[nuconvert]

"But it is now proven through al Qaeda and other totalitarian movements and regimes that the lethal enemy of Jihadism is democracy"

And those last 4 paragraphs are right-on!

[rawcatslyentist]

It started back in the 600's

Quran-4:89— Take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah. But if they turn renegades, seize them and kill them wherever ye find them; and take no friends or helpers from their ranks.

Sura 9:5 of the “Koranus,” “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush.”

"Make war upon such of those to whom the Scriptures have been given as believe not in God." Sura 9:29

"Strike off their heads then, and strike off from them every finger tip." - Sura 8:12

Reaaalll peacefull like.

Aap aap ahh dap dap!!!!!
It's a religion of peace
It's a religion of peace

[Savage Beast]

"In the decades after World War II, the bulk of the Sunni Islamists concentrated on the Soviet Union and communism as a prime enemy, not because they supported a free market economy and NATO, but because they perceived atheist socialism as a competitor to be eliminated first. Wahabism offered to work with the U.S.-led West against the Soviets, and Washington extended its support to the Mujahidin in Afghanistan."

The U.S. Left--including its Political Machine, i.e. the Democrat Party, and its Propaganda Machine, i.e. the "Mainstream Newsmedia"--are working under a similar pact today: It has allied itself with terrorists, tyrants, anti-American movements, and anything that will help eliminate U.S. hegemony and establish the Leftists' Marxist agenda, not because they support Islam or any other religion, but because they perceive liberty, capitalism (which is liberty), and a powerful, free, liberal, capitalist United States as the competitor to be eliminated first.

[cgk]

But just as critical is the ability of the members of these societies to understand that when the U.S. and its allies intervene in a post 9/11 era, it is not to rule over them and govern their way of life. Rather, it is to free them so that they can make the choices they deem appropriate.

It is the ability to make choices that will defeat terrorism, be it Jihadi or Baathist. The struggles in Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon today are about new democracies, freed by the U.S. and its coalition, attempting to grow, while forces of fascism and Jihadism are attempting to keep them down.

The debate in Washington needs to grasp and aggressively emphasize that dimension of the conflict, for without this understanding, U.S. support for the real war on terror will fade.

Dead-on commentary. I hope that Dr. Phares' words of wisdom are being heard by those with the power to implement them in this war on terror.

[Christian4Bush]

bump

[Earthdweller]

Put simply..world terrorism is the result of secular/democratic growing pains in the ME.

History shows that these things don't happen without bloodshed...sadly.

[MSSC6644]

Great article. Thanks for posting it.

[Quix]

Excellent post.

Thanks.

Exceedingly true.

Wake up world!

DOH!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

This was exactly the point of Bush's decision to invade Iraq, and why this strategy is not only a significant factor in the WOT (more correctly, the war against Islamist Jihadism) it is in fact THE MOST significant factor.

Bush's gamble -- and it was a gamble with completely unpredictable outcome -- was that freedom to pursue constructive life would wean these people from their violent impulses, and bring about the internal reforms which are absolutely critical to a long-lasting stability and peace in this region -- and by extension, the rest of the civilized world.

Like President Bush, I am an optimist, and I believe this was a good gamble to take.

It's too bad his administration has not been more effective in communicating the benefits of this effort to the USA and the world, and it has been borderline criminal that the Democrats and partisan media have gone all out to deceive everyone about this great challenge, merely for their own political gain.

[MattinNJ]

Great article. Thanks for posting.

I would venture that this war has been going on for 1300 years (hence the tagline) and the U.S first became involved when THOMAS JEFFERSON was president, not Dubya. Barbary Pirates, "Shores of Tripoli", etc...Just don't try and tell the left that.

While one could argue that the U.S is involved because of Wilsonian dabbling circa WWI and the drawing of artificial lines in the sand, the truth is they would have come after us sooner or later. Europe is mostly done. We are all that's left to stop them.

[M Kehoe]

"...and THEY (jihadist) will stop at NOTHING until YOU are dead!" - Terminator

5.56mm

[gridlock]

From the Islamist's point of view, they have had a string of unbroken success since Afghanistan because a nightmare for the Soviets. Given that track record, recruitment is easy, and the continued growth of the terrorist movement is assured.

They must be handed some defeats. We are in the process of doing so, but if we stop too soon, Iraq and the US war in Afghanistan will also fall into their Win column, at least in their view.

I hate to sound dramatic, but on the success or failure of the Iraq War turns the prospects for peace in the World for the next 50 years. If the Islamists can be put back in their box, they will be managable. If they are not, things are going to get worse and worse for the forseeable future.