Two Lessons - PoliPundit observes

Two Lessons - PoliPundit observes Al Quaeda's operating patterns for the last few years - and gets, I think, half of the lesson:

In the two years since September 11, Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists have struck in the predominantly muslim countries of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Turkey, Morocco, Afghanistan and Indonesia. They've struck targets ranging from Australian tourists in Bali to Arab expatriates in Saudi Arabia.

They've hit the UN, the Red Cross, a Jordanian embassy, a British embassy, a Turkish embassy, synagogues, mosques, restaurants, banks, houses... They've killed women and children, old and young, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians.

Poli's conclusion?

There's no pattern to the choice of targets, except an insane desire to lash out at civilization itself. If it wasn't clear to the world already, it should be now: You're either with us or you're with the terrorists.

He gets it - but only halfway.

The attacks in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco, Indonesia and Jordan illustrate the real lesson, one that's been around since 1920: The most dangerous thing to be in the Moslem world is a moderate.

The pattern is endless:

• From the Balfour Declaration until the end of World War II, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem - a radical cleric who openly admired Hitler - ostracized, terrorized and killed Arabs who openly advocated rapprochement with the Jews.
• Since Israeli independence, and especially since 1967, the pattern has continued. Any Arab - especially Palestinians - who advocate a moderate approach risks (and frequently achieves) death or serious intimidation at the hands of thugs working for the more extreme factions.
• Of course, it's nothing new; it's a terrorist dictum going back to Chairman Mao. The guerrilla needs to swim in a sea of friendly fish - so the first order of business is to make sure all the fish are on board. Even before going after the enemy.

Expect many more attacks against the Turks, Moroccans, Senelalese, Indonesians, Indians.

UPDATE: Oh, wait - it's really three lessons. Or should be, if Howard Dean (or his supporters) are smart enough to absorb them.

To wit: notice where the attacks in and out of Iraq have been focused lately? Moderate Moslems (Turkey), Arabs who are largely moderate and allied with the West (the Saudis), and Arabs that are actively fighting against them (the new Iraqi police force).

Now - remember Howard Dean's bright idea - that we should turn the occupatio of Iraq largely over to...whom?

Moderate Arabs. Because they'll be able to "calm the waters..."

But only in Howard Dean's world. In the real world of moslem terror, it's the moderate Moslems that are the first enemy to be destroyed.

Posted by Mitch at November 22, 2003 07:08 AM