Wakeup America – Understand the Mind of the Jihadist

David J. Jonsson

 

January 25, 2007

 

The war on terror might be lost not on the streets of Baghdad but in the corridors of Congress. A divided America and Anti-Americanism serves our enemies well. Soon we may see a vote in Congress that says, "We can't stop the surge plan, but we don't support it." It is time for America to understand who the enemy is, the murderous ideology that is driving them and their strategy for success. This would be the Islamist's greatest fear.

It is important to understand that the goal of the Jihadists is – following in the footsteps of Muhammad – to create the "Islamic kingdom of God on Earth." The primary goal is not to conquer lands but to Islamize the world.  The drive is to instill Islamic law (Shariah) into both Muslim society and the entire world, and ultimately to recreate society under their interpretation of the law. The strategy is to utilize the sword of Islam. The sword may include terrorism, but more importantly it is bringing together groups of people with a common hatred, which can cause the ultimate decline in the will of the populous. This cabal has coalesced as the Leftist/Marxist – Islamist Alliance. As we will see, pacifism, self-hatred, complacency and appeasement deserve attention; equally important is the use of Islamic Finance to gradually make the West comfortable with accepting living with Shariah law. See my article: Islamic Economics and Shariah Law: A Plan for World Domination.

In the forward to Militant Ideology Atlas recently published by the Counter Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy General (retired) Wayne A. Downing commented: "President Bush, in his commencement address at West Point in May 2006, compared our nation's current war with violent Islamic extremism to the long struggle against communism and the Soviet Union. The President told graduating cadets from the Class of 2006—nearly all bound for combat in Iraq and Afghanistan—that, "like the Cold War, we are fighting the followers of a murderous ideology that despises freedom, crushes all dissent, has territorial ambitions, and pursues totalitarian aims." The United States and her allies eventually prevailed in the long war against the Soviets, but only after making a concerted effort to fully understand the enemy, its ideology, its vulnerabilities, and how these vulnerabilities could be best exploited. Today, over five years into this generation's long war, we do not have this same understanding of the ideology that is driving our enemies; we lack a map needed for planning the way ahead. Significantly, the report uses these empirical findings to identify powerful messages and influential messengers that can turn different constituencies against the Jihadis. These constituencies range from benign mainstream Muslims to the most violent Jihadis. The recommendations of this report establish a baseline against which strategic communications campaigns can be calibrated and adjusted.

An old adage warns,

"If you don't know where you are going, you'll probably end up somewhere else."

According to Chris Heffelfinger writing in the Terrorism Monitor Volume 4, Issue 24, December 14, 2006 The Ideological Voices of the Jihadi Movement, "It is news to few observers that thousands, even millions, of young Muslims are influenced—to some extent—by jihadi literature circulating on various Islamist websites and discussion forums. The mujahideen's use of the Internet for communication, indoctrination, recruitment and public relations has been well demonstrated. Through this medium, a field of preachers and ideologues compete for the vast audience of young Muslims, attempting to sway their opinion and bring them to the "correct" practice and understanding of Islam. Those backing the global jihadi movement have succeeded in capturing this audience—perhaps more so than other contenders—and have gained a wide following of careful but loyal readers."

"Surprisingly, the study found that al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri are not highly cited in jihadi literature. They are not considered authorities in Islamic law or looked to as the ideological force behind the jihadi movement. Indeed, in the world of Salafi-Jihadi ideology, they are relatively minor players. One possible reason for this is that the two are figureheads, pioneers in carrying out successful attacks against one of the enemies of Muslims. This suggests that there is a role for charismatic leaders to bring Muslims to jihad, as soldiers to the battlefield, but there is a separate role for these Salafi scholars in setting the broader goals for the movement, the limits and terms of engagement and selecting valid and legal targets. They are, in essence, creating the Islamic legal framework for this struggle so that the basis upon which it is waged will be sound. It is then left to strategists and Mujahid leaders to conduct successful campaigns within this framework."

