Radiofree West Hartford - Will Al Qaeda Terrorism Go Away By Itself? by Ben Cerruti

Will Al Qaeda Terrorism Go Away By Itself?

By Ben Cerruti

December 01, 2003

Evidently there are some in the Western World that think the answer to this question is yes. In the U.S.A. we find among them many candidates vying to be the Democratic candidate for President acting as if we should have continued passively after 9/11 and our military activity in Afghanistan and wait for the next attack by the terrorists on some target within our 50 states. In Britain, where our President has visited recently, they attack the actions of Tony Blair and the Coalition of the Willing in their effort to bring democracy to Iraq. Their actions convey the feeling that they seem to be on the side of the terrorists and thus to support the longevity of terrorism.

The obvious next question should be, 'do these individuals want to continue to be under the threat of a terrorist attack at a place and time unknown to them?' If the answer is affirmative, then common sense should tell us that they do not fully comprehend the ramifications of their position or indeed have anarchistic leanings. In lacking comprehension there is a good chance that they do not understand that lacking the will to attempt to address that which is the cause behind the actions of these terrorists will only cause them to increase and force us to be in a continual defensive mode. I do not believe that the greater majority of our citizens want to be faced with the threat of terrorism in perpetuity.

Included in this group are some of our citizens who seem to lack the ability to see through the rhetoric emanating from the Democratic Presidential candidates. In their zeal to capitalize on the lack of comprehension of many of these citizens these candidates unconscionably denigrate the actions of our government in doing what is rationally necessary to confront this serious threat to our citizens. In doing this there is no doubt they aid and abet the terrorists and their supporters in giving them hope that we will again begin to retreat to the defensive as has happened at times in the past. They do this to serve their own selfish interests at the expense of the security of all Americans. They appear to lack the memory of the many attacks on Americans that carry the markings of mid-east terrorist groups. These attacks include the following:

1983 bombings in Beirut of the American Embassy killing 63 people, followed by that of the Marine Barracks killing 241 Marines
1985 bombing of a restaurant in Torrejon, Spain, frequented by Americans, killing 18
1985 TWA Airliner hijacking killing an American sailor 1988 Pan Am Airliner bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland killing all aboard
1993 World Trade Center bombing killing 6 and wounding over 1,000
1996 bombing of the U.S. Military Khobar Towers Housing in Dharain killing 19 and wounding 515
1998 simultaneous bombings of two U.S. Embassies in East Africa killing 301 people and injuring more than 5,000 2
000 explosive attack in Yemin on the U.S.S. Cole killing 17 Sailors
2001 September 11th bombings of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the hijacking crash of an United Airliner in Pennsylvania killing over 3,000 and injuring many

This list does not include other acts of terrorism by these groups in other countries not involving Americans directly. It is unfathomable that there are those in America who seem to be oblivious of these incidents, not taking them into account when they criticize the actions of the government.

For those who again need reminding of the cause behind all these acts of terrorism let me explain what should be obvious. The foundation for this terrorism goes all the way back to the seventh century with Muhammad, and the Koran he is attributed to have written. The Islamic religion is based upon the evolution of interpretations of the Koran by various sects over the years, many of which were used to gain power but all taking as their basic tenet those religious laws contained in the Koran for use as civil laws. This has not allowed for the separation of religious law from government law and, by its nature, freedom to follow or not follow the religion is impossible for people living under Islamic governments. There are also tenets in the Koran that can be easily interpreted to convey to followers that those not willing to convert to the Islamic religion are Infidels and can be eliminated. Those doing such interpretations are called fundamentalists.

Since other views of religion or secularism are not allowed in the mid-east countries in which governments are controlled by this religion, the Imams and Mullahs of the various sects are loathe to give up religious mind control of their respective flocks. However, with the advent of modern technology and the ability to communicate and travel over long distances in a short period of time the aspects of freedom are encroaching on this control. The view of these religious leaders are supported by fundamentalist ideologues, like Osama bin Laden and members of other Islamic terrorist groups who are ready and willing to eliminate the Infidels of the Western world. Many Muslims all over the world support the view of their religious leaders either passively or by financially supporting the terrorists.

In addition, students of history should be well aware that the Crusades have never really ceased. The Islamic religion is the fastest growing of all religions with almost one billion followers and conversion to that faith has been pursued vigorously by its advocates. Whether by war or through persuasion those leaders of the Islamic movement are following the tenets of the Koran that direct them towards this end.

Their Madrassas continually indoctrinate this ideology into students in a society that does not allow for other forms of persuasion.

So what does this tell us? It should clearly be apparent that a change in the mindset of those living under such a religious government must first occur before progress can be made in eroding the support of the majority of Muslims for those using ideology as a reason to commit terrorist acts. This can only occur when a form of democracy is introduced into the operations of government that will allow for freedom of religion and secularism.

If the reader would agree with what has preceded these words it would follow that this is exactly what the Administration is attempting to do starting in Iraq. Having a secular government, albeit controlled by a ruthless tyrant, many of its citizens are not ideologues that strictly follow the fundamentalist view of the Koran. Thus there is a very good chance that a democratic form of government will eventually be successful. The reasonable aim is to have this successful taste of freedom flow into other adjacent Arab countries spreading over time. It already has been in existence in Turkey since 1924 but needs company in that part of the world.

It should then be apparent that Al Qaeda terrorism will not go away by itself. There is no doubt that the President and his Administration have courageously acted to protect the security of the American people and should be strongly supported in this effort. We at least owe it to our troops to make it clear to Al Qaeda, and other terrorists of the same persuasion, that we are not backing down in our efforts to make them disappear, once and for all, regardless of how long it takes.