17.4.06

USA National Security Doctrine: Terrorrism between Facts and Neo-Con Fiction

I am still reading the document on the National Security Doctrine. I was wrong when I said that the document does not mention explicitly Islam. The document mentions Islam (page 14, quoted below).

This is a propaganda that might make old communists die from envy.

First: I thought it preposterous that a document on National 'Security' looks in fact like a document on International 'Security'.
Second: I thought it Awkward that Islam was identified as the next international menace after communism in the passage I quoted yesterday (page 4).
Third: With the passage quoted below, it is clear that the doctrine of National 'Security' made in the USA has actually a primary mission alongside Democracy, Free market and so on : Rescuing Islam from itself and rescuing other religions from the danger of Islam.

So the doctrine on National 'Security' not only becomes a doctrine on International 'Security' but also a doctrine of deterrence for an International Religious Energy Agency* based at the white house, USA.

Fourth: The doctrine makes it clear as to the why of its principles. First it states what it is not the cause of the terrorrism it is fighting and then it states what are the causes of the terrorrism it is fighting.
If you compare the two set of causes you realize that everything related to facts on the ground is not considered as a cause for terrorrism while everything stemming from neo-cons ideology, vision and interpretation of the world is considered as a cause for terrorrism.
Logically speaking, What is considered as a cause for terrorrism by the neo-cons and the White house is what is fabricated in their mind, even if it does not have a factual basis.

''While the War on Terror is a battle of ideas, it is not a battle of religions. The transnational terrorists confronting us today exploit the proud religion of Islam to serve a violent political vision: the establishment, by terrorism and subversion, of a totalitarian empire that denies all political and religious freedom. These terrorists distort the idea of jihad into a call for murder against those they regard as apostates or unbelievers – including Christians, Jews, Hindus, other religious traditions, and all Muslims who disagree with them. Indeed, most of the terrorist attacks since September 11 have occurred in Muslim countries – and most of the victims have been Muslims.
To wage this battle of ideas effectively, we must be clear-eyed about what does and does not give rise to terrorism:
Terrorism is not the inevitable by-product of poverty. Many of the September 11 hijackers were from middle-class backgrounds, and many terrorist leaders, like bin Laden, are from privileged upbringings.

Terrorism is not simply a result of hostility to U.S. policy in Iraq. The United States was attacked on September 11 and earlier, well before we toppled the Saddam Hussein regime. Moreover, countries that stayed out of the Iraq war have not been spared from terror attack.
Terrorism is not simply a result of Israeli-Palestinian issues. Al-Qaida plotting for the September 11 attacks began in the 1990s, during an active period in the peace process.
Terrorism is not simply a response to our efforts to prevent terror attacks. The al- Qaida network targeted the United States long before the United States targeted al- Qaida. Indeed, the terrorists are emboldened more by perceptions of weakness than by demonstrations of resolve. Terrorists lure recruits by telling them that we are decadent and easily intimidated and will retreat if attacked.

The terrorism we confront today springs from:
Or Terrorrism is:
Political alienation. Transnational terrorists are recruited from people who have no voice in their own government and see no legitimate way to promote change in their own country. Without a stake in the existing order, they are vulnerable to manipulation by those who advocate a perverse vision based on violence and destruction.
Grievances that can be blamed on others. The failures the terrorists feel and see are blamed on others, and on perceived injustices from the recent or sometimes distant past. The terrorists’ rhetoric keeps wounds associated with this past fresh and raw, a potent motivation for revenge and terror.
Sub-cultures of conspiracy and misinformation. Terrorists recruit more effectively from populations whose information about the world is contaminated by falsehoods and corrupted by conspiracy theories. The distortions keep alive grievances and filter out facts that would challenge popular prejudices and self-serving propaganda.
An ideology that justifies murder. Terrorism ultimately depends upon the appeal of an ideology that excuses or even glorifies the deliberate killing of innocents. A proud religion –the religion of Islam – has been twisted and made to serve an evil end, as in other times and places other religions have been similarly abused.''


* As dubbed by Steve Bell, the Guardian cartoonist.

7 comments:

Cosmic Duck said...

"Logically speaking, What is considered as a cause for terrorrism by the neo-cons and the White house is what is fabricated in their mind, even if it does not have a factual basis".

You make a good point here. On the other hand I do not think you're right about the neo-cons and the Bush administration wanting to demonize islam ("rescue other religions from islam") as such. Bush is generally quite respectful of religion, and there's a true division of state and religion, religious freedom, in America.

What they do in the national security paper is to hang out terror as an all-encompassing scarecrow, a public enemy number one that can be used to cow ordinary Americans into accepting the anti-terror legislation that is threatening the very fabric of American democracy.

If they had analysed the origin of terror in a better way they would not have come up with this silly propaganda weapon. It is not correct, as they say, that terror is not caused by poverty. The fact that the 9/11 terrorists were not from a poor background does not prove that terror is not caused by poverty. Educated middle class people have behaved on behalf of others in many social contexts. The really poor and downtrodden are not motivated for rebellious behaviour. The middle class agents of terror react to a situation in their countries that is being provoked by social problems like poverty.

It is not islam that produces terror. But perhaps it is the royal family in Saudi Arabia that "produces terror" through the odd mix of poverty, oppression, closed society and extreme inequality that characterises this country. The neo-cons and their academics do not want to make that kind of analysis of the world, as it would be considered in highly bad taste by the Saudi regime.