"For the most influential scholars of the Salafi movement, are such as Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, Abu Qatada [See: Extremist clerics face prosecution for backing terror from Times On Line July 14, 2005. Abu Qatada: “Rome is a cross. The West is a cross and Romans are the owners of the cross. Muslims’ target is the West. We will split Rome open. The destruction must be carried out by sword. Those who will destroy Rome are already preparing the swords. Rome will not be conquered with the word but with the force of arms”] and Abu Basir al-Tartusi (Abd-al-Munim Mustafa Abu-Halimah) [See: ‘Islamic Legitimacy for the London Bombings’ Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies (C.S.S)]. The end goal is never jihad itself. [See also The Book Entitled: '39 Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad] The objective is to bring Muslims to a Salafi reading of Islam and then to deliver salvation to the global Muslim community. As such, the primary element of the literature is the meaning and implementation of the Shariah. The scholars first bring their interpretation of Islamic law on various political and social issues and present their advice on the appropriate action. The common ground among the scholars behind the jihadi movement is their rejection of Muslims living under apostate laws and political systems governing outside what God has decreed. The required response—for all, but to differing degrees and with differing tactics—is resistance."

It is important to see the relationship between the comments of Sheikh Abu Basir al-Tartusi and comments by Tony Blair concerning the war in Iraq were a disaster. The article by the SITE Institute on November 22, A Whisper in the Ear of Tony Blair and His Government by Sheikh Abu Basir al-Tartusi presents the background. "British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s response in the affirmative that the War in Iraq has been a “disaster,” which was aired Saturday, November 18, 2006, in an interview on al-Jazeera’s English-language channel that was subsequently reported by British newspapers, is the subject of a statement recently issued by Sheikh Abu Basir al-Tartusi. The statement then serves as an open forum for Tartusi to advise Blair, and compel him to admit to disasters in other matters, such as Afghanistan, domestic British affairs, and being led with his “partner,” U.S. President George W. Bush, by Iran and the Shiites as conduits for their agenda."

"On Blair’s comment, Tartusi states: “We thought that you would never understand, and your stupidity was doubled. There was a haze of maliciousness between you and your vision which prevented you from seeing reality and the truthfulness of what happens on the ground. But in the end it became clear that you understood that you were wrong, and your mistake brought ordeals to your people and to other nations, even though this understanding came after it was too late".

The comments of Congressional leaders calling for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and comments about President Bush parallel and merge with those of Sheikh Abu Basir al-Tartusi. The mujahideen's use of the Internet for communication, indoctrination, recruitment and public relations is thus demonstrated. Thus we see the brochure announcing the protest marches against war in Iraq being presented in Arabic and Persian. (See below.) Al –Jaseerah, in an editorial on January 23, 2007 in support of Democratic Congressional moves against President Bush, by K Gajendra Singh, Texan Poker Bluff and Persian Chess Moves. "The president is living in a dream world,'' US Sen. Barbara Boxer."  Murtha clarified, "You know they say that Al Qaeda is causing the divisions and sectarian violence? The invasion itself is what causes the sectarian violence –It's the occupation that causes the violence. That's the problem we have and we have to change directions."

"This drive to instill Islamic law into Muslim society, and ultimately recreate that society under their interpretation of the law, often translates into an endorsement for violent jihad as practiced by bin Laden and others. While there are many Muslim scholars who call for these sources of law to be the primary factors in how Muslims live, the important distinction lies in how one should confront political systems that rule by law other than Shariah. The debate over law and society is critical in jihadi literature. It establishes the framework through which young Muslims should struggle; for these scholars, it is clear their aim is not jihad, but the creation of such a society through jihad, an obligatory struggle for the believer."

