It is really foolish of the Bush administration and most of the western world that they think they can win the war on terrorism by eliminating Al Qaeda. Even if they were to succeed in finishing off Al qaeda, I dont think it will have a major impact on Islamic terrorism. We must understand that Al Qaeda is just one of the hundreds (probably thousands) of those Islamic terror outfits. It is just that Al Qaeda has managed to become extremely popular by making spectacular attacks against US/UK. It is not uncommon, as we can see from our experiences in Kashmir and Bangladesh, for these terror groups to change names and merge with other groups. It is ridiculous to think that Islamic terrorism will be finished if Al Qaeda is dismantled.
It is like thinking that people in India will stop playing Cricket if Indian Cricket team is killed .
The policy makers need to look at Islamic extremism in a holistic manner and treat Al Qaeda as just a popular face of the phenomenon. There are no short-cuts to ending this menace of Islamic terrorism. While measures need to be taken to ward off day to day threats of this menace, the key to the long term strategy for eliminating this menace lies in understanding that 'WE CAN NOT DEFEAT ISLAMIC TERRORISM BY FIGHTING FROM OUTSIDE, WE HAVE TO FIGHT FROM INSIDE!' Let me elaborate a little more, some of the steps that can be taken to eradicate Islamic extremism once and for all in the long run are:
1.First of all understand that Islamic terrorism can not be eliminated by 'military invasion' but by 'cultural invasion'.
2. Penetrate the Muslim society(not by force) and to sow the seeds of westernization and/or modernization.
3. Gain control over and use the media well to make Muslims feel that it is uncool/unfashionable to sympathize with extremists. And ensure that they feel it is fashionable to be modern/western ( very much like how the Indian middle/urban class is increasingly getting westernized, thanks(!) to our media).
4. In all countries where there is sizable Muslim population (including India) , the CIA should tactically ensure that the liberal/western muslim leaders, poets, authors etc., get good media coverage/funding etc.,
5. Ensure that the media (especially Indian media, which is too keen to appease the sensibilities of the muslims) does not portray the terrorists as humans (such as by showing their weeping wives/mothers). All these portrayals of terrorists as humans, some how tells the collective muslim psyche that these terrorist guys are doing some major sacrifices for the sake of their community.
6. Apply the principles of 'divide and weaken' effectively. Not necessarily as Shia and Sunni. Many other opportunities can be arrived at if we take a proper bottom-up approach, may be we can set up one firebrand mullah against another etc.,
There can be many such steps which can be thought of as long as the powers that be realize that the outsiders can not directly change the Muslim society, it is the insiders who can do that, outsiders can just enable/catalyze the process in a DISCREET manner.
PS : Dear Muslim friends, I am not a Hindu/Christian fundamentalist. I am against all forms of extremism. My comments would have been the same even if we had the prospects of a global Hindu terrorism.
Where do u think all the 1 Billion or watever amt u have given to musshiie HAS GONE???
Some of it in building places for u 2 stay when u go there 2 get ur ass licked, and the rest of it is distributed between, Musshie, Taliban, Al-Qaeda and Ministers in Pak and POK.
if al quida or what ever can persih our politicans all 540 or what ever in one day and all state assembly's in one day i will donate my entire life savings to muslim mosques. i am that up much disappointed with current politicians dividing hindus and muslims in the name of reservation and secularism
RE:haha
by Suhail Ali on May 10, 2007 12:27 PM Permalink
Our Media & Politicians will not let Al Qaida Perish, because even a small incidence happens they will hype that I was an act of Al Qaeda Millitants.
Al Qaida is their Vote Bank. They can count on them.
I hope that Governments stop millitancy acts which are against the humanity, and stop harassing common people in the name of anti-millitancy measures.
Well, typical US short-sightedness, to say the least. Anyway, what has happened has happened, US needs to: 1. Dump Pakistan first. 2. Freeze bank accounts of anyone connected to Islamic seminaries preaching hate. 3. Tackle the problem of world terrorism in a truly multilateral way, unite with Europe, Israel and India. I wish US success in finishing Al-Qaeda.
RE:US facing the monster of its own creation
by Ibrahim Sheik on May 10, 2007 12:39 PM Permalink
Point 2 & 3 are already done by US... Point 1 is still in the Pipe Line ..?????
RE:US facing the monster of its own creation
by Suhail Ali on May 10, 2007 12:45 PM Permalink
The Pakistani Government are Beggers and entertaining US for some Bhiksha (Funds), let them do it, they will back-stab US which will let India become Super-Power.
I do not why the Indians & the Indian Government trying to woo the US and stop the Bhiksha to Pakistani Government. We do not Bhiksha from US.
We Indians do not need any support/help i mean Bhiksha from US we are self-sufficient.
So after all of this 'eye opening' news (for the US), will it stop the aid to Pakistan which in turn is abetting fundamentalism and militancy, directly or indirectly, across the world!!! How much proof does the US still need to conclude a deal with Pakistan - NO AID in CASH or KIND till it ERADICATES MILITANCY and SUPPORT to MILITANCY from its SOIL??
