The attack at Ft. Hood was treason. The attack at Ft. Hood was jihad. But was it terrorism? The traitor, motivated by, one common interpretation of the Quran, alas, within the mainstream of Islamic jurisprudence, attacked soldiers, not civilians. Terrorism involves civilian targets, not merely cowardly acts of war: it is a tactic specifically directed against democratic polities, intended to induce surrender or policy changes by creating fear in the population at large.
Insisting on calling it "terrorism" is part and parcel of the already-too-PC nonsense of a "War on Terror". We are at war with the salafist sect of Sunni Islam (which includes Al Qaeda and the Taliban), and in a cold war with the "Hastener" sect of "Twelver" Shi'ite Islam (the Iranian regime), not with "Terror", nor even with terrorism. (As some have noted "War on Terror" is as stupid a turn of phrase as it would have been to call the Pacific War during WW II the "War on Naval Aviation".)
We are not at war with Islam qua Islam: there have been no attacks on the United States or Western interests by "Sevener" or "Fourer" Shi'ites. The "Twelver" Shi'ites who look to Ali Al-Sistani as their marja or "point of reference" are, by and large, our allies in this war. Likewise we have many Sunni allies--mostly joining our side after experiencing life under the salafists, whether in the Sunni regions of Iraq that fell briefly under the control of Al Qaeda, or in Afghanistan after experiencing Taliban rule.
Unfortunately, a combination of political correctness (mostly of the oh! please, please, don't call me a racist! variety) and the undoubted fact that we do have Muslim allies in the present war (and the future one against the "Hasteners"), and arguably need them to prevail, prevented authorities from noticing or acting on the fact that Major Hassan had gone over to the enemy and become a salafist. (The bizarre lecture at Bethesda, his no photos with women stance, and his continuing contacts with his salafist imam all support this conclusion.)
The military and our society need real understanding of Muslim culture, not a kumaya-singing PC multiculturalist 'tolerance and respect' pseudo-understanding, nor the equally-absurd "Islam is a death-cult" dismissal of all Muslims as enemies, but understanding that can sort out Muslim theological and cultural tendencies and notice which ones pose threats and which ones are our natural allies.
No Muslims in the military is a nonsensical position. No salafists in the military is prudent policy.
agree
Great post.
I agree with an ability to identify the threat and well articulate that which we oppose, however, since Obama does have a Muslim upbringing, and identifies his strengths with the ability to bring communities together, might there also be an unspoken incentive beneath his lack of such discernment in his handling of the armed conflict in Asia?
I suspect Islam is far more tenacious and odious than merely one or two particular violent sects.