"These Salafi scholars play a critical but not widely observed role in the global jihadi movement. Ideology is often overlooked and is considered separate from the strategic and operational aspects of Islamist militancy. Yet, the scholars behind the jihadi movement set the framework for debates and provide direction that is by and large adhered to, or is at the least a determining factor in the planning of attacks. By better understanding their role in the movement, governments combating terrorism can attempt to intervene earlier in the radicalization process and ultimately work toward undermining their influence."

According to the article in MERI Special Dispatch Series - No. 1007 October 17, 2005: Saudi Columnist: Jihadist Salafist Ideology is Like Nazism, "Saudi columnist Muhammad bin 'Abd Al-Latif Aal Al-Sheikh published two articles in the Saudi daily Al-Jazirah, in which he attacked the ideology of the Al-Salafiyya Al-Jihadiyya movement.[1] He said that the ideology of this movement was similar to, or even worse than, the Nazi ideology, and that it should be dealt accordingly. "Therefore, I still believe that one of the primary missions of the international community today is to repeat its experience with Nazism and to deal with this dangerous barbarian culture exactly as it dealt with the Nazi culture. If this does not happen, the near future is liable to bring many [events], the consequences of which will be far more severe for all of humanity than [the consequences] of World War II." [2]

Dinesh D'Souza wrote in January 21, 2007 the San Francisco Chronicle, Pelosi's crew and Osama bin Laden share common goal, "The Pelosi Democrats sometimes appear to be just as eager as Osama bin Laden for President Bush to lose his war on terror. Why do I say this? Because if the Pelosi Democrats were seeking Bush's success, then their rhetoric and actions now and over the past three years are pretty much incomprehensible. By contrast, if you presume that they want Bush's war on terror to fail, then their words and behavior make perfect sense. From the point of view of new House Speaker Pelosi and her fellow liberal Democrats, bin Laden today is, well, a small problem…"Listen to Pelosi and her colleagues on the left speaking about Bush, however, and it's clear they regard him as a very big problem."

"Sen. Robert Byrd compares Bush to Hermann Goering and the Nazis. Hillary Clinton accuses him of "turning back the clock on the 20th century ... systematically weakening the democratic tradition. ... There has never been an administration more intent upon consolidating and abusing power." Sen. Ted Kennedy charges that "no president in America's history has done more damage to our country than George W. Bush."

"Whether it realizes this or not, the Bush administration is facing a kind of liberal-Islamic alliance: a sympathetic relationship that leading leftists in America have with Islamic radicals around the world. I'm not suggesting the two groups actually like each other. Actually, they despise each other. Leftists like Pelosi, Barney Frank and Michael Moore despise bin Laden and his fellow radicals because they are religious fundamentalists who want to impose Islamic [Shariah] holy law. That means goodbye to women's rights and gay rights and, in all candor, goodbye to people like Pelosi, Frank and Moore. By the same token, Islamic radicals like bin Laden detest the American left because, as they see it, the left is the party of atheism, family breakdown and cultural depravity. The left is in the vanguard of imposing secularism, no-fault divorce, gay marriage and libertine social values not only in America but also abroad."

"But the man who threatens the Islamic radicals and the American left even more than either group threatens the other is Bush. Leftists don't like radical Muslims like bin Laden but they absolutely hate Bush. Why? Because from the left's point of view, bin Laden threatens to impose Shariah in Baghdad but Bush threatens to impose Shariah in Boston. Bin Laden is the far enemy but Bush is the near enemy."

"In the past generation, the left has gone from a party that mainly cares about working people to a party that mainly cares about sex. Labor unions are now a low priority, and abortion and gay rights have become the centerpiece of the left's social agenda. Bin Laden doesn't threaten these rights, but Bush does. One more Supreme Court appointment by Bush, and Roe vs. Wade might be jeopardized. The biggest obstacle to gay marriage today is the president and his allies on the religious right."

