PHARES: Countering jihadists

Those worried about the Final or "Holy War" should perhaps take a look at one writer whose prophetic understanding might cast some light on our friend Osama bin Laden the Global Terrorist: also known as "the man of lawlessness"; here revealed by one St. Paul of Damascus. If one reads Thessalonians II 2: 3-4 one will get what I call a "shock" of recognition. Here is the quote in full after St. Paul discusses the day of Christ to come; "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the House of God, showing himself that he is God." While some might be amused by such recondite blasphemy it certainly seems that Osama bin Laden has judged the West and, to hear Osama tell it "with Allah's help", has carried out his judgment on the "great Satan" of the corrupt West as if he were, indeed; "God". By sitting on the throne of Mecca spiritually it is Osama who has done more than just begun World War III; he has made sure that it will be the last War; the Holy War; the showdown between what radical Islam calls "the people of Salvation" and the fallen West. While some might smile at such antics with the power the west possesses in it's arsenal we might look again at the prophetic core of belief that is driving the forces intent on their coming Armegeddeon.

I'd like to say that the American government is taking the right steps to confront jihadism and do battle ideologically with its foes. So would Dr. Phares. But as he continues to outline, we continue to fail at countering the jihadists' message. Our government sees a solution in meeting with groups like CAIR and ISNA, the very organizations the Saudis have established in America to distort and control the debate. Forget not that the apocryphal theme: America’s foreign policy leads to terrorism. That very notion is pushed by the Saudi regime – and it is in Saudi Arabia’s best interest to ensure, through these front groups, that the jihadist ideology is not linked back to them. Dr. Phares is correct that we must turn to the moderate Muslims who live in the Middle East. They are the ones with the numbers and the sway, not CAIR – whose membership has significantly declined since 9/11. The silent-Middle Eastern majority is the body through which jihadism will be defeated, not through Saudi-backed front groups based in the U.S. Furthermore, a policy of engaging the lesser-radicals is no policy at all. The lesser-radicals are members of groups such as Hizb at-tahrir – an organization that Zeyno Baran of the Hudson Institute calls the “conveyor belt for producing terrorists.” One of CAIR and ISNA’s many functions is dissembling; we can no longer tolerate them whispering in Uncle Sam’s ear. Engage the dissidents now.