Diana West emphasizes that in Iraq we are not facing an "insurgency," but a theatre of the global jihad (thanks to Anthony for the link):
Which is where the president comes in -- or should -- to explain. The "insurgency" we hear about is a confusing thing, a misnomer that conjures up a nationalistic force of mustachioed Saddam loyalists plotting to restore the only slightly outdated Ba'athist regime. It is this erroneous image of what is really a melange of Ba'athist elements, international jihadist terrorists and state-sponsored operatives that promotes the dangerous notion, showcased by the Kerry candidacy, that the war in Iraq is a costly "distraction" from the global war on Islamic terror that began in Afghanistan against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.The National Review's Michael Ledeen recently highlighted the flaw in the "insurgency" argument by pointing out that the leading force behind the terrorist assault on Iraq is Abu Musab al Zarqawi, who is neither a Ba'athist, nor an Iraqi. He is a Palestinian Arab Muslim from Jordan "who was based in Iran for several years, and who -- when the West Europeans found he was creating a terror network in their countries (primarily Germany and Italy) and protested to the Iranians -- moved into Iraqi Kurdistan with Iranian protection and support, as the moving force in Ansar al Islam."
This makes Zarqawi an emblem for the multinational, Islamo-fascist enemies of Iraqi democracy, which include, according to evidence, Iran and Syria. They also include Osama bin Laden, whose latest purported audiotape dubs Zarqawi his deputy and denounces Iraqis who participate in the upcoming election as "infidels." Terrorism expert Ledeen calls the war in Iraq a regional struggle -- which it certainly is -- while an Islamic scholar such as Robert Spencer may be more apt to see the fight in ideological terms -- which is also correct. The point is that our troops in Iraq are fighting a wider war on violent, nihilist jihad -- that vital struggle for Western survival known antiseptically as "the war on terror."
Just before Christmas, Georges Malbrunot -- one of two captured French journalists who pegged their release by jihadists in Iraq to France's opposition to the war in Iraq -- underscored the reality of that wider war. His captors "were more driven by Islamic holy war than Iraqi nationalism," reported the BBC. "One of the lessons we drew from our captivity was that we were immersed in Planet Bin Laden," Malbrunot said. "We were very aware that it wasn't the Iraqi agenda that motivated our kidnappers, but the internationalist jihadist agenda."
I think any poll would find Americans agree that a war on the internationalist jihadist agenda from Planet Bin Laden is a war well worth fighting.
Better to fight them over there than here. Maybe once the realization hits everyone, the rest of the world (ie. My lovely Canada) will get on board and march side by side with the U.S.A.
The U.S. can do a lot, but I don't think that it can (short of nuking) stop these jihadists by itself. It's going to take a concerted effort by all Western countries.
This is the first time I learned that Zarqawi had been offered refuge in Iran. Just as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in the 1990's.
Those who pooh-pooh the idea that Iran is helping Al Qaida should note these examples of cooperation between Khomeinists and Wahhabis.
I think that evidence of "buddying up" in 3 major cities, should lead everyone to think about the possibility of nuking them. These are: Montreal, Paris, Teheran. I've thought long and hard about this, and this seems the only way. We would have to evacuate the cities of the good people and take them to a safe distance, then mark the area as no fly/travel zone, then clear it for however many years to clear the radiation. Please don't think me evil. We all know Paul "the ass" Martin has been funding Hamas, Libya, Qaeda for years.
"insurgeancy" ?
is this merely an example of politically correct prose used by the BBC and much of MSM?
It is a deliberate dishonest attempt to disguise the reality of global Jihad , which is being waged in Iraq, Israel and all around the world.
Of course the MSM know this only too well but are so steeped in dishonesty that they simply do not care or will defend the use of such terms by referring to the security of "on the spot" journalists.
Well said Dana,
Thats exactly what I tell the lefties who whinge on about the death toll since the begining of the Iraq war "Rather dead Iraqis than dead westerners".
What this war has done has taken the war to their doorsteps, whilst aiming to implement democracy in the heart of Arabia, and whilst also drawing jihadist out into the open where they can be fought (this isn't "creating terrorists" as lefties often insinuate.... this is luring already created terrorists out of their little hiding pits to their deaths (every one of them that dies is another less to worry about, and another muslim al qaeda has to try and recruit), the funny thing is they don't seem to realise the coalition is kicking their ass totally, yet they still keep dying for their joke of a "cause". Lets keep piling 'em up.
Very well placed.