This was brought home when Bush Addresses the Annual Right to Life March in Washington. "President Bush noted that the U.S. Declaration of Independence cites "life" as the first of three fundamental, universal rights of humanity. He said the concept remains relevant today. "We believe that every human life has value, and we pray for the day when every child is welcomed into life and protected by law," the president said. Many abortion rights defenders, meanwhile, cheered last year's elections in which Democrats took control of both houses of Congress. While the previous Republican congressional leadership was pro-life, the current Democratic leadership is solidly pro-choice."

"One indication that bin Laden seeks a similar alliance with the American left is that bin Laden, who used to attack all Americans as evil, has in recent videotapes dramatically changed his tune. He now openly praises American leftists like Robert Fisk and William Blum and calls for a "truce" in which states that oppose Bush are exempt from future terrorist attacks. What bin Laden seems to be saying to the American left is pretty clear: I and my radical Muslim friends will supply the terror, and you use the casualty lists to demoralize the American people and convince them to get the United States out of Iraq and the Middle East. In this way, bin Laden and his American allies can achieve their shared goal of defeating Bush's war on terror. Another "convergence of interests."

Nikolas T. Nikas in the article on National Review on Line The Young Battle for Life commented: "The number of abortions are staggering and so, sometimes, is the temptation to despair. As we soberly mark the 34th anniversary of the judicial atrocity known as Roe v. Wade, the sheer number of innocent victims of that act of judicial tyranny overwhelms our everyday experience. Even under the most conservative of estimates (and we lack certainty because we do not have a national, uniform mandatory abortion reporting requirement), somewhere between 40 and 50 million unborn children have died under this nation's regime of abortion. To put that number in some context, the best estimate is that the total war dead, of all causes, for all of America's major and minor wars since 1775 is 1,329,991 or an amount equal to just one year of Roe's infernal tally."

Consequently the left seems to have developed a devious strategy to share the aims of the enemy abroad in order to defeat the enemy at home. Leading leftists have brought together the likes of Kurt Vonnegut, Toni Morrison, Barbara Ehrenreich, Katha Pollit, Jane Fonda, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, Gordon Moore, Jim Wallis and others to promote the Anti-War, environmentalism/global warming, anti-globalization, and social justice agendas into a powerful force. I refer to this cabal as the Leftist/Marxist - Islamist Alliance in my recent book:  Islamic Economics and the Final Jihad: The Muslim Brotherhood to the Leftist/Marxist - Islamist Alliance.

Of course as an elected official, Pelosi can't admit she wants America to lose in Iraq, but what she can do is erect obstacles at every juncture so that it's impossible for Bush to succeed there. First, try to block the request for more troops. Then, try to block the call for needed additional funds. Then, when the time is right, push to redeploy American troops away from the fighting and to places in the Middle East, where they are powerless to stop the insurgency from toppling the elected Iraqi government.

Progressive Democrats of America in their article of January 17: Woolsey takes up President Bush's Challenge on Iraq hail the bill H. R. 508 -- comprehensive alternative to escalation: plan would bring all US troops home within 6-months. The Advisory Board of the PDA includes illustrious people: United States Representative John Conyers, Jr., Jodie Evans co-founder of CODEPINK and co-author of the book Stop the Next War Now, Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva represents the 7th Congressional District of Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives, Tom Hayden was a founding member of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in 1961, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Cindy Sheehan the internationally known mom and peace and social justice advocate. The article at politicalaffairs.net, "Marxist Thought Online" - Bush’s policies shame Americans illustrate Sheehan's thinking. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Congresswoman Diane E. Watson, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. Washington D.C. activist, member of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network and PDA Board Member.

"Joined by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Maxine Waters (D-CA), Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) today introduced the Bring Our Troops Home and Sovereignty of Iraq Restoration Act of 2007, sweeping legislation, which would establish a 6-month timeframe for withdrawal for all US military forces from Iraq, provide a framework for bringing stability back to Iraq, and fully fund the VA health care system." Such actions are combined with AP reports that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is moving to create a special committee to recommend legislation for cutting greenhouse gases. According to AP, Pelosi is stirring the pot within the upper ranks of the Democratic Caucus, taking on Capitol Hill powers such as Rep. John Dingell (MI), Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, who has been close to the auto companies on the issue. PDA has taken issue with Pelosi's rhetoric and actions on the Iraq war, but we are heartened by any efforts by her to reduce greenhouse gas emissions ...even if it means stepping on a few toes. See: Global Warming Committee at top of Pelosi Agenda.

