Al Qaeda’s Fantasy Ideology

This article interestingly puts forth a lot of psycho babble, full of nondisputable truisms, that accurately describe a narrow view of human nature. It also reveals the blinding effect of the author's particular fantasy. For example, he probably accurately described the argument he had with his friend prior the anti-war bridge traffic blocking demonstrations. But he failed to identify or recognize, the many different arguments put forth by the radicals at that time, which proposed various positive results from such actions. Blinded by a truth that he observed, he seems to have missed the entire movement dynamic of competing strategies.

His over use of German and Italian fantasies, while accurate in the particulars, were not very persuasive examples to use in presenting the case that Al Qaeda and radical Islam are Fantasy Ideology. To provide clarity, he could have also mentioned Wilson's "war to end all wars," Johnson's "war on poverty," and our current President's "war on terrorism." As a matter of consideration, the entire article could have been written (with changes of course), entirely from a radical Islamic point of view, painting the United States as being caught up in a fantasy ideology.

While I agree with his strategy of painting radical Islam as a Fantasy Ideology needing to be eradicated, and likewise not wanting to take away from his vision of motivating forces behind 9-11, it should be considered that no follow up attacks occurred because Al Qaeda is much smaller or weaker than we give it credit for. In other words, it did not have the motivated recruits to launch further attacks.

He says "...if our enemy is motivated purely by a fantasy ideology, it is absurd for us to look for the so-called 'root' causes of terrorism..." Here I must disagree. Confronting an enemy on many different fronts, probing for weak points, is never absurd. Additionally, changing the situation or even the perception of the situation of the radical Islamic targeted populations, can do as much to bring down radical Islam as any other currently workable strategy.

The Islamic threat is easy to deal with

How?

But he failed to identify or recognize, the many different arguments put forth by the radicals at that time, which proposed various positive results from such actions.

Please illustrate. What positive results?

Additionally, changing the situation or even the perception of the situation of the radical Islamic targeted populations, can do as much to bring down radical Islam as any other currently workable strategy.

Sounds hopeful.

What targeted populations, and what perception shifts would help bring down radical Islam?

"Know your enemy” is a well-known maxim . . .

And if we're not going to make an effort to know our enemy, we should at least make it impossible for him to know us. Muslims should NEVER have been allowed into this country, much less into our universities. How much better off we would be if the SOBs still didn't know what electricity and running water were, much less nuclear physics!

Know your enemy. But if you aren't going to do that, at least make sure he doesn't know you.

Muslims should NEVER have been allowed into this country, much less into our universities.

Open Letter from an Arab-American Student
Oubai Mohammad Shahbandar

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/921658/posts?page=1

What positive results?

The proposed positive results were many at the time. Setting aside narrow interest group advantages, and focusing solely on the over all movement, such actions first and formost brought further attention to the struggle which large parts of the population generally ignored, or just wrote off as the cause of radical extremists. By having a new level of radical extremism, the rest of the movement was able to pass it self off as more moderate and credible to the rest of society. They were also able to better play on societal fears.

The most important advantage in my opinion was the targeting factor. These demonstrations were anticipated to helped recruit to the movement various targeted populations that would ignore anything having to do with politics. Young, brainless, rowdy youth, who only desire wild disruptive fun. In otherwords, directionless, energized minds, readily availabel to be molded for further and future action. Winning the rowdy university spring break crowed, was a target not to be overlooked.

What targeted populations, and what perception shifts would help bring down radical Islam?

As I see it, Radical Islam is fast winning a total war for the minds of the people in the Arab world. The losers, secular Arab independence and nationalist causes, have been pushed to the sidelines. The target populations are now all those Arabs who still do not bend totally to the will of submission.

By identifying, the legitimate concerns and feelings of the various Arab populations, and seeking a just settlement, without letting the actions of radical islam interfere with moving toward such a settlement, would demonstrate that real alternatives exist for the Arab people. Then waging war on Radical Islam would bear fruit.

Our policy as I see it, has been to turn a blind eye to the causes of the secularists, while holding them responsible for not standing up to a now stronger Radical Islam.