Lessons of victory from Britain, Pakistan

Tacoma News Tribune ^ | 8/13/06

[Valin]

The struggle against terror isn’t going to produce white flags of surrender, sinking enemy battleships or columns of defeated soldiers. Last week’s roundups of suspected would-be jetliner bombers – and the attendant airport delays – are pretty much what a stunning victory looks like in this war. Defeat ... well, America has already seen what that looks like, too. So has Britain, Spain and Indonesia.

The arrest of dozens of possible conspirators before they succeed in murdering thousands of innocent civilians is as good as it gets. Just as we can learn from defeat, we can learn from victory.

One lesson of this success is the critical importance of international cooperation. The United States did not play the lead role in breaking up this plot; that honor belongs to Britain’s intelligence and police agencies. But the United States was deeply involved, as were France and other nations.

Of particular importance was the involvement of the Pakistani government, which passed on key information to the British and has arrested many suspected conspirators. Pakistan has a distinctly ambiguous position in this conflict: Its leaders are often helpful, but the country itself – which spawned the Taliban and probably harbors Osama bin Laden – remains a potent source of terrorism.

Pakistan is a large and thoroughly Muslim nation, and as such it encompasses a wide variety of Muslims – from the kindly and gracious to the hateful and violent. This case has revealed a sinister connection between fanatics in Pakistan and seemingly ordinary Westerners of Pakistani ancestry in Great Britain.

One of the most disturbing things about the plot – like last year’s subway and bus bombings in London – is that most of the suspects were indistinguishable in appearance, speech and manners from other children of Pakistani immigrants. In fact, at least two of the arrested suspects were not of Pakistani descent at all, but were white converts to radical Islam.

Such people don’t set off the usual alarms. If this is the future face of terrorism in Europe and the United States, we will need all the help we can get from the likes of Pakistan.

Even more important is help from the Muslims among us, the great majority of whom are not admirers of al-Qaida and its methods. The British police have been working to establish good relationships with law-abiding members of Muslim communities, and that effort may have paid off spectacularly in this case: It was a British Muslim who first tipped off investigators three months ago to a conspiracy targeting transatlantic flights.

The subsequent investigation and manhunt employed some dazzling tools, including multiple forms of electronic surveillance and GPS devices attached to suspects’ scooters and cars. But in the end, the victories are going to be won not by gadgets but human beings – including decent Muslims horrified by acts of murder committed in the name of their God.

[libstripper]

In fact, at least two of the arrested suspects were not of Pakistani descent at all, but were white converts to radical Islam.

In fact, most of the Arab people who are Muslims are caucasian, just of a slightly darker cast than northern Europeans.

[Democratshavenobrains]

Of course, if you only read what idiot America haters write on the internet, you would think that Britain acted alone and America did NOTHING to help catch these guys.

[razoroccam]

Arabs are NOT Caucasians - they are a semitic race. Skin color is irrelevant - for example, Indians are much darker now but are of the same stock (Aryans) as the Germans.

[vimto]

We are very aware of the international cooperation over in the UK (though rightly proud of our role in this). Hopefully this will bring stronger ties in the Anglospere especially. and for all the bad news coming out of Pakistan - they must also be congratulated on their contribution.

[Jack2006]

I think the Anglosphere is always close - even when they disagree.

When most of the Anglosphere has the same Head of State how could it be any other way?

[stevem]

Of course, if you only read what idiot America haters write on the internet, you would think that Britain acted alone and America did NOTHING to help catch these guys.

If you read the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, especially the editorial section, you might be tempted to think the evil folk in London walked into Scotland Yard and surrendered.

You certainly would be amazed as to how our fine analytical writers could praise the Brits to the highest stars above. This when just a few weeks ago they wanted Bush drawn and quartered because the US authorities were using the exact same tactics.

[Valin]

You mean they didn't! :-)