The United for Peace and Justice is a coalition of more than 1300 local and national leftist groups supporting the Anti-War, environmentalist/global warming, and anti-globalization movements. Member groups include: American Muslims for Jerusalem, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) - National Office, CODEPINK: Women for Peace - DC, Sojourners (Jim Wallis), Communist Party - N. CA. Oakland, CA, Global Exchange, Rainforest Action Network, International Socialist Organization (ISO) - NYC, Democratic Socialists of America, International Solidarity Movement (ISM) - NY, Progressive Democrats of NYC, 15th Congressional District, socialist Party USA - New York chapter, among others.

According to the www.DiscoverTheNetwork.org Jim Wallis is:

·         Activist preacher and editor of the leftwing Christian magazine Sojourners

·         Democratic Party operative who claims that God is "neither a Republican nor a Democrat"

·         Apologist for communist atrocities in Cambodia and Vietnam

·         Dedicated foe of capitalism

·         Contends that Biblical scripture calls for large central government to aid the poor

Sojourners is a member organization of the Win Without War anti-war coalition.

United for Peace and Justice is planning a major demonstration in Washington DC and other major cities on January 27 to protest involvement in Iraq and other place. "With support from MoveOn.org, True Majority, Working Assets, the RainbowPUSH Coalition, the National Organization for Women and hundreds of other national and local groups, word about the Jan. 27th antiwar mobilization is reaching far and wide. Momentum is building and people from all walks of life and every corner of the country will be marching on Washington, DC, on Saturday, Jan. 27th. The brochures are prepared as follows:

·         ACT NOW TO END THE WAR! Brochure in English

·         ACT NOW TO END THE WAR! Brochure in Spanish

·         ACT NOW TO END THE WAR! Brochure in Persian (Farsi)

·         ACT NOW TO END THE WAR! Brochure in Arabic

In a companion article, War Resisters -- Support the Troops Who Refuse to Fight, "It takes courage to say that you will not fight -- especially if you are a soldier. As more members of the U.S. military step forward for peace, the peace movement must step forward to support them."

According to an Article posted on the Party of Socialism and Liberation on January 23, 2007, March on the Pentagon Saturday, March 17, 2007 is planned to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the historic 1967 march on the Pentagon and the 4th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war. "The mass demonstration is to demand: U.S. Out of Iraq Now! According to the Statement from the Act Now to Stop War & End Racism (ANSWER Coalition) on the March 17-18 Global Days of Action, [They] are returning to the Pentagon because it maintains 714 military bases in 130 countries to extend the influence of US transnational corporations, oil giants and banks. The slogan of national security and the war on terror stands exposed as a pretext for a global empire enforced by military might and limitless violence." 

"While the focus of the recent years has been to use military power and violence against the Arab people, the Pentagon has been targeting peoples and nations all over the world. U.S. troops occupy South Korea. U.S. nuclear weapons target North Korea. Interventionist actions are already taking place in the Philippines, and are planned against Cuba, Venezuela, and throughout South and Central Asia."

