One of my favorite TV series from the past was Stargate SG-1. Briefly, it was a military science fiction program about elite Air Force Special Ops teams that traveled the universe through wormholes using ancient alien technology. Not a far-fetched premise at all.
The villain in the show was the Goa’uld. These were alien beings that looked like a cross between a snake and a slug. They were highly intelligent with superior technology and almost magical powers. They would seek out human hosts to live in, controlling their every thought and movement.
With their human bodies, they would travel the universe, seeking out inhabited planets to conquer and rule. They would do this by landing on the planets and with their superior powers, convince the population that they were their god. A very vengeful god. As their god, they were obliged to serve him and do his will, whatever it was. Failure to do this resulted in instant death.
These Goa’uld would build armies from the conquered populations, then do battle with other Goa’uld for control of more planets. These armies would be thrown into battle with each other with no regard for human life. The soldiers would be expended as we would expend bullets. When their god told them to attack against overwhelming odds facing certain death, they attacked. After all, this was their god and they had to obey even if it meant death. To die for their god was an honor.
Does any of this sound familiar? Does it sound like the enemy we are now facing? An enemy that will fight to the death because their god told them so? In our case, their god isn’t standing in their midst directing their activities like the Goa’uld. Instead, they are following his guidance written down long ago by a trusted follower and interpreted by even more trusted followers. These beliefs are instilled from a very early age.
How do you defeat an enemy that is following the direction of their god? Is there any amount of discussion or dialogue that will change their mind?
Knowing all of this, let me change direction a little. We are constantly told that keeping the detention facility in Guantanamo open is a big recruiting tool for extremist groups. That killing the people that are trying to kill us is a big recruiting tool. Remember water-boarding? That was a recruiting tool too. And most recently, trying to keep Syrian refugees out of the country will be a recruiting tool. The current administration is trying to sell this line of BS, but does anybody really believe this?
These people would blow themselves up in an orphanage of handicapped children if they thought it would further their cause. So would knowing we are going to kill, imprison or water-board them really make them more dedicated?
I for one don’t buy it.
While we’re at it, what’s up with Liberals refusing to use the most descriptive term for what are opponents are: Islamic terrorists. There’s no doubt they’re terrorists. They are blowing up, torturing and beheading civilians. Their guidance comes from the Quran, the most holy book of the Islamic religion. Doesn’t that make them Islamic Terrorists?
Hillary Clinton won’t call terror attacks such as the recent Paris attack Islamic terrorism, but on occasion will call it ISIS or ISIL sponsored terrorism. Does she not know that the “I” in ISIS stands for Islamic?
Do an internet search on “Jewish Terrorism” or Christian Terrorism” and plenty of results come up. So it’s okay to call a spade a spade for most religions, but when it comes to Islam, they get a pass? No one seems concerned with defaming the rest of the Christians and Jews in the world by using those terms.
Maybe radical Islamic terrorism would be a better term to separate the terrorist from the moderate, non-violent practitioners of the Islamic faith. But then so would radical Jewish terrorism and radical Christian terrorism. If moderate Muslims don’t like the term radical Islam, that it defames their religion, maybe THEY should do something about it. Either fight it on the battlefield or at least speak out against it.
If an animal rights group attacked a cattle ranch, freed all the cattle and killed all the ranch hands, would it be called radical terrorism or radical animal rights terrorism?