THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume III, Issue # 5, September 26, 2001
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, PART I:
A HARD LOOK AT REALITY
By J. J. Johnson
This message is directed to any and all of the Taliban, Al-Qa'ida, or Osama bin Laden supporters and sympathizers who may
be located in or near the United States.
This will, no doubt, also be read by many loyal Americans as well. The subject of the message will be very controversial and, to some, very
disturbing, especially in America. But as I suspect Americans will tolerate living in fear only for a short time, it's time to lay the cards out on the
table.
Both U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated on Sunday that this military action against Al-Qa'ida and the
Taliban regime in Afghanistan is not a war against Islam, and in fact, both the U.S. & British governments are providing humanitarian aid to the
Afghan people. Bush and Blair have stated repeatedly that the two respective governments are not at war with the Islamic peoples.
In a televised statement, Osama bin Laden called on all Muslims to join in a jihad, or holy war, against America, and stated, "to all citizens of the
United States, you will never know peace, you will never know security, until we feel secure in our own land."
First to the Islamic (Muslim) people here in the United States: We would like to hear public statements denouncing and disavowing these
remarks. This would greatly help the situation here for everyone. Don't worry about the statements not getting on television or radio or into
the newspapers. American Muslim leaders may send them to the Sierra Times, and we will gladly publish them.
If there is silence throughout the Muslim communities of North America, some Americans may well conclude that there are those who support
such terrorist attacks here on American soil. We are receiving reports that punitive actions may occur, even against American citizens adhering
to the Muslim religion and affiliated with Islamic organizations. Law enforcement agencies are currently on high alert to watch for such threats.
So are the American people. The evidence all points to the fact that not all Arabs, much less all Islamics, are involved in these suicidal attacks,
but all who have been involved in such attacks in the past or will be involved in the future are Arabs or Islamics -- Arabs or Islamics who many
Americans believe are currently on U.S. soil.
This is the quandary that we are now in. As the dragnet has gone out for any suspicious Arabs or any other suspicious Islamics, they have
undoubtedly gone "underground." This means that they are currently using whatever terrorist support network is available to them. The
question: Who and what is part of this terrorist support nerworK?
A Little American History.
It is widely known that the Irish Republican Army (IRA) gets much of its financial support from Irish-Americans here in the United States. IRA members have been known to find shelter in some sympathetic American homes in the past. Even though the policies and practices of the Ku Klux Klan were widely denounced by the Caucasian population here, they still found support and safe havens among certain Caucasian people. Among the Negro population in the U.S.A., the same was true of the former Black Panther organization and the Black Liberation Army (BLA). The Black Panthers and the BLA were widely denounced by most black Americans, but when the dragnet began, many active members of these terrorist organizations found safe havens in the care of black supporters.
The IRA, KKK, Black Panthers, and BLA are just four of many terrorist organizations that, in the past, have found themselves pursued by law enforcement here in the United States for their criminal and subversive activities. But none of these organizations were known to have suicide missions intended to kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people, with calls from their "leaders" to do more.
That seems to be the situation we have here. While many Americans are, in fact, afraid of what may happen next, many other Americans are wondering where these enemies are hiding. Where would their support base be in the United States? Who would give them shelter? Who would give them aid and comfort while they plan their next attacks?
After September 11, 2001, the American people took it upon themselves, without any sanction by the government, to arm themselves. According to Japanese officials, the right of Americans to keep and bear arms is what prevented the Japanese from invading our mainland after the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. As the Russians learned from the Afghans, no one wants to deal with a nervous, angry, and armed populace.
After hearing conversations with many Americans, I know they are deeply concerned about a support network that would harbor people committed to causing such death and destruction--people who follow leaders who demand death and destruction as the only way. Many Americans are also concerned that law enforcement cannot do enough to protect its citizens, and certain pro-active steps may be taken by some Americans to prevent the possibility of further sttacks.
This could put in jeopardy the safety of every Arab and Islamic person in this country.
Let me make it clear that I do not advocate, support, or condone the taking of such actions. Nor will the U.S. government or most Americans. But if Islamic attacks on the U.S.A. and its citizens continue, a frightening consensus favoring and supporting counterterrorist action in the the form of assassinations, lynchings and other acts of mob violence may grow among Americans, as individuals. The armed citizenry may seek not only the guilty parties, but also their entire support network. No quarter will likely be given. The possible actions outlined here are illegal in this country. But if Islamic attacks persist, it will be hard to find a jury to convict individual perpetrators of anti-Islamic mob violence, and it might even become difficult to find a prosecutor to prosecute such cases, or even police to arrest the suspected perpetrators.
This is the reality of it all. Americans will not tolerate living in fear; they will no tolerate the slaughter of their fellow citizens; they will not tolerate a "police state" as a false sense of security. Americans are heavily armed at this time. Perhaps someone should get this message to radical Middle Eastern organizations. If they think they attacked Americans only, they should remember that the attack on the World Trade Center was an attack against people from at least 60 nations. It was truly an Act of War. Our military has the right to stop such actions abroad. Americans feel they have the right to stop further attacks in their own country as well, using pro-active measures if necessary.
And by the way, the terrorists' use of weapons of mass destruction here, of any type, would probably cause the American public to demand retaliations that would cause unprecedented loss of life in the terrorists' Middle Eastern homelands, and the lingering affects would last for generations. No one wants this to happen. But it could become the reality, if we are pushed too far by those who wish to challenge our resolve.
I pray that it does not come to this. I pray that Muslims across America will denounce the attacks of September 11, 2001, and any further attacks that may be planned. I pray that no Arab or Islamic communities in the U.S.A. are giving and comfort to an enemy" in this time of war. I pray that those planning future attacks here understand the peril they will leave for their "brothers" while the attackers are "in paradise." This is not the real Islam. This is evil--something the citizens of the United States will not tolerate.
I am humbly asking Arab and Islamic people in this country and around the world to work quickly to remove this threat to Americans before the Rules of Engagement change.
Go to RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, PART II
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
Islamism & Jihadism -- The Threat of Radical Islam
Page Three
Page Two
Page One
War & Peace in the Real World
Page Two
Page One
Islamist Terrorist Attacks on the U.S.A.
Terrorism & Homeland Security
Osama bin Laden & the Islamist Declaration of War
Against the U.S.A. & Western Civilization
Islamist International Terrorism &
U.S. Intelligence Agencies
U.S. National Security Strategy
J.J. Johnson is Editor and Chief of the SIERRA TIMES
.
Copyright 2001 SierraTimes.com
Reprinted with Permission from SierraTimes.com
September 25, 2001
SierraTimes.com
URL:
http://www.SierraTimes.com
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Rules of Engagement, Part II,
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