Editorial: America Needs Liberal Hawks

Someone needs to tell Washington Sen. Patty Murray that Osama bin Laden's day-care centers are helping foment terror, not stop it — and the ideal someone is a liberal Democrat who knows America needs left-wing hawks. But first, meet Jemaah Islamiya, al-Qaida's nom de guerre in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Jemaah Islamiya seeks to establish an Islamic state extending from southern Thailand through the Filipino and Indonesian archipelagoes. Last October's Bali nightclub bombing was Jemaah Islamiya's headline-grabbing handiwork. And part of its long-term strategy is funding youth schools.

Just before Christmas, I returned from Southeast Asia, where I was working on a forthcoming magazine article on the terror war in the region. One afternoon, a Malaysian scholar walked me through Jemaah Islamiya's "childhood education" program, something Murray's staff failed to do for her.

The short version is money. Jemaah Islamiya uses terror payola "from Arab sources" to muscle out public and Muslim moderate education programs in Malaysian villages.

It's symptomatic of an intra-Islam religious and cultural conflict. I've heard Malaysian and Indonesian Muslims complain of "the Arabization of our religion." The general drift among the people I interviewed is it represents a movement toward an aggressive anti-Western, anti-secular and, frankly, racially tinged ideology.

Here's the race angle Jemaah Islamiya preaches: Singapore is a Chinese city, which is why it needs to be smashed by an Islamic uprising.

Jemaah Islamiya-funded schools teach hate, not reading. Over tea, the Malaysian scholar told me that undermining the schools "preys on a (strategic) weakness in Malaysia."

Then I returned to the states to read Murray's comments. Here's what she had to say on Dec. 19:

"We've got to ask, why is this man (Osama bin Laden) so popular around the world?" Murray said. "He's been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day-care facilities, building health-care facilities, and the people are extremely grateful. We haven't done that."

I know, it's jaw-dropping. A senator exalts a terrorist who has funded a propaganda infrastructure designed to destabilize Third World nations and teach kids to kill Muslim moderates and Americans.

Murray's comments and the lack of criticism from her liberal pals is indicative of a serious American strategic weakness, one that al-Qaida preys on just as it preys on Malaysian and Indonesian vulnerabilities.

America desperately needs a new generation of defense Democrats, liberals with clear heads and sharp swords. America needs them now.

Sam Nunn is retired. Sen. Henry "Scoop" Jackson is dead. Gary Hart, now billing himself as a defense guru, helped kill Scoop politically in 1972 and 1976. Richard Perle, still a registered Democrat, is anathematized by liberals as a prince of darkness, instead of the defense whiz he is.

But no major Democrats have publicly condemned Murray's outrage. Silence doesn't cut it. Perhaps it prevents political damage to her, but it continues to seed deep doubts about Democrats on national security. Sure, in a well-wrought counterterror strategy, day-care centers can complement destroyers, but that wasn't Murray's message.

The general lack of critique from the national media also suggests a culture still not aware of Sept. 11's historic challenge.

Maybe Hart can recreate himself. Perhaps former Gen. Wes Clark, if he shakes his Clinton umbilical, is the liberal warrior who can rebuild the Harry Truman wing of his party. But to rebuild and recreate means damning the Patty Murrays, whose myopic and politicized domestic focus leads them to laud a vicious American enemy.

Austin Bay is an Austin writer who analyzes military, intelligence and regional issues.

American does need more liberal hawks, like Harry Truman and JFK. However, the hate America-crowd of the left took over the party between 1968-1972 and all democrat patiots liek Scoop Jackson have slowly been purged over the years - even to the point where the military votes 8-1 GOP and thats NOT a good thing for this country.

Just keeping this story alive, as it should be! Kudos to Austin Bay!

Good job on this great post.

Excellent points made in this article including:

"A senator exalts a terrorist who has funded a propaganda infrastructure designed to destabilize Third World nations and teach kids to kill Muslim moderates and Americans.

Murray's comments and the lack of criticism from her liberal pals is indicative of a serious American strategic weakness, one that al-Qaida preys on just as it preys on Malaysian and Indonesian vulnerabilities."

I hope more of the media comes out in response to these atrocious, anti-American sentiments made by a US senator!

to the point where the military votes 8-1 GOP and thats NOT a good thing for this country.

What's worse, it was only that fact which assured me that Clinton would leave office on schedule. THAT isn't a good thing for the country either!

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