Alan Hart

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JIHADISM and how it could be isolated, contained and defeated

  • September 4, 2014
  • Comments: 3

Isis

I must start by saying that Jihadism is my necessary headline shorthand for violent Islamic fundamentalism in all of its manifestations. In this article I’m going to ask and offer answers to two main questions. The first is – Where does this madness come from? I mean what is it, really, that gives birth and life to violent Islamic fundamentalism?

In my analysis it is essentially the product of Muslim hurt, humiliation and anger plus, for many Muslims, the misery and despair of poverty (the absence of some or even all of the basic necessities for life with dignity).

In that light those of our so-called leaders who believe violent Islamic fundamentalism can be eradicated with bombs and bullets either lack commonsense or are stupid.

The hurt, humiliation and anger that gives birth and life to violent Islamic fundamentalism have two main causes.

One is the authoritarianism and corruption of regimes throughout the Arab and wider Muslim world plus their complicity by default in Zionism’s unending oppression of the Palestinians.

The other is the double-standard of American-led Western foreign policy; a double-standard that allows Israel to remain above the law and not be called to account for its crimes, including from time to time acts of state terrorism.

Put another way, there are a whole stack of Muslim grievances that have to be acknowledged and addressed if violent Islamic fundamentalism is to be isolated, contained and defeated.

In my book Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews I offered a 150-word explanation of how terrorism can be defeated, as follows.

Terrorists cannot operate, not for long, without the cover and the practical, emotional and moral support of the community of which they are a part. When that community perceives itself to be the victim of a massive injustice, and if that injustice is not addressed by political means, the community will cover, condone and even applaud the activities of those of its own who resort to terror as the only means of drawing attention to the injustice, to cause it to be addressed. It follows that the way to defeat terrorism – the only successful and actually proven way – is by addressing the genuine and legitimate grievances of the host community. The community will then withdraw its cover and support for its terrorists; and, if they continue to try to operate, the community will then oppose them by exposing them – reporting them to the authorities if reasoning fails.

I then presented the example of Northern Ireland to give some substance to my general point. The British army did not defeat Provisional IRA terrorism. The terrorists called off their campaign and went for negotiations only when they had no choice – because the Catholic host community would not cover and support them any longer. And that happened only because the British government summoned up the will, about half a century later than it should have done, to risk the wrath of Northern Ireland’s Protestant majority by insisting that the legitimate grievances of the Catholic minority be addressed.

Northern Ireland is not Iraq or Syria or any of the other territories where violent Islamic fundamentalism in one form or another is rearing its ugly head, but the principle outlined above still holds good. Addressing the grievances of the host communities is essential if Jihadism is be isolated, contained and eventually defeated.

Now to my second question for this article.

What could the West for its part actually do to address Muslim grievances – the package of hurt, humiliation and anger?

The short answer is – End the double-standard of American-led foreign policy.

In principle doing so would require above all an American administration to use the leverage it has to try to cause Israel to be serious about peace on terms that would provide an acceptable amount of justice for the Palestinians and security for all. (I emphasised “try” in the last sentence because it doesn’t necessarily follow that the Zionist state would say: “Okay. We’ll comply with international law and do what you want.” It’s not impossible that Israel would tell an American President and the whole Western world to go to hell).

I don’t mean to imply that use of American leverage to end to the Israel-Palestine conflict on terms the vast majority of Palestinians and most other Arabs and Muslims everywhere could live with is some kind of magic wand, but… A demonstration of real American even handedness on policy for Israel-Palestine would go a long way to restoring American credibility which, in turn, would make many if not all the problems arising from Muslim hurt, humiliation and anger more manageable.

The process of making these problems more manageable would also be greatly assisted by a major initiative from within the Muslim world. In my analysis it needs its leading and most respected scholars to come up with a universal interpretation of the meaning of the teachings and messages of the Quran for today’s world.

Muslims believe this central religious text of Islam was revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over a period of approximately 23 years, from 609 AD to 632 AD when he died. Commonsense suggests to me that interpretation of teachings and messages that were relevant in the world as it was between 1,405 and 1,382 years ago needs updating.

In other words what I am suggesting is that Muslims need to be told with the greatest possible authority, “This is what the teachings and messages of the Quran mean in today’s world and this is what they do not mean.” I can see no other way denying religious-based justification to those who kill and maim and destroy in Islam’s name.

Now a reality check.

I have a good number of rational Muslim friends who tell me they agree that the interpretation of the teachings and messages of the Quran needs updating but, they also say, it will never happen. Why not? Because the best Muslim scholars are either too divided among themselves or too frightened to accept the challenge.

In my view, and because of the corruption of American politics, there’s also no prospect of any American administration adopting an even-handed policy for Israel-Palestine.

So what could be done to isolate, contain and eventually eradicate violent Islamic fundamentalism won’t be done.

