Paul Johnson ...
An interesting essay by Paul Johnson ...
... http://www.commentarymagazine.com/article.asp?aid=11906035_1
Okay, a bit rah-rah for America at the end, but the historical section focussing on al-Husseini and the attack on early Zionists and also on Arab collaboraters with those Jews is interesting.
When one looks at the origin of the modern Islamic extremist terrorism movement, there can be little doubt that our troops in their Holy Lands (especially the Saudi pennisula) played a large part in their recruiting and organization building in the 90s.
It does not follow, however, that pulling those troops out now would reverse the attacks. I do not think it would. While the "infidels are in Mecca" is a well used recruiting tag, the goals of thos doing the recruiting are far deeper. At a minimum ... the end of the existence of the state of Israel. The attacks will continue against those who support Israel in any way ... militarily, economically or even geo-politically. (That last is for Egypt or any other Arab nation that might even recognize the sat of Israel.) By extension, even those that support these "Westernized" Arab governements are also targets.
Objectives have a way of increasing with successes as well. If the extreme Islamists were to continue to build power bases and maybe even take over a couple governments ... i think by then the objectives would have creeped all the way to the protection of Islamic minority rights in the West, especially Spain, France, Germany and UK. (The kidnapping of the French reporter over the French ruling against the wearing of headscarves [any overt religious clothing] to school being an example.)
In short ... i don't know that there is a "turning back" bar a complete move to isolationism including economic. Such a move is not feasible, really, but even if we could do it ... probably not advisible.
What then to do?
I don't know.
The worst years of such insurgencies tend to wane after a few generations ... weather the storm may just be the best solution. Eventually a new generation will rebel against the notion that such fights for Islam are the "highest good" or even "the cool thing to do". It never goes away, but it can be marginalized as we have marginalized the KKK here in the US and as the IRA became marginalized in the UK.
We should move our troops from the Saudi penninsula when we can ... maybe a small base in Kuwait and/or Iraq (if Iraq allows such a thing). With our naval and air control of the gulf I don't know that we really need "boots on the ground" much in that region. A good airbase and military training center in a stable region of Iraq might be part of a "Marshall Plan" there. I don't think we need it, though ... though the training center could slowly, maybe, Westernize the Iraqi force. Its arguable that that plan has helped some in Centra and South America (via the School of Americas) ... but then again ... a large number of demons have also graduated from that school with "new" skills.
Teaching the notions a a professional force that serves a civilian governement is the key piece of knowledge that, repeated long enough, may have done some good. OR ... the ebb and flow just happens to be turned in the better direction right now and will turn back again, training or no.
Hard to say.
{{{ Added note - When i speak of "creeping objectives" in this sense i do not mean to draw a parallel with "Dominoe THeory" or social "Slippery Slope" theories ... the creeping objective has a long military-political history, often disastrous to those who partake. Going into Somalia the military was very concerned that the mission to deliver food would slowly ratchet up into one to deliver peace and stability and eventually a nation building excercise. Despite their efforts to resist changing the objectives to something grander, more noble, still it happened. Its a psychological theory as much as anything ... success breeds the notion of more success, "we fixed one thing easily, and we are here, so lets fix X, Y and Z too." Suddenly you are embroiled in a level 3 Low-Intensity Conflict in SE Asia. }}}
... http://www.commentarymagazine.com/article.asp?aid=11906035_1
Okay, a bit rah-rah for America at the end, but the historical section focussing on al-Husseini and the attack on early Zionists and also on Arab collaboraters with those Jews is interesting.
When one looks at the origin of the modern Islamic extremist terrorism movement, there can be little doubt that our troops in their Holy Lands (especially the Saudi pennisula) played a large part in their recruiting and organization building in the 90s.
It does not follow, however, that pulling those troops out now would reverse the attacks. I do not think it would. While the "infidels are in Mecca" is a well used recruiting tag, the goals of thos doing the recruiting are far deeper. At a minimum ... the end of the existence of the state of Israel. The attacks will continue against those who support Israel in any way ... militarily, economically or even geo-politically. (That last is for Egypt or any other Arab nation that might even recognize the sat of Israel.) By extension, even those that support these "Westernized" Arab governements are also targets.
Objectives have a way of increasing with successes as well. If the extreme Islamists were to continue to build power bases and maybe even take over a couple governments ... i think by then the objectives would have creeped all the way to the protection of Islamic minority rights in the West, especially Spain, France, Germany and UK. (The kidnapping of the French reporter over the French ruling against the wearing of headscarves [any overt religious clothing] to school being an example.)
In short ... i don't know that there is a "turning back" bar a complete move to isolationism including economic. Such a move is not feasible, really, but even if we could do it ... probably not advisible.
What then to do?
I don't know.
The worst years of such insurgencies tend to wane after a few generations ... weather the storm may just be the best solution. Eventually a new generation will rebel against the notion that such fights for Islam are the "highest good" or even "the cool thing to do". It never goes away, but it can be marginalized as we have marginalized the KKK here in the US and as the IRA became marginalized in the UK.
We should move our troops from the Saudi penninsula when we can ... maybe a small base in Kuwait and/or Iraq (if Iraq allows such a thing). With our naval and air control of the gulf I don't know that we really need "boots on the ground" much in that region. A good airbase and military training center in a stable region of Iraq might be part of a "Marshall Plan" there. I don't think we need it, though ... though the training center could slowly, maybe, Westernize the Iraqi force. Its arguable that that plan has helped some in Centra and South America (via the School of Americas) ... but then again ... a large number of demons have also graduated from that school with "new" skills.
Teaching the notions a a professional force that serves a civilian governement is the key piece of knowledge that, repeated long enough, may have done some good. OR ... the ebb and flow just happens to be turned in the better direction right now and will turn back again, training or no.
Hard to say.
{{{ Added note - When i speak of "creeping objectives" in this sense i do not mean to draw a parallel with "Dominoe THeory" or social "Slippery Slope" theories ... the creeping objective has a long military-political history, often disastrous to those who partake. Going into Somalia the military was very concerned that the mission to deliver food would slowly ratchet up into one to deliver peace and stability and eventually a nation building excercise. Despite their efforts to resist changing the objectives to something grander, more noble, still it happened. Its a psychological theory as much as anything ... success breeds the notion of more success, "we fixed one thing easily, and we are here, so lets fix X, Y and Z too." Suddenly you are embroiled in a level 3 Low-Intensity Conflict in SE Asia. }}}
posted by Thomas F. Schminke at 12:01 PM
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