Endorsers for the March on the Pentagon include: Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney General; Maxine Waters, Congresswoman; Cynthia McKinney, Congresswoman; Cindy Sheehan, co-founder Gold Star Families for Peace, author; Malik Rahim, Founder, Common Ground Collective, New Orleans; Macrina Cardenas, Mexico Solidarity Network (MSN supports the Zapatistas, an armed revolutionary movement in Chiapas, Mexico that strongly opposes globalization and free-trade agreements.), Paul Haggis, Director of Crash, 2005 Academy Award for Best Picture, Elias Rashmawi, National Coordinator, National Council of Arab Americans (NCAA); Waleed Bader,  Vice chair of the National Council of Arab Americans, ("NCAA is a Radical, anti-Israel and anti-American group and Coalition Partner with International ANSWER")  Chair of NCAA NY/NJ Chapter, Former President of Arab Muslim American Federation - NY, International Socialist Organization ("Anti-American, anti-capitalist Communist organization."), Freedom Socialist Party  National Office, (Trotskyist political party founded in 1960s. Calling itself "a product of the living tradition of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Trotsky."), among others.

According to discoverthenetwork.com International ANSWER (an acronym for "Act Now to Stop War and End Racism") is run by Ramsey Clark's International Action Center, which is staffed by members of the Marxist-Leninist Workers World Party (WWP). ANSWER views the United States as a racist, imperialist, sexist, homophobic nation and the world's chief violator of human rights -- guilty of unspeakable atrocities, past and present, foreign and domestic. On February 15, 2003 of that year, ANSWER, in conjunction with United for Peace and Justice, helped mobilize another set of massive antiwar demonstrations; some 500,000 attended in New York City, as did 100,000 in Los Angeles and many others in San Francisco, Chicago, and elsewhere across the United States.

The Independent Progressive Politics Network - IPPN has been active within the peace movement since right after the 9/11 attacks. They played a key role in forging a coalition which organized the first, major demonstration in April, 2002 in Washington, D.C. against the Bush Administration's militaristic and repressive reaction to that attack. 80,000 people marched on that day.

As United for Peace and Justice (see also their homepage at www.unitedforpeace.org) came together toward the end of that year we were active as it organized against the illegal invasion of Iraq, and we have been active ever since. George Friday, a member of IPPN's Steering and Executive Committees, was elected last year to be one of three national co-chairs of UFPJ. See also report on IPPN at Discover the Network.

The Progressive Caucus (Democratic) with Rep. Dennis Kucinich as co-chairman is an organization of Members of Congress founded in 1991 by newly-elected Representative Bernie Sanders (Independent-Vermont), the former socialist mayor of Burlington and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which describes itself as "the principal U.S. affiliate of the Socialist International."

The Progressive Caucus recently crafted its "Progressive Promise" document, which advocates socialized medicine; radical environmentalism; the redistribution of wealth; the elimination of numerous provisions of the Patriot Act; dramatic reductions in the government's intelligence-gathering capabilities, debt relief for poor countries; and the quick withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

According to the article Socialism in America Socialism in America is alive, well, and growing. Aided by such influential Congressmen as John Conyers, Ranking Member of the House Judicial Committee, David Bonior, the pit-bull-dog who successfully whipped Newt, Maxine Waters, the President's outspoken defender in the impeachment debates, and nearly 60 other Representatives, socialism is advancing in America behind the "Progressive" label.

"The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is the largest socialist organization in the United States, and the principal U.S. affiliate of the Socialist International. DSA's members are building progressive movements for social change while establishing an openly socialist presence in American communities and politics.

In spite of the comments of Nicholas Burns comments at Herzliya conference in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, Israel, 21 Jan 2007, reported on Voice of America, US Says More Pressure is Needed to Stop Iran Nukes.  The Peace and Justice organization in their article The Time to Stop a War With Iran Is NOW! calls for signing a petition to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice that rejects any U.S. military action against Iran and demands direct negotiations. Copies will go to Chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Committee on International Relations.

To quote Dinesh D'Souza: "Whether it realizes this or not, the Bush administration is facing a kind of liberal-Islamic alliance: a sympathetic relationship that leading leftists in America have with Islamic radicals around the world." The Leftist/Marxist - Islamist Alliance is a serious threat to our way of life and even more so to liberals who have joined the cabal. Living under a totalitarian Marxist, Leninist, Bolshevist, Trotskyist government or a country where Shariah law rules must not be an option.