And where does that leave us? On course for a clash of civilizations. Judeo-Christian v Islamic?

America’s mad Christian evangelicals who support the Zionist state because they see it as the instrument for bringing about Armageddon, will answer, “We hope so.”

Footnote

In addition to the American-led Western double standard as indicated above there’s the role America has played is assisting the creation of violent Islamic fundamentalism. An article by Tom Engelhardt with the headline How America made ISIS can be found here

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article39568.htm

 

 

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3 Responses

    • Comment #1
    • September 04, 2014
    • 13:39
    Rehmat said...

    The Western apologists are known for comparing every violent act committed by a Muslim individual or a group of Muslims no matter how its members negate Islamic principle with JIHAD, while never dare to compare the mass murders committing by Judo-Christian individuals, groups and states with Crusades.

    In Islam the word JIHAD has several commitments; Muslim fighting against his/her worldly temptations, Muslim raising voice against oppression and racism - and ultimate offering the supreme Qur'anic commandment to resist foreign occupation of a Muslim land by an armed resistance. The last act has to be lead by a honest and a practicing Muslim.

    Considering the above basic requirement for a "military Jihad" - the so-called "Al-Qaeda" or "ISIS" organization are not fighting JIHAD. They are fighting Western colonists' proxy wars to demonize Islam and keep Muslims divided as a united community (Ummah).

    http://rehmat1.com/2014/08/14/dutch-official-isis-is-a-zionist-plot-to-demonize-islam/

    http://rehmat1.com/2008/08/21/jihad-fi-sabil-allah/

    • Comment #2
    • September 05, 2014
    • 17:10
    Ronald Douglas Kennedy said...

    " Where does this madness come from? "

    Blindly following a bulling concept. Masking it's self in a religious shroud, And again, shouting out: It's all ours, land, religion. And totally ignoring the human blessing of humanity to one's fellow man.

    • Comment #3
    • September 11, 2014
    • 16:32
    Naseer said...

    It’s always gives me a little relief that at least a few people, like Alan Hart, are still alive in the world to say the truth..!

    Every person who are reading newspapers and watching other media (let me say those who are not blind) knows the real story of the problems around the world, especially the never ending chaos in the Muslim dominated zones. Totally true – the main reason is 'the double standard of American foreign Policy' - yes absolutely right. I love Americans but really hate their foreign policies made by their leaders!

    I always wish if America would act as a big brother in the world other than a policeman. If they do so, the world will be in safe and all zones (including the Muslim countries) will be safer and much, much prosperous and of course people would be living very happily.

    Dear Alan, Quran is not the one to be updated but we the world should come forward to revise things for the goodness of humanity in all means.

    I would like to get answer for a few below:

    1. Why most of the countries spent a chunk of the amount of theirannual budgets (including mine, India) to buy/ produce weapons while there are tons of basic humanly needs are remained unsolved/ unaddressed?

    Who are the ones advising us to fear an attack from Pakistan or China or vice versa? What is the moral right for BBCs hard talk host Mr. Stephen Sackur could ask a question to Palestinian official relates to demilitarization of Gaza!!?

    We all know the 'big power-ships’ are now established and maintained by on strength of weapons. If not no one would won the war to Muslims or other poor nations (am not arrogant but Muslims have the spiritual base to fight, believe it or not) if there is a war. This is something different from other communities which you are well aware I believe.

    2. Why should we keep cigarettes and other related products by justifying its yearly turnover / revenue/ employment! when we all know tobacco kills nearly 6 million people each year in the world!?

    3. Education is important for all, no doubt, including sexual. Ok but in what justification we have in creating 10s of thousands of porn movies each year under the license of the governments!? which also justified freedom of expression or action!! Computer or experts available in the world will not be enough to calculate the statistics of loss of cultural values/ morality that is essential for the survival of the human being!

    4. FINALLY & MOST IMPORTANTLY: The believers (those who are educated well BOTH religiously and academically) are updating qura'an and Islamic teachings for over the years:

    Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) used to drink camel milk and used to eat dates. For Muslims around the world now eats everything they gets (except alcohol and pig) including McDonalds and other western foods. We have changed our dress style, changed our diets, changed our visual/ Audio capabilities ...we are coping with the changes in the world that happening in each and everything. Since Muslims oppose something in the media we never say we are against movies/ televisions. We never say we are against the Auto revolution as prophet used mainly (only ?) camels to travel. Health, science, food etc etc we are coping BUT WITHOUT SKIP FROM THE BASIC TEACHINGS OF ISLAM. (that is the real updates for believers in Islam).

    And if you are talking about the fighting (madness) the answer is there in your article itself, injustice (plus the tricky politics of the concerned nation/ nations’ interests) is the reason. If everything they love lost then many are keep silence but a few will react as was nothing to loss further!

    Thank you and praying for your good and long health and thoughts.

    With kind regards

    Abduannaser

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