End of the beginning of the war on terror (Excellent Editorial)

The Telegraph ^ | 16/04/2004 | Editorial staff

[Eurotwit]

After a spell of what seemed incorrigible chaos in the war on terror, there are glimmerings of serious change and even hope. Three significant events have occurred that may well herald the beginning, if not of the end, of a different phase of the international struggle against Islamist terrorism.

In Najaf, where a depressing second front of Iraqi insurgency seemed to be threatening terminal disorder, there has been an outbreak of conciliation. The rebellious Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, having noted the massing of American troops on Najaf’s borders, decided to engage in “extremely positive“ negotiations with the United States. Peace in Najaf will not only enable coalition troops to concentrate on the Sunni and Ba’athist factions that were known enemies, but will also allow the responsible Shia leadership to become a plausible political force in a new democratic Iraq.

Meanwhile, in Washington, George W Bush has taken what can be seen as an uncompromisingly hard line on the Middle East. By accepting Israel’s right to retain some of its most controversial settlements, Mr Bush has placed America firmly in alliance with Ariel Sharon’s tough policy. His unreserved endorsement of the prime minister’s withdrawal from Gaza (with its minimal concessions on the West Bank) is a clear signal to the Palestinians that they have failed the test.

Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority have shown themselves unable (or unwilling) to control terrorism in the region. Mr Bush is, in effect, making it clear to Palestinians that they will not be dealt into the game again until they have different leadership. Mr Arafat has responded to this by reiterating his demand for Palestinian refugees to have a “right of return“ — a condition that he must know is untenable, thus marginalising himself even more definitively in Washington’s eyes. The futility of the present Palestinian position must produce change eventually.

Then there is the purported offer from Osama bin Laden of an extraordinary “truce“ to European countries. Presumably this crude attempt to swing European public opinion against US policy was inspired by the Spanish election victory of Jose Zapatero, who has now, interestingly, modified his stance on Spanish forces in Iraq, saying that they could remain under the umbrella of “any“ multinational organisation.

More important than the absurd truce offer, which has been unanimously rejected by European leaders, is the change of tone. Rather than a nihilistic rant about worshipping death, bin Laden is talking the language of mediation. Terrorist leaders traditionally resort to this either when they have lost control of their own forces, or when they believe that they are losing.

[RKB-AFG]

You found a good article indeed.

[jocon307]

Yes, euro, you did. Maybe the WOT won't last a hundred years, but I don't want to get too optimistic.

[Dog]

Nice find Euro.

[NewYorker]

Hallelujah.

[TADSLOS]

Tipping point time. The librats are deeply saddened...

[swarthyguy]

Allow me to be a little pessimistic.

They get through once and melt a city.....

In the meantime, he agrees.

When Islam Breaks Down
Theodore Dalrymple
http://www.city-journal.org/html/14_2_when_islam.html

...Hence the Saudi time bomb: sooner or later, religious revolt will depose a dynasty founded upon its supposed piety but long since corrupted by the ways of the world.

...On the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, for example, the Sikh temples were festooned with perfectly genuine protestations of congratulations and loyalty. No such protestations on the part of Muslims would be thinkable.

...One sign of the increasing weakness of Islam’s hold over its nominal adherents in Britain—of which militancy is itself but another sign—is the throng of young Muslim men in prison. They will soon overtake the young men of Jamaican origin in their numbers and in the extent of their criminality. By contrast, young Sikhs and Hindus are almost completely absent from prison, so racism is not the explanation for such Muslim overrepresentation.

...Islam in the modern world is weak and brittle, not strong: that accounts for its so frequent shrillness. The Shah will, sooner or later, triumph over the Ayatollah in Iran, because human nature decrees it, though meanwhile millions of lives will have been ruined and impoverished.

...To be sure, fundamentalist Islam will be very dangerous for some time to come, and all of us, after all, live only in the short term;

[jwalsh07]

One man with conviction can make a difference. Viva President Bush.

[happygrl]

Hey, this is good news from the "twits"!

[Eurotwit]

What do you mean?

I think I might be getting paranoid)


Cheers

[The KG9 Kid]

Allah's running out of virgins.

[Uncle Miltie]

"The futility of the present Palestinian position must produce change eventually."

Wrong. Futility is the Palestinian national passtime. Perpetual futility is their hallmark, and future.

Good article, in spite of this oversight.

[Eurotwit]

Wow.

Great article.

There will for sure be testing times ahead, but in the end we will prevail.


Cheers.

[randog]

I would add that the American military in Iraq has a 'take no prisoners' attitude that seems to be getting the attention of the a--holes there.

[Kirkwood]

"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
Sir Winston Churchill. Speech given at the Lord Mayor's Luncheon, Mansion House, London, November 10, 1942.

[endthematrix]

"or when they believe that they are losing. "

They are attempting to appear strong when really they are weak.
We knew they would lose all along.
We will crush them.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Keep ripping apart the terrorist infrastructure. We are congregating all the crap in one location for the eventual slaughter. Killing them all in Iraq, is the perfect ending to Saddams passion play.

Cannot wait to see the finale of Saddam hanging from a lamp post with kids beating his rotting corpse with their shoes. Would be nice to see Al Zarquiwi and Osama hanging next to him. Same week Isarael kills Arafat and Hezbolla leader.

[wayoverontheright]

Bump for later,

[Coop]

Killing them all in Iraq, is the perfect ending to Saddams passion play.

I agree to an extent, but unfortunately it will not be "all" of the terrorists. But it will certainly be a nice chunk.

God bless our troops!

[swarthyguy]

His conclusions are wrong, IMO, as even he admits towards the end. because IMO, The tail end of a movement can be more vicious than it's peak.

But check out www.aldaily.com. Great mag with articles on all subjects and a variety of viewpoints.