Posted on 09/05/2007 11:56:17 AM PDT by Froufrou
In a new report released Wednesday afternoon, a security expert said jihadist terrorism currently poses a larger threat than it did before 9/11.
"Measured by the number of terrorist incidents, the jihadist threat is more significant now than it was prior to September 11, 2001," said Bernard Finel, a senior fellow with the liberal-leaning American Security Project. "It is, most notably, significantly worse even than in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks when the American response focused on al Qaeda's infrastructure in Afghanistan."
He called the jihadist terrorists a "vibrant and dynamic movement that has a great deal of strength even to this day. There are more attacks, so certainly they are more effective or more violent."
"In short, the war in Iraq has not noticeably reduced the numbers of jihadists outside of Iraq; rather it has created many more fighters to join the movement," he said. "This finding fundamentally undermines the Bush administration's claim that we are 'fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here.'
"It's been a growing threat for the last couple of decades. The trends were already bad going into the late '90s, and I think we just haven't taken sufficient steps to overturn and to change the trend lines since 9/11," Finel told Cybercast News Service.
Finel also argued that the United States should not focus on Iraq as the central front in the war on terror. The Bush administration's action to reduce state-sponsored terror and gain international cooperation in that effort has worked well, he said.
However, there is a "new kind of threat," one not "based around states," Finel said. "It's really a threat based around an ideology, a movement, and transnational groups. Until we take steps to deal with that kind of a challenge, we're always going to be behind the eight ball."
Finel noted that, instead, U.S. foreign policy should focus on "changing hearts and minds" in the Muslim world.
"On one hand we want people to reject terrorism in the abstract, on the other hand there are a series of beliefs which tend to justify the jihadist movement, just like terrorism -most notably that the United States is supporting these oppressive regimes in the region and that the United States is sort of this aggressive power which is out to attack and harm Islam," he said.
"That's not what American foreign policy is all about," said Finel, "but nonetheless it's a belief that has a lot of credibility in the Muslim world."
But President George W. Bush has often contended that Iraq is central to the war on terror. "The fight in Iraq has a direct impact on the safety of Americans here at home," Bush said in a speech last week.
"We have seen what violent extremists will do when American forces are actively engaged in Iraq, and we can envision what they would do if they were emboldened by American forces in retreat," he said.
"For all those who ask whether the fight in Iraq is worth it, imagine an Iraq where militia groups backed by Iran control large parts of the country, and al Qaeda has established sanctuaries to safely plot future attacks on targets all over the world, including the U.S. Homeland," said Bush, "and they could use billions of dollars in oil revenues to buy weapons and pursue their deadly ambitions."
He added that the most "important and immediate way" to counter terrorist groups is to "win the fight in Iraq."
A victory by "violent extremists" in the Middle East and the region there "could imperil the world," Bush added.
"This administration has really prioritized the issue of international cooperation and ... winning the Iraq War as the central front in the war on terror," said Finel. "They have done some things which are contributory to success in the war on terror. But, that said, it's a question of priorities and what trade-off you're willing to accept.
"I just don't see how you puncture the movement with anything you do in Iraq," he said.
No, it isn't.
To do that, we’d first have to understand why we’re so hated.
We are hated by jihadists for existing as a prosperous and strong non-Muslim society.
“...get people to more or less live and let live anyway and we will all get rich.”
Works for me, but how do you factor in their horrendous greed?
"A greater terrorist threat is due to global warming. Just pull my finger and I'll tell you how."
Hitler hated us. So did Stalin.
Being liked isn’t everything.
Got to get out and under my old school desk.
They probably haven’t thought about the very real possibility that we won’t bow to Islam.
All that we can give them is a ticket to Allah. They want to be martyrs, fine. Just at a time and place of our choosing.
“Pfffft...” :p
“...jihadist terrorism currently poses a larger threat than it did before 9/11.”
True statement because:
1. The American people are lulled back into the sleep from which they were awakened on 9/11.
2. Since the borders remain open, more jihadists have entered the US since 9/11.
3. Our politicians continue to maintain that Islam is a ROP which is only an indication of their utter ignorance about and/or fear for Islam.
4. The possibility of a complete takeover by the dems at the next election only makes the prospect of an Al-Qaeda attack more plausible.
Precisely.
I think shaking the tree to see who falls out is just what we are doing and should be doing. If people are so close to jumping on the Jihad bandwagon... well, I say have 'em go ahead. I don't want the "nearly jihad" guys out in the world either.
Send in the dogs, flush 'em into the air and fire at will.
I agree with Sender. Many are taught to hate when just young children, using even Disney cartoons.
I think they may lose some ability to decide otherwise based on the constant yammering to martyr themselves.
I’m normally a very optimistic person, but there is something wicked in the air. God I pray I’m wrong.
“a senior fellow with the liberal-leaning American Security Project.”
***
That’s all I needed to know.
“Measured by the number of terrorist incidents, the jihadist threat is more significant now than it was prior to September 11, 2001,” said Bernard Finel, a senior fellow with the liberal-leaning American Security Project.
*****
“The angle of the dangle depends entirely upon the heat of the meat,” said Ben Dover, a senior fellow with the progessive Airport Stalls Pleasure Project.
it would be a lot worse if we weren’t drawing most of them to Irazq.
“Who is Bernard Final?”
And did he just give us a final warning?
I disagree with this guy’s conclusions. Before 911, the US had it’s collective head stuck in the sand, mainly due to how the Clinton’s handled terrorist attacks in the 90’s. After 911, everything changed. We are in a much better defensive posture now due to the lesson of 911 and our interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I’ve got the same feeling, and I don’t normally have those occurances. I can barely describe it, a deep, almost unconscious sense that something is very wrong.
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