Spencer on CSpan link

I just watched Robert Spencer's appearance on CSpan. Much of what he talked of was very true, especially about the conspiratorial minds of the Muslim world (being a Muslim myself I know this first hand).

However one thing he fails to mention, both on the show and on this website, is the role of the United Sates (specifically the CIA) in re-formulating the ideas of global jihad and in setting up the global jihadist network itself. I don't mean to suggest the US is the sole responsible agent, however it is important to recognize the mistakes made by the US which could have been easily avoided.

The start of a global jihadist network in modern times begins with the first Afghan War fought against the Soviet Union. Prior to then, militant islamists had existed, but were constrained to national boundaries due to the realpolitik of nationalism. The Afghan War was a proxy war fought between the US and the Soviets. In order to rally recruits to join the fight the CIA travelled around the Muslim world campaigning for the war. In their visits, they sold the war as a jihad, and further explained to potential recruits the importance of violent jihad as a concept within Islam. In order to give this idea some credibility they recruited some fundamentalist Muslim religious leaders to issue fatwas to that effect. Fighters were recruited from all over the Muslim world: Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, to name a few. For the first time like minded fundamentalist Muslims were brought together, giving them a prime networking opportunity. (In Egypt, the CIA managed to secure the release of some convicted criminals from jails to fight in the war for them).

Among these recruits was the CIA's friend Osama bin Laden from Saudi Arabia. He went to Peshawar in Pakistan and set up a hostel to lodge and recruit all of the fighters arriving from around the world, and to prepare them prior to entering the war in Afghanistan. He created a database recording the names and information of all the recruits. The Arabic word for database is al-Qaida -- this was the starting point of the transnational terrorist organization. Please bear in mind that this was all done on behalf of the CIA and the 'War on Communism'.

These recruits, who had been brainwashed with ideas of violent jihad, were then trained, armed, and funded by the CIA and US taxpayer dollars. While fighting against the Soviets the recruits got to know each other well and developed the idea of global violent jihad further. All of this time the US praised the idea of violent jihad and made heroes of the Mujahidin (the jihad fighters).

The US eventually won its war against the Evil Empire. The result: Afghanistan and its people were left devastated by the war. No institution was left intact. Only the opium industry flourished during this period, with the CIA's compliance, as it help funded the war. The US immediately packed its bags and forgot about Afghanistan without bothering to rebuild the shattered country. They left it to the Mujahidin to fight it out amongst themselves (using American arms) to decide who will rule the country, so civil war ensued.

The foreign Mujahidin went back to their respective countries with their violent fundamentalist ideas reinforced by the CIA and the other mujahidin that they interacted with. They set up militant cells in their own countries with the goal of setting up an Islamic state. They all kept loose contact with each other through their old friend Osama bin Laden who maintained the former database (al-Qaida).

It is this movement, a Frankenstein, which is causing havoc the world over. I could even go into the overt role of the US in supporting the Taliban, but that's another story.

For some hearing about this for the first time it may sound like one of the conspiracy theories that Robert Spencer talk about on the show. However this is entirely true and well documented in Western academia. Again, I don't mean to imply that the US was alone in what happened, for there were many others who supported and funded the idea: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and other governments share the responsibility. Nor am I suggesting that the idea of violent jihad was unheard of among muslims prior to the Afghan War. However I do think that the American actions in recruiting fighters reignited the flame of violent jihad (which was less threatening just prior to then), gave those people vital military training and information, and most crucially, allowed for such people with those violent ideas to meet each other and have those ideas reinforced.

This does not mean to suggest that the US 'deserved' the tragedy of 9-11, not at all -- for nothing could warrant such a heinous crime. However it is vital that we learn from these avoidable mistakes that were made in the past and ensure that they are not committed again for the sake of mere short term gains.

JC, thank you for these valuable informations. Apart from it being a fact well documented in American Academia, you make a lot of sense. Thank you for having an open mind as to be able to explalin these facts without being offended as a Muslim.