"We were told to fight against Israel, America and non-Muslims," said Muhammed Bakhtiar, 17, explaining why he wanted to become a suicide bomber. "We are so unhappy with our lives here. We have nothing," he said.
The terrorist recruiters preyed upon the boys' unhappiness and turned it into hatred. Hatred so intense and indoctrinated that the boys became willing to kill and die for it. This is not new. These are the tactics that terrorist groups have used for a long time.
What is interesting is that terrorist recruiters are not settling for poor Pakistani youth. They are also spreading their lies and hatred in the United States.
According to websites translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), terrorists are being instructed on how to join online discussion groups and blogs in order to influence US citizens' opinions on the war on terror and specifically our actions in Iraq.
Some excerpts:
"There is no doubt, my brothers, that raiding American forums is among the most important means of obtaining victory in the fierce media war... and of influencing the views of the weak-minded American who pays his taxes so they will go to the infidel American army. This American is an idiot and does not [even] know where Iraq is... [It is therefore] mandatory for every electronic mujahid [to engage in this raiding]."
"Obviously, you should post your contribution... as an American... You should correspond with visitors to this forum, [bringing to their attention] the frustrating situation of their troops in Iraq... You should invent stories about American soldiers you have [allegedly] personally known (as classmates... or members in a club who played baseball and tennis with you) who were drafted to Iraq and then committed suicide while in service by hanging or shooting themselves..."
"Also, write using a sad tone, and tell them that you feel sorry for your [female] neighbor or co-worker who became addicted to alcohol or drugs... because her poor fiancé, a former soldier in Iraq, was paralyzed or [because] his legs were amputated... [Use any story] which will break their spirits, oh brave fighter for the sake of God..."
"You should enter into debate or respond only if it is extremely necessary... Your concern should [only] be introducing topics which... will cause [them to feel] frustration and anger towards their government..., which will... render them hostile to Bush... and his Republican Party and make them feel they must vote ton bring the troops back from Iraq as soon as possible."
That pretty much speaks for itself.
I would also like to point out how aware terrorists are of the battle for public opinion. This corresponds with the assertions I have made recently in regards to war protests; that the very people our soldiers are fighting are aware of the protests and the effect they have on public opinion. They know that if they simply wait long enough they won't have to defeat us, we will eventually give up and go home.
11 comments:
From your excerpts, it is rather clear that these groups hate American foreign policy, the Iraq invasion in particular. Their goal appears to be changing our foreign policy. Now since MEMRI is run by former Israeli Defense Forces officers, you do have to take their "translations" with a grain of salt - kosher salt. (Note that these messages strangely do not mention US support for the Israeli occupation.)
It is clear from many sources that the primary reason the US is a target of Islamic terrorist groups is US foreign policy, particularly unquestioning support for the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, support for oppressive governments in the Middle East, US military bases in Arab lands, and now the US occupation of Iraq.
What we should ask ourselves is: What have we as U.S. citizens gained from this foreign policy? I think the answer is nothing - nothing positive and a great deal negative. Should we continue these policies simply because the Islamic extremist groups want us to stop? Wouldn't a sea change in US foreign policy leave these mullahs twisting in the wind?
In a word, no. The "do what the terrorists want" strategy has been tried before. It simply made it easier to recruit suicide bombers because they saw that it worked.
I'm not suggesting we "do what the terrorists want", I'm suggesting we examine our foreign policy and decide whether "We the People" are benefiting from the policies our leaders are pursuing.
Actually, the continued US presence in the Middle East, particularly the war in Iraq, are making it easier to recruit suicide bombers. The Iraq War is exactly what Bin Laden wanted, it makes his job a lot easier. It's like Bush set out to prove that his ideas about America were correct.
DL, your policy is isolationism, and it too is a tried and failed strategy.
The recruiters are preying on poverty and oppression. Democracy is the proven cure for both.
Iraq is the defining moment in the current fight against terrorism. They understand that. They show that understanding by word and deed. They are doing whatever is necessary to ensure they win and gain control of that country. They understand well the power that our public opinion holds in our politics and military. If we leave Iraq it will not be because those that use terrorism defeated the US armed forces. It will be because they defeated the US public.
Whats funny is that I heard Bush quoting bloggers the other day "from Baghdad".
"DL, your policy is isolationism, and it too is a tried and failed strategy."
Well.. except that it failed and now its making a comeback.
"Iraq is the defining moment in the current fight against terrorism."
Unless.. of course.. you think that going after terrorist should be the objective.
"They show that understanding by word and deed."
Sounds almost admirable.
"They understand well the power that our public opinion holds"
To bad the administrations doesnt. Does Nov. '06 mean anything to anybody at 1600...
"If we leave Iraq it will not be because..."
Yes.. But.. thats sort of the deal with a democracy.
