Your Most Trusted Source of Foreign
News and Views About the United States
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Your Most Trusted Source of Foreign
News and Views About the United States
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By Hassan Al-Haifi 
October 10, 2005
About the only beneficiary of the global War on Terror seems to be Mr. George W. Bush, or rather his speechwriters, who seem to think terrorism is the only subject about which they can show "emotion" and "guts." However, this war, fought for the sake of rhetoric, is being used to cover up a continuing parade of blunders that seem to be the only consistent characteristic of the Bush Administration - the biggest blunder being the War on Terror itself. What significant accomplishment has the Bush Administration achieved with its terror war?
The Administration lacks even a clear perception of what victory or defeat in such a war would look like. Not only that, but there isn’t even definitive evidence that the terrorists are on "the run" to reassure those who have accepted the Bush rhetoric. In fact, while the rhetoric is expansive and "tough," the battle on the ground in no way reflects an impending victory over or a slowing of this "threat." The tougher Bush’s language gets about "terrorism" and the memory of "9/11," the more he betrays his need to cover up the ineptitude of his administration in managing the affairs of a great superpower.
Oh sure, terror must be confronted, but to simplify this as one man’s war against "evil Islamic radicalism" is to draw an illogical course. Such a conception also shows a distinct lack of awareness about the "enemy" and ignores the significance of involving other nations as partners rather than lackeys.
The War on Terror need not be a war of guns and diatribes. This war is best conducted by dealing demonstrably, prudently and logically with the motivations that lead many frustrated young Muslims to resort to such "non Islamic" acts [terrorism].
Furthermore, the War on Terror was not
made easier by the War in
What’s really happening is that the Bush
Administration is seeking to justify Israeli influence over
Anti-Israeli sentiment is not at all inspired by "terror," unless one
is referring to Israeli terrorism, which has been around far longer
than bin Laden’s brand of "Islamic Jihadism." Ignoring the legitimate complaints of
Palestinians against their Israeli transgressors, while favoring Tel Aviv,
is the very antithesis of any War on Terror. To be guided by Israeli perceptions
of "threats to peace," is to encourage the fomenting of hatred and distrust
against the
Mr. Bush is right when he says that Islam is innocent of terrorism and that terrorists are abusing Islam for their own purposes. But the truth is that the administration’s plans have most likely been hatched by those fly-by-night gangs of the International Zionist Establishment and their friends in the American Neo-Con movement.
The structure and modus operandi of the terrorist gangs have so far not shown a coherent approach for gaining political momentum or power. Thus, it is not yet possible to view them as "empire seekers." Moreover, they haven’t really sought grassroots support, which is essential, at least in the initial stages, for any political movement to succeed. The terrorists seem to operate according to rules not necessarily in line with their own declared goals, or with the intent of achieving strategic success. What seems obvious is that the terrorists are seeking to create a space so that their more organized and goal-oriented masterminds [bin Laden, al-Zawahiri] can achieve their own selfish interests.
What we are witnessing today is a world that will gradually lose touch with centuries of progress on human rights and civil liberties, as the War on Terror serves as an excuse for dictators to harness the power of the State to tighten the noose around their constituents. In such a setting, the self-centered, egotistical and oppressive are the most likely to thrive and the distinction between right and wrong will become ever more unclear.
In such a setting, ideals will have no avenue to be disseminated, because the ambitious and greedy will distort the workings of government and international affairs, blocking any attempt to restore justice and righteousness to the hearts of mankind.
In the global War on Terror, goodness and kindness are shortcomings, and thus we are expected to wipe out hundreds of years of human progress in how men interact with one another. This is to say nothing of humanity’s readiness to destroy the environment and let profit dictate all social, economic and political considerations.
It is a scary world we live in when people
lose their hope for the future. The terms that are being dictated to the
world by the powerful are not consistent with the promotion of peaceful
coexistence based on mutual respect and equal opportunity. Nor for the
rights of all people to live free of the terror of terrorists and of the
far worse terror of the hegemon [the
