EXCERPTED FROM The First Terrorist War
4. The Goal of Radical Islam is Our Destruction
The consequences of a political and military stand-down would be to allow our enemies the time, basing and mobility to grow in numbers, advance in training, achieve greater tactical position within and about our borders, and acquire ever more sophisticated and powerful weapons. Once they have advanced to the next level of lethality they will strike us again with an effect on our lives, liberties, property and economy more extreme than 9/11.
The goals of the Radical Islamic forces arrayed against us are the same as their factotums, the Palestinians, have for Israel. In the jihad against Israel we can see what the Islamic forces have in mind for us: the complete destruction of our systems, the occupation of our land, the usurpation of our government, and the death or conversion of all our citizens. These are the goals of Radical Islam as understood by their fundamentalists and as tolerated by the vast majority of believers.
Much has been written about these goals. Most of our scholars conclude they are only fantasies, but a nuclear weapon detonated in Seattle does not care if a fantasy set it off.
Whether the goals of Radical Islam can be achieved is a matter for history to determine. It is the belief that they can be achieved that brings the First Terrorist War upon us. To the extent that we fail to recognize the intensity and commitment of our enemies in this war; to the extent we fail to match their passion for our destruction with our passion for victory; to the extent we cast our lot with process as they cast their lot with their God, we weaken our ability to decisively defeat them.
Ours is a "war on terror" while theirs is a "Jihad." Our efforts are a process. Theirs are directed by divine mandate. Whether you are of a secular or religious persuasion, it is well to remember that if you go to war you'd best have God on your side.
As such it is time to put away the frayed and weak designation of our actions as the "war on terror" for it is not "terror" that shooting wars engage. Wars engage combatants, armies, populations, institutions, nations and religions. It is unpopular, almost unsayable, to designate the First Terrorist War as a religious war, yet all serious people know that this is the case and that this, in the end, is what it shall come to.
5. The War of Two Religions
Through the violent attacks of a Radical Islam, two religions have been brought into conflict. The first is that of Islam, a faith that at its core requires absolute submission from its adherents, and looks towards the subjugation of the world as its ultimate apotheosis. As the youngest of the monotheistic religions, Islam is at a point in its development that Christianity passed through centuries ago. And it is not with Christianity that Islam is currently at war. Islam is saving that for the mopping up phase of its current campaign. The religion that Islam has engaged is a much younger one, the religion of Freedom.
As a religion Freedom has been gaining converts since the success of the American Revolution enabled it to go forth and be preached to the world. Freedom is easily the most popular of the new religions and historically converts nearly 100% of all populations in which it is allowed to take firm root. This is the religion which we have lately brought to Iraq.
The genius of the religion of Freedom is that it allows all other religions, from the venerable to the trivial, to exist without fear of censure or destruction. Indeed, the only thing that the religion of Freedom firmly forbids is the destruction of Freedom itself. "Thou shalt not destroy Freedom" seems to be the only commandment. And Freedom has been shown to resist efforts to destroy it in the most ferocious way. It's enemies would do well to ponder the fate of previous attempts to do so.
On September 11, the agents of Radical Islam began their attempt to destroy Freedom by attacking it at its core. The reaction of Freedom to this assault has been, once you consider the destructive power of the weapons systems it possesses, measured, deliberate and cautious. This is because Freedom, although sorely wounded, does not yet feel that its very existence is threatened. A more serious attack at any time in the future will put paid to that specious notion.
Following a second attack at a level equal to or exceeding September 11, any political opposition to pursuing our enemies with all means at our disposal will be swept off the table. The First Terrorist War will begin in earnest and it will not be a series of small wars with long lead times and a careful consultation of allies. The war will become, virtually overnight, a global war of violent preemption and merciless attack towards the spiritual and geographic centers of our enemy. Arguments revolving around the true meaning of "imminent" will be seen as they are -- so much factional prattle. Due to the nature of the enemy, the First Terrorist War will be fought here and there and everywhere. It does not matter when or where the second serious strike on the American homeland takes place, it only matters that on the day after this country will be at war far beyond the current level of conflict.
Posted by Vanderleun at June 18, 2004 5:37 PM | TrackBackReading your comments, knowing about Paul Johnson I felt the fear of being lost in a huge
undertaking I do not know how to deal with right
now. Perhaps, I may have to learn, and I will, but we can hope.
