Posted on 11/25/2015 6:38:22 AM PST by Keyvan Salami
The horrific scenes of ISIS attacking Paris brought us all to realize that the clear and present danger of the 21st century is none other than Islamic fundamentalism and extremism. Unfortunately, it reminded Americans of 9/11, Londoners of 7/7 and Madrid residents of the horrific 2004 metro bombings. It also acted as a wakeup call for people across the globe about how vulnerable our way of life is at the hands of fanatics that can easily cause havoc even in the leading capital of Europe.
All these attacks were the works of one single enemy: Islamic fundamentalism and extremism. And the need to take urgent action against this phenomenon is more vital than ever before. It must be recognized not to hold the faith of Islam and Muslims responsible for these attacks, as there is an ominous threat of leaning to the right and allowing other extremists to take advantage of the resulting status quo after the Paris carnage. Further obscuring the already difficult situation, such measures would be grave mistakes and will actually end in the benefit of extremists.
What has unfortunately gone unnoticed is the fact that moderate Muslims have in fact been the first victims and main targets of Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism and extremism. Iran is the main stage in this regard, a state in which the ayatollahs sitting on the throne for nearly four decades now have ruled with an iron fist. More than 120,000 dissidents have been executed by Tehran, with the regime focusing its wrath on its principal opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran. The PMOI, or MEK as known in the U.S., is renowned for representing a moderate and tolerant understanding of Islam.
The Iranian opposition, with the MEK establishing the cornerstone of its coalition, strongly condemned the Paris terror attacks immediately following initial reports of the atrocious massacres. Describing the carnage of innocent civilians as "crimes against humanity," opposition leader Maryam Rajavi delivered her condolences to all of France and explained how her people share their grief as they too have suffered under the Shiite version of Islamic fundamentalism, being the fanatical religious, dictatorship in Tehran.
Rajavi went on to very correctly underscore how Islam is anything but the barbarity presented by Sunni extremists in the likes of ISIS, or the Shiite ayatollahs that have created a climate of fear and resorted to unspeakable atrocities against the Iranian people for the past 37 years.
A firm and swift response is needed against ISIS because the target of Islamic extremists is not merely the U.S. or Europe. Their final goal is to obliterate all that is recognized as the West, including its cherished values and achievements. A multi-pronged strategy of comprehensive and cohesive nature is needed, coupled with the enormous military and intelligence might the free world enjoys, to completely uproot ISIS. This has to be the first step to then place the ultimate cross hair on Islamic fundamentalism and extremism.
Terrorists have learned to take advantage of any and all forms of concessions. History has shown that actually emboldens these groups, and their Godfather sitting in Iran, to escalate their crimes like never before. It needs to be understood that ISIS enjoys a hub in Syria to spread its roots and recruit thousands of fighters. However, it is also essential to realize that Iran, backing former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki in Iraq and Bashar Assad in Syria, instigated sectarian killings across the region, and thus pushing more and more Sunnis youths to ISIS, leaving the free world with the mess currently witnessed in the Middle East.
Until the day the dictator in Syria is allowed to kill more innocent Syrians, and as long as Iran is free to literally control Iraq through its proxies embedded in the government and security forces, there will be no peace witnessed in this corner of the globe, and the horrific bloodbaths engulfing the Middle East - now slowly spreading to Europe and beyond - will continue as unfortunately seen in Paris on November 13th.
Therefore, the solution lies in the unconditional closure of the Assad chapter in Syria as a contingent factor in reaching a definitive defeat of ISIS. The complexity of this matter reaches its climax when we understand that addressing the role Tehran is playing in this quagmire is vital. There is no silver bullet, but a united policy with a strong will against Islamic fundamentalism and extremism in the region is a must for the West.
When Tehran is seen backing Assad with all its capacity - sending thousands of Revolutionary Guards personnel and military hardware, providing crucial intelligence and massive credit counting to $35 billion according to credible estimates - a similar determination from the West is needed to address the Middle East crisis. What is acting as a major obstacle is U.S. President Barack Obama's failed policy of "leading from the behind" strategy that is now become an all-out hands-off perspective. Unfortunately, this has allowed Iran and Russia to take advantage of the status quo.
A completely illogical mentality that is also blocking any major leap forward to resolve this calamity is thinking Iran can actually play the role of an ally or partner in reaching a durable resolution. What is certain is that Islamic fundamentalism and extremism can be overcome from Syria to Iran, and even beyond if needed. The West should begin to seriously involve and ally with moderate Muslim forces as part and parcel of any successful strategy.
As ISIS is now seen issuing threats to stage Paris-like bloodbaths in Washington, New York and Rome, senior American politicians are calling for long overdue actions. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chair of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, is calling on President Obama to listen to his security team and establish a no-fly zone in Syria.
Rep. Elliot Engel (D-NY), the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, described the Paris attacks as a turning point and called for decisive support for the moderate Free Syrian Army.
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has gone even further in saying the absence of a ground force to fight ISIS is a major obstacle. She, too, went on to call for a no-fly zone in this country.
The scenes in Syria and Iraq, and now in Paris, should not overcome us. We have to strive to understand how to usurp the initiative and take the fight hard against Islamic fundamentalism and extremism in all fronts. Our children and future generations depend on this.
Step away from the bong!
Balony
No such thing as moderate or extreme Islam. Islam is Islam, and it hasn’t changed in 1400 years. More people are starting to realize this. Some of us have known this all along.
The future must not belong to those who deny the true nature of Islam.
John Quincy Adams on Islam
In the seventh century of the Christian era, a wandering Arab of the lineage of Hagar, the Egyptian, combining the powers of transcendent genius, with the preternatural energy of a fanatic, and the fraudulent spirit of an impostor, proclaimed himself as a messenger from Heaven, and spread desolation and delusion over an extensive portion of the earth. Adopting from the sublime conception of the Mosaic law, the doctrine of one omnipotent God; he connected indissolubly with it, the audacious falsehood, that he was himself his prophet and apostle. Adopting from the new Revelation of Jesus, the faith and hope of immortal life, and of future retribution, he humbled it to the dust, by adapting all the rewards and sanctions of his religion to the gratification of the sexual passion. He poisoned the sources of human felicity at the fountain, by degrading the condition of the female sex, and the allowance of polygamy; and he declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind. THE ESSENCE OF HIS DOCTRINE WAS VIOLENCE AND LUST: TO EXALT THE BRUTAL OVER THE SPIRITUAL PART OF HUMAN NATURE.
Between these two religions, thus contrasted in their characters, a war of twelve hundred years has already raged. That war is yet flagrant; nor can it cease but by the extinction of that imposture, which has been permitted by Providence to prolong the degeneracy of man. While the merciless and dissolute dogmas of the false prophet shall furnish motives to human action, there can never be peace upon earth, and good will towards men. The hand of Ishmael will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. It is, indeed, amongst the mysterious dealings of God, that this delusion should have been suffered for so many ages, and during so many generations of human kind, to prevail over the doctrines of the meek and peaceful and benevolent Jesus (Blunt, 1830, 29:269, capitals in orig.).
“More than 120,000 dissidents have been executed by Tehran, with the regime focusing its wrath on its principal opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran. The PMOI, or MEK as known in the U.S., is renowned for representing a moderate and tolerant understanding of Islam.”
If they are such “moderates”, why do they call themselves mujahedin???
Only one way to fight extremist islam is get head out of butt and recognize that Islam itself is the problem.
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