invasion. You and I may think that's a crock, but our opinion hardly matters. Bin Laden and his message resonate within the Muslim world. He is able to convince growing numbers of Muslims that America is attacking Islam, and we need to accept that perception and deal with it,
Reality for America is simply a matter of saying that there is a large and growing number of Muslims who hate our policies and actions toward the Islamic world, many of whom have or will take up arms against us as a result. Accepting this reality, we would at long last be ready to publicly debate and decide what we, the American people, are going to do to defeat the threat to our country's security and way of life.
How important are the US policies that are drawing more and more Muslims to organizations like al Qaeda? How important is is that we prop up Saudi Arabia? How important is it that we support Russia and China in their brutal dealings with their Muslim minorities? How important is it that we get our oil from the Middle East? And are we willing to spend the full amount blood and treasure necessary to defend these policies?
After reading the English transcript of Osama bin Laden's last video, I
agree with him more on foreign policy than Republicans or Democrats. If we
want to stop terrorism, we need to stop killing Arabs.
"My message to the families is please convert to Islam as soon as
possible." - Convicted Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir's response when asked
if he had anything to say to the victims of the Bali Blasts in 2002. http:/
/www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/10/17/1034561267359.html?oneclick=true
I also suggest you read the note left on the dead body of Theo Van Gogh.
Bin Laden's ramblings about troops in Muslim lands, support of Israel, etc. are nothing more than propaganda for his sheep and the Useful Idiots in the West.
JP
Yeah JP, bin Laden has been calling for Americans to convert for years. He
even offers to be our teacher.
But that's not why young Muslims are joining al Qaeda and blowing themselves up. You can call them sheep if you want, but as the author of the book points out, our opinion doesn't really matter. What matters is that more and more Muslims perceive Islam to be under attack by the United States. If we're going to effectively shut down this growing Islamist insurgency, we need to deal with that.
Visit me @ http://americanpundit.blog-city.com/
You're absolutely right, American Pundit....What's unfortunate is that
there is still so much ignorance out there and too many people make no
effort to differentiate between Islamic extremists and law-abiding
practicing Islamic people....Every religion has its extremists, Islam is no
different but there is no much fear and hatred running rampant through
America that people refuse to separate the two....(Christianity has it's
Abortion Doctor Killers, right?)
Visit me @ http://crzydjm.blog-city.com
I haven't read the book yet, but I've heard the talking points ad nauseum.
(Plus, an "anonymous" author sounds sketchy). The Islamofascist recruits
believe we have waged a war against Islam. Fair enough. But if a people
cannot comprehend our intervention in the Balkans and Kuwait on behalf of
Muslims, or the liberation of Afghanistan and removal of the Butcher of
Baghdad, then their opinions are irrelevant. We should value their opinions
about our intentions as much as the Germans and Japanese in the 1940s. That
is to say, not at all.
Muslims kill far more Muslims than Americans do, and that is a fact. I believe we should do more to promote a "Radio Free Middle East" type program and set the record straight, mostly because it is in our interest to combat Islamofascist propaganda. But worrying too much about hurting their feelings is a waste of resources, better well spent on things such as training Arabic translators and recruiting spies.
JP
C'mon JP! By saying we should ignore their opinions, you're ignoring the
root cause of terrorism and depriving us of a solution that doesn't involve
genocide.
Muslims are being convinced that the US is waging war on Islam. You and I know that's a crock, but if you look at Bush's Middle East policies - like backing Sharon, invading Iraq, and proping up corrupt leaders of oil producing nations - surely you can see where they might believe it. By just dismissing their perception, however wrong, we drive more young Muslims into the ranks of al Qaeda.
We have several "Radio Free Middle East" programs that started up over the last few years. So far they're pretty ineffective in explaining Bush's policies to Muslims in the Middle East, but it took half a century to enlighten the Soviets through a similar program. And while I agree with the need for more spies and translators, I think we should also debate whether it's actually vital to US interests that we support China's brutal crackdown on their Muslim minority.
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