I looked at the pictures of Mr. Johnson as I looked at the picture of Daniel Pearl. When I
looked at Daniels, I finally realized how the
enemy is, and accepted the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is hard to see, but this is what
America is trying so hard to tell the world, the
capacity for savagry these terrorists have, with
no real belief in the sanctity of life.
They do not understand how people in the western world see each life as something precious and
of value.
There is anger everywhere I expect, and I would
worry if there was not, as we should be angry at
people who do this to someone simply because they
want us to be afraid, very afraid. They do not
understand the anger of people who see this and
want to retaliate in kind. We will not, but for
awhile we would want to, but being the people
we are, we will not seek revenge for this, but
will fight even harder for freedom.
They made a big mistake here, and I am not sure
if they will understand that.
Your comments were so clear and honest, I found
myself angry, but steadied for some reason.
Deny the terrorists their goal - publicity. Without the headlines they are just one more gang of hoods whose only salable product is going away.
Posted by: Walter E. Wallis at June 19, 2004 8:29 AMI think you mean, "Dispatches from the New Reich."
Posted by: Billmon at June 22, 2004 7:32 AMOne can only hope that the "next" strike will be a place with a high concentration of "useful idiots," but due to their working capacity as "useful idiots" this will most likely not be the case. Lacking this possibility, perhaps a strike on the "left" coast bring on a sort of "bi-coastal" approach to the war on terror.
Anything, that will end to hallucinations that isolation of pacificism will put the world back to a pre-9/11 state, will at least serve a purpose. The barbarians are at the gates and they don't look like Bush et al.
The terrorists attacked a couple buildings.
The resulting attacks on Freedom came from our own government.
The buildings were not empty. The terrorists attacked the freedom of 3,000 people to work, live, laugh, think, speak, pray, vote. Please do not blaspheme the dead with your petty political progaganda. It makes you look so silly.
Posted by: nobody important at June 22, 2004 2:08 PMTO: Vanderleun
RE: I Disagree
"As the youngest of the monotheistic religions, Islam is at a point in its development that Christianity passed through centuries ago." -- Vanderleun
At a first blush this might seem accurate, however, I think the crusades were really the second phase of the war between Islam and the rest of the world.
The first phase was Islam's attempt, in the 8th Century, to conquor Europe, using the entry point of Spain. This was stopped by Charlemagne at the Battle of Toulon c. 803.
The West built up it's capabilities and in the 12th Century took the war to the Middle East. That was the beginning of the crusades.
Phase three began with the fall of Constantinople c. 1450. With that victory, Islam tried to spread itself into Europe once again, via the Balkans. It was stopped outside of Vienna.
Phase four began with World War I and the European destruction of the Ottoman Empire.
The West, a la Christianity, didn't grow out of the effort. They just decided that as long as they weren't going to attack us anymore, we wouldn't bother them.
Well...guess what....
Phase five is upon us.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Posted by: Chuck Pelto at June 22, 2004 2:45 PMSeattle has got to be the capital of frolicsome pointless Bush-bashing. Recently, our local weekly, The Stranger, featured a cover of Reagan standing tall with a monkey-like Bush clasping his heels.
Ha ha. Everybody having fun?
I like to think that both of those leaders could take a joke. What the editors and readers of The Stranger can't take is the reality that we have an enemy in crazed Islam.
Gerard, your analysis here of this refusal to face our enemy is spot on.
Posted by: Doug at June 22, 2004 7:03 PMWow! What an original, clever concept, Bilmon. Perhaps you should get that copyrighted.
Posted by: nobody important at June 23, 2004 7:17 AMBillmon,
Another fruitless attempt to reason with a dolt, but here goes: if you have to compare American Digest to the 3rd Reich, all you are showing us is that you know zero about the 3rd Reich.
You need to spend some time with books rather than keying in stupidities on the internet.
God Bless,
Posted by: Doug at June 24, 2004 2:28 PMAll I can say is that in an interview a few years ago, Osama Bin Laden stated that his intent is to create a holy war between all of the religions. Through his radical attacks on the American people, the war and bigotry and fear and hatred that have resulted are proof that he is winning.
Posted by: Ana at October 5, 2005 2:40 PM"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated to combat spam and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.