Absurd: The Impotence of Terrorism

Published in La Libération
(France) on 4 January 2010
by Laurent Joffrin (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Carol Schmitz. Edited by Amy Wong.
Recognized as global enemy number one after September 11, Osama bin Laden has achieved none of his insane objectives in a decade of bloody business. The march toward a new Caliphate, consistent with his medieval conception of Islam, has not advanced a step. The Taliban, the only regime that nearly established this archaic utopia, was swept away in a few weeks and returned only to fight an endless guerrilla war. The hypocritical tyrants in the Muslim world he claimed to overthrow are all still in place. Dedicated to crime and suicide, his morbid organization has suffered the harsh blows of a more effective "war on terrorism" than people think.

As for his enemies, the “Crusaders,” they have diminished his strength in every way. The American military has established itself as a force in the heart of Dar al-Islam. Democracies that terrorists have tended to underestimate are doing neither better nor worse than before. Ultimately, his only tangible results are the deaths of a considerable number of innocent people – often Muslims – and to have made air travel more cumbersome. It is an absurd record for a man who says he invested in an historic mission. It is true that absurdity never discouraged fanaticism. So bin Laden, who can do nothing else, will continue to kill like a volatile barbarian who continues to run even when he has no head.


Impuissance du terrorisme… Consacré ennemi planétaire numéro 1 après le 11 -Septembre, Oussama ben Laden, en dix ans d’activité sanglante, n’a atteint aucun de ses déments objectifs. La marche vers un «nouveau califat» conforme à sa conception moyenâgeuse de l’islam n’a pas progressé d’un pas. Le seul régime qui s’approchait de cette archaïque utopie, celui des talibans, a été balayé en quelques semaines et renvoyé à une interminable guérilla. Les «tyrans hypocrites» qu’il prétendait renverser dans le monde musulman sont tous en place. Vouée au crime et au suicide, sa morbide organisation a subi les coups très durs d’une «guerre contre le terrorisme» plus efficace qu’on ne croit. Quant à ses ennemis «croisés», leur force ne s’est en rien amoindrie. L’armée américaine s’est implantée en force au cœur du «Dar-al- Islam». Les démocraties, que les terroristes ont toujours eu tendance à sous-estimer, ne se portent ni mieux ni plus mal qu’auparavant. Son seul résultat tangible, finalement, c’est d’avoir tué un nombre considérable d’innocents - souvent des musulmans - et d’avoir rendu le transport aérien plus malcommode. Absurde bilan pour un homme qui se dit investi d’une mission historique. Il est vrai que l’absurdité n’a jamais découragé le fanatisme. Ainsi Ben Laden, qui ne sait rien faire d’autre, continuera à tuer, tel un volatile barbare qui continue de courir même quand il n’a plus de tête.
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