“Al Qaeda in Iraq issues virulent manifesto: Group calls for violence, destruction of ‘American empire,'” from CNN, and Eschwapp:
(CNN) — Laying out its ideology in a broad manifesto, the group al Qaeda in Iraq — which has been behind many of the worst attacks, beheadings and kidnappings in Iraq — says the insurgency is in better shape than the United States acknowledges and vows to continue the insurgency and “destroy the American empire.”
“Every now and then, the schoolboys of the Pentagon and the adolescents of the Black House keep blasting our ears with talks of pure arrogance and conviction saying, ‘We will not leave Iraq until we accomplish our mission.’ This desperate catchphrase that they keep repeating is used to make the public believe that the mujahedeens are in bad shape, as if they are begging the Americans, saying, ‘Please Americans, leave Iraq,’ ” the group says in an e-book, an extensive document on the Internet.
“We vow by the name of God that we are determined to destroy the American empire,” it says.
The book, filled with calls for violence and hate for all but “true Muslims” — a group that it says does not include Shiites — surfaced on an Islamic Web site this week….
The e-book includes numerous sections totaling dozens of pages, covering such topics as how the Quran justifies beheadings and why democracy is wrong….
Repeatedly, the book calls on Muslims to launch attacks against foreign forces in Iraq and people who cooperate with them.
“The basics of our faith revolve around not harming true Muslims and not shedding one single drop of Muslim blood because one drop of true Muslim blood shed amounts to the demise of this whole world. So why do we carry out operations in Iraq against the Americans and their aides in the (Iraqi) army and police? First, to please God, who orders us to carry on this jihad and to force the occupiers to pull out of the land,” it says, vowing to “spread the light of justice and glory all over the world.”
It cites “the glory that shines from our brothers, local and foreign fighters who left their countries, spouses and children and are sacrificing their blood for you to protect you and protect your families and honor, your women and children, forcing the occupiers to pull out of your country.”
The document calls on Iraqi troops and police to turn their backs on the new elected government.
“You who betrayed Muslims and in humiliation became one of many collaborators, a servant under the command of the cross, we ask you to return to your Islamic instinct or cutting your neck will be your only punishment for your treason against your religion and your people.”
It adds this warning: “Repent or else.”
The group says its “doctrine and mission are clear and they can be summarized as our agreement to believe in and fight for the religion of God. We believe that those who follow these beliefs and the provisions of faith are true Muslims and anyone who denounces any of these beliefs and conditions is an infidel even if he still claims to be a Muslim.”
It calls the Shiite faith “a confession of polytheism and rejectionism.”
The document warns there will be no end to the insurgency. “The call for jihad goes on until doomsday, whether there is an imam calling for it or not.”
The central image of the e-book is the group’s logo — a globe with an open book, presumably the Quran. Coming out of the center of the Quran are a spear, a Kalashnikov rifle, a hand with the pointer finger sticking up — a symbol of unity — and a banner reading, “There is no God but God; Mohammed is the messenger of God.”
Yet the learned analysts continue to pretend that this has nothing to do with true Islam, and that we can fight this foe while ignoring the Islamic appeal of such messages and assuming, on the basis of no evidence whatsoever, that most Muslims reject such appeals.