PS: George doesnt like dead-lines.. here's one for him.. Jan'08. Just like you said, Cameron, people want out of Iraq. I'm glad we could agree on so much.
Yep. It's called Iraq The Model. It's written by two Iraqi brothers.
And they agree with me.
BTW, Parklife, welcome back.
Ok:
-Glad we agree that isolationism is a failure. Sorry DL, that's two against one. You lose.
-Unless, of course, you think that there are no terrorists in Iraq, or that when the terrorists say "we are in Iraq" and "Iraq is the focal point" and "turn US public opinion against Iraq so that they'll leave" mean that terrorists aren't really there. Maybe it's all a lie. Period.
-Admirable in the sense that they like to tell other people (not themselves of course, just you) that it's great fun to blow yourself and your children up in order to kill indiscriminantly. Or not. But at least they understand what the stakes are.
-Totally. They should totally ignore the advice of the military commanders and the success the current efforts are bringing to Iraq because the American public has bought the same lie the terrorists use to recruit suicide bombers.
-Again, absolutely. Our form of democracy is what made our country great. Of course, I suppose it could be said that the weakness of a democracy resides in its reliance on its citizens to govern. That can be great, unless the terrorists' view of Americans as "weak-minded" and "idiots" who "does not even know where Iraq is" turns out to be true. Then that would be bad. Like when the majority supported marching native americans across the country to a reservation. Or when the majority thought it was a good idea to exterminate mormons. Power to the people, right?
Of course, though DL maintains that the US is the most vile nation on the planet, we could be living in a pre-2003 Iraq where the mere fact that you are not a Muslim would get you dragged into the desert and shot. Or the fact that you aren't the right kind of Muslim could get you dragged into the desert and shot. Or you might be the right kind of Muslim but you lost the soccer match, so you will be imprisoned and forced to watch as your family is raped and murdered. Then you get dragged into the desert and shot.
Ah, the good old days. Too bad they only have a puppet government now.
I actually agree that isolationism is a failure. I don't advocate it. I am an internationalist, a believer in cooperation and trade with other nations. What I oppose is interventionism, unilateral meddling in the affairs of others.
Iraq is a defining moment - a defining moment in the collapse of US imperialism. It shows nothing more than our inability to impose our will on other nations by military force - a lesson we should have learned in Viet Nam.
You insist on a totally black/white view that simply does not comport with reality, Cameron. We caused terrorism to flourish in Iraq and as long as we are there it will continue. As bad as Iraq was under Saddam, it is worse today for the average person and there is little prospect for improvement until the US leaves. Since Bush the Elder's first Iraq war, there have been as many as a million deaths attributable to the sanctions and wars and occupation, the educated middle and upper classes in Iraq have fled, filling Jordan, Syria and other nations with hundreds of thousands of refugees. It cannot be said that the US has helped Iraq. That is the statement of an ideologue, not a realist.
What you have failed to do is state what possible good has come to the average American as a result of US foreign policy in the Middle East. Propping up our sagging national ego is not a salient benefit.
1) Sorry DL... err.. sorry Cameron.. you've got to keep up on your WSJ reading. Spending too much time with the kooks?
2)"terrorists in Iraq".. how is that going btw? Find any today? 100+ Shites die in suicide bombs, that sounds like terrorists going after the US military. Dont worry, civilian deaths dont count for conservatives.
C)"They should totally ignore.." Hand picked Bushies. They're doin' a heckavajob. Top military brass is as political as federal prosecutors. Are you shocked that Dems and Reps use these people when it suits them? I am.
D4)"Current Success".. By all accounts, and that includes conservatives measures, it is far too soon to tell if the "surge" is working. From what I've heard/read some places have gotten better.. some worse. Such is life. Call me in a few months and we can declare "Mission Accomplished" (again). Then we can all feel good about ourselves and go home.
"DL maintains that the US is the most vile nation on the planet"
Sorry.. Haven't seen him post that. Care to link to that one. I've seen posts on how much he loves of our dear nation.. and point out things to make it better. You do want it to be better, right? I'm a bit tired of conservative (intentional?) misconceptions of liberal statements. I'm not sure how Walter Reed, "Going to war with the army you have..", 32-hundred dead, 20-30 thousand injured, massive debt, funding terror groups, secret prisons, spying on Americans, lying to Americans.. ect... ect.. Just how are those things patriotic. In other words.. I have yet to read how conservatives care about this nation. Why do you hate America? Upset at the whole one-person, one-vote thing?
"we could be living in a.." ..fantasy land where the President gives the people fake information to drum up support for a war that kills hundreds of thousands of people (yes.. actual people, the living and breathing kind). Not to mention the lives destroyed or people injured or environment crushed... yes.. things are much better than they used to be.
PS: The Iraq Model, You're kidding right?
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