The Americans could remove a lot of the causes of terror by the simple acts of putting more pressure on Israel and having a more balance policy in the Middle East. Furthermore, the best "security policy" of Western governments in the present situation would be to increase development assistance. Poverty and global inequalities are the real factors behind international terror.

Sophia said...

Cosmic Duck,
''It is not correct, as they say, that terror is not caused by poverty. The fact that the 9/11 terrorists were not from a poor background does not prove that terror is not caused by poverty. Educated middle class people have behaved on behalf of others in many social contexts. The really poor and downtrodden are not motivated for rebellious behaviour. The middle class agents of terror react to a situation in their countries that is being provoked by social problems like poverty.

It is not islam that produces terror. But perhaps it is the royal family in Saudi Arabia that "produces terror" through the odd mix of poverty, oppression, closed society and extreme inequality that characterises this country. The neo-cons and their academics do not want to make that kind of analysis of the world, as it would be considered in highly bad taste by the Saudi regime.

The Americans could remove a lot of the causes of terror by the simple acts of putting more pressure on Israel and having a more balance policy in the Middle East. Furthermore, the best "security policy" of Western governments in the present situation would be to increase development assistance. Poverty and global inequalities are the real factors behind international terror.''

I agree with what you said above and this is a fine analysis. However, separation of church and state is not effective under Bush in the USA. Bush respectful of religions ? respectful of his religion. In the early days after sept. 11 he was the one to spaeak about 'crusades' and some people who contributed with big money to his campaigns are from the christian right supporters of Israel and muslim bashers.

Gert said...

This is the usual disingenuous propaganda, tailored for home consumption.

Tell US citizens that Islam is trying to take over the world and they are ready to believe it: in their eyes this "war on terror" then becomes a "just war" to which they don't mind sending their (impoverished) kids, even if the chances are they come back in a star spangled box...

Central to this doctrine is also the "idea" that al-Qaeda has no real grievances: they're plain evil plotters with a hidden agenda. Complete nonsense: bin Laden has clearly stated grievances and objectives and has even offered a truce in return for certain Western sacrifices. It was flatly rejected of course. The old and tired "we don't negotiate with terrorists" is also bullshit: we did it very successfully with the IRA, talks that were strongly endorsed by Clinton.

The bit about "distant past" is completely risible: anything prior to the Iran hostage crisis falls into the black hole of collective American amnesia. That way everything is a distant event and "water under the bridge", "that was then, this is now" etc etc.

In many cases of post 9/11 terror attacks the bombers have plainly stated that the ME situation and oppression of Muslims in general was their motive.

With democratisation all this has little to do: the US wouldn't have bothered with the "clay hut state" of Afghanistan, if it wasn't for 9/11. al-Qaeda was heavily subsidised by the US (est. $6 Bn) during the Soviet invasion. And imposed democratisation cannot work: see also Afghanistan where progress is slow.

Iraq could have been handled very differently, immediately after Kuwait: Hussein had become a toothless paper tiger and could have been made to fall into the International fold, with some pressure and a carrot and stick approach. We didn't try to do that, instead we imposed cruel and useless sanctions which set the clock back in Iraq by two decades.

And Israel/Palestine remains one of the key factors. No, I'm not saying International terrorism would cease completely: the "terrists" (dixit Chimperor Bush) are a varied bunch with objectives that aren't homogeneous, but a just peace in that region would make an awful lot of difference.

Unfortunately, from a position of unassailable strength, the West sees any kind of compromise as an unnecessary sacrifice, so intransigence on our side is the rule.

Do we really think that cutting aid to the PA will make Hamas throw their hands in the air and say: "allright then, we'll recognise Israel"? No, it will lead to a more hardened position, playing right into Olmert's hands...

This whole document is a self-serving pack of lies...

Cosmic Duck said...

You mean, Bush is only respectful of his own brand of reborn Christians? Perhaps you're right. There may be indications in both ways. The US were very reluctant to support Denmark in the beginning of the cartoons crisis, expressing understanding of the "respect of religion" point of view. That of course may have been opportunism.

I think I remember, when Bush used the word "crusade", he admitted later making a mistake. That may be due to his advisors!! Bush is a fairly simple man, and sometimes there're regrettable slips of the tongue. If the Americans are waging a "crusade", I do not think it is for Western religious values (even though Bush is a very religious man), but rather a crusade for economic freedom that is vital for American business interests.

Sophia said...

Cosmic Duck,

The US could afford the luxury of showig some moderation during the Danish cartoon row because other extremists (on both sides) were doing the job for them.

Gert,

''This whole document is a self-serving pack of lies... ''
Yes and I am delighted to show it on my blog hoping that some rational and enlightened minds could read the truth out of these lies. More posts on it in the coming days...

Wolfie said...

If the consequences were not so tragic this document would be funny. 34 references to WMD, in spite of never finding any. 1 reference to bloody and 1 to evil. The US government really doesn't have a clue does it? Oh dear, Gert's right.

Sophia said...

Wolfie,

Yes, Gert is right. And you are right concerning the ridicule of the document and of the whole enterprise.
In french they say: 'Le ridicule ne tue pas' which means 'Ridicule does not kill'. Well, in this case, it does !

 
Since March 29th 2006