The outstanding speech on Islamism by the President
One of the things that is very interesting to us about the progression of this war is how it is characterized and named. You will recall that four years ago Islam entered into the discussion hardly at all — and then only to deny that there was any Islamic connection to terrorism whatsoever. Now look at this recent, excellent speech by the President, in which the ritual denials have faded into the background:
Some call this evil Islamic radicalism; others, militant Jihadism; still others, Islamo-fascism. Whatever it is called, this ideology is very different from the religion of Islam. This form of radicalism exploits Islam to serve a violent, political vision: the establishment, by terrorism, subversion and insurgency, of a totalitarian empire that denies all political and religious freedom. These extremists distort the idea of jihad into a call for terrorist murder against Christians and Hindus and Jews — and also against Muslims who do not share their radical vision, whom they regard as heretics.
Many militants are part of a — global, borderless terrorist organizations like al Qaeda, which spreads propaganda and provides financing and technical assistance to local extremists, and conducts dramatic and brutal operations like the attacks of September the 11th. Other militants are found in regional groups, often associated with al Qaeda — paramilitary insurgencies and separatist movements in places like Somalia and the Philippines and Pakistan and Chechnya and Kashmir and Algeria. Still others spring up in local cells, inspired by Islamic radicalism, but not centrally directed. Islamic radicalism is more like a loose network with many branches than an army under a single command. Yet these operatives, fighting on scattered battlefields, share a similar ideology and vision for our world. And we know the vision of the radicals because they’ve stated it openly — in videos and audiotapes and letters and declarations and on websites.
First, these extremists want to end American and Western influence in the broader Middle East, because we stand for democracy and peace, and we stand in the way of their ambitions. Al Qaeda’s leader, Osama bin Laden, has called on Muslims to dedicate — and I quote — their “resources, sons and money to driving the infidels out of our lands.”…..
The influence of Islamic radicalism is also magnified by helpers and enablers. They’ve been sheltered by authoritarian regimes — allies of convenience like Syria and Iran — that share the goal of hurting America and modern Muslim governments, and use terrorist propaganda to blame their own failures on the West, on America, and on the Jews.
Special fun bonus
Iran’s new president is equally clear about his goals, and their specifically religious justification, via AP:
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared Wednesday that Israel is a “disgraceful blot” that should be “wiped off the map”…..Referring to Palestinian suicide bomb attacks in Israel, Ahmadinejad said: “there is no doubt that the new wave in Palestine will soon wipe off this disgraceful blot from the face of the Islamic world.”….. “Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation’s fury,” state-run television quoted him as saying.
Clarity is a good thing. So now can we wipe out our enemies and be done with it? (Photo via Powerline)
October 26th, 2005 at 5:20 pm
“So now can we wipe out our enemies and be done with it?”
It will take longer than the 3 1/4 years to “be done with it”.
Being “done with it” includes cleaning out State and the CIA and those
others within our government that work against traditional American
values.
October 27th, 2005 at 9:33 am
The combination of Iran’s steady pursuit of nuclear weapons and its leaders’ outspoken hatred for Jews and Israel demonstrates the fundamental failure of President Bush’s War on Terror, which, by focusing on Iraq, has ignored the even greater danger posed by Iran.
The democraticization of Iraq, even if successful, will not deter Iran from its insane desire to “wipe” Israel off the map. This clearly means that Israel will be forced, sooner than later, to take preemptive military action against Iran. This, in turn, almost certainly will lead to a wider Middle East confrontation (at a minimum, an intensification of Palestinian terrorism) — which the United States will be unable to avoid. However, due to the President’s misguided war strategy, we currently lack the military resources to wage a full scale war in the Middle East.
As I explained in my article “The Bush Doctrine, R.I.P.” (posted on American Thinker and Real Clear Politics in September), the original goal of defeating terrorists and their state sponsors has been replaced with a much more limited goal of democraticizing Iraq. While this surely is a worthy endeavor, it ignores the “gathering danger” posed by Iran (and, less so, Syria). When we decided to go to war after 9/11, we should have drained the entire swamp — Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Allowing Assad and the mullahs to remain in power threatens to undermine everything we have been fighting for these past 4 years.
If Iran acquires nuclear weapons, the results are likely to be absolutely disastrous, not only for Israel, but also for the United States and all other countries who desire to live in peace and freedom.
October 27th, 2005 at 9:43 am
I have a t shirt from the early 80′s that says ” nuke Iran “. Maybe we should. I mean, the last a-bomb scored us a good 50 years of fear from other nations. Lets go for another 50.