NEWS PROVIDED BY
West Virginia Secretary of the State
”….So, when you clash with the unbelieving Infidels in battle, smite their necks until you overpower them, killing and wounding many of them…when you have thoroughly subdued them, bind them firmly, making them captives… you are commanded by Allah to continue carrying out Jihad against the unbelieving infidels until they submit to Islam.” Koran 47:4
The events unfolding in Israel may seem unfathomable, and indeed, are beyond human understanding. People around the world are trying to understand the motivation behind such savagery.
Yet, what may appear to be inexplicable slaughter and pure evil has religious underpinnings that have no parallel in Western tradition or morality. Al-siyar is “international law” under Islamic Shariah Law. It has two primary components: Dar-al-Islam and Dar-al-Harb. Dar-al-Islam is the “House of Islam (peace from a Muslim’s perspective), while Dar-al-Harb is the “House of War.”
To an Islamic fundamentalist, all the world is either under Islamic/Shariah rule or it is subject to the “land of war.” Whenever an Islamic leader has it within their power to do so, their duty is to bring the land of the infidels under Islamic control. By fulfilling this obligation, the Islamic leader aims to unite the entirety of the Islamic world, the “ummah,” in their holy endeavor.
As I pursued a master’s degree in International Law at the University of Virginia in 1991, I strove to understand why Saddam Hussein was about to engage in war against the United States of America, the most powerful army on the face of the earth. I concluded Hussein did not think he could win outright; all he had to do was put up a stand…and survive. By doing so, Hussein was confident the global Islamic “ummah” would feel compelled to coalesce and support him.
Ten years later Osama bin Laden pursued the same objective when he directed Al-Qaeda terrorists to fly airplanes into buildings in the United States on 9-11. He hoped this outrageous terrorist attack would spark a worldwide Islamic uprising against the “Great Satan.” The “Little Satan,” Israel, would then be easy pickings.
Now, twenty years later, Hamas and Iran are taking their turn trying to unite the “ummah” against the infidels. The best way to crystalize the Islamic world is to initiate Jihad – to fight an Islamic holy war, justified by the Koran. The timing of this particular terrorist attack shows desperation. A much anticipated Israeli-Saudi agreement, in the works, would have undermined many ongoing Iranian efforts to annihilate Israel.
So, why would anyone kill and decapitate babies or take innocent humans hostage? The Koran prescribes how to conduct Jihad: “smite their necks until you overpower them…bind them firmly, making them captives…you are commanded by Allah to continue carrying out Jihad against the unbelieving infidel until they submit to Islam.”
I visited Israel not long ago and had the chance to talk with the Minister of Defense. He asked, “Who are Israel’s neighbors?”
I responded, “Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt.” Puzzled by his question, I asked him, “Why? Who do you see as your neighbors?”
He answered, “Hezbollah, Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood, Fatah, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other terrorist groups.”
His response gave me new perspective on the Middle East and Israel’s predicament. Nation-states are compelled to play by some rules; terrorist organizations have no rules. I asked the Defense Minister how peace might be secured and he provided this intriguing insight:
“One can never reconcile the religious differences between Jews and Muslims. All Israel can do is manage the problems, not solve them. We have managed for 75 years, and we will need to do so for another 75 years. Over generations, we might learn to live with one another.”
Israel had been on a path toward wider acceptance in the Middle East, having concluded peace agreements with Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Sudan, Morocco and Bahrain. Airline flights had begun between Jerusalem and Dubai. But now, Hamas Islamic fundamentalists have thrown down the most unimaginable Jihadist gauntlet to destroy those agreements. Whose side will those governments now take?
Middle East dictators, leaders and terrorists understand one thing: raw power. Israel has no option but to respond with overwhelming force to protect their citizens. The match to the Middle East tinder box has been lit. Problems might be managed; crises can be an entirely different story. The world will be mesmerized to see if this horrific circumstance and its aftermath can be managed.
Very impressive Mac. You gave a lot of verbage but little in the way of a solution. That is surprising since you studied all about the Middle East all these years. As an ex military man, why do you not just speak the reality. You started off well by explaining why they de capitate babies. But stopped short because it is not politically correct to state the real reason. Which is because they are to cowardly to fight man to man. Thats why they attack women and innocent children. America may once of been the worlds great power. Until Biden. We are now a laughing stock. Do you think that with China, Russia, Iran , North Korea among others who are making alliances fear us? Is that why Biden just gave Gaza another hundred million today? On top of the 70 billion he has already pumped into the Middle East since becoming president? You are right about terrorist do not play by the rules. Look at what is happening here in the U.S. We kill babies in the womb by hundreds or more each day. And it is not to convert the infidel! Our borders are overrun by illegals and terrorists controlled by the cartels. What are you doing about that? Fetanol is killing our citizens by the thousands. The pedophilia, sex trafficking, transgender and CRT and woke agenda that certain school officials are pushing are among many of the problems we are facing. If a citizen dares speak up they are labeled as a terrorist. Our justice system mocks the Constitution and our system. We give illegals everything from money, heath care, shelter, food and privledges that others who are citizens have a hard time earning, let alone getting for free. Yet they have to pay for the non citizen. What is the American response to those citizens who are in Israel? Not the same as what we give the illegals here. The White House said they will fly citizens out of harms way in Israel , then bill them accordingly. Thats what our government thinks of its citizens, You are right that the only thing that the terrorists understand is force. Will we exert any? That is the question. But for yourself, you answered your response in the last line of your campaign piece. The world will be waiting to see if this horrific circumstance and aftermath can be managed. Evidently, you line yourself up with the RINOS who keep telling us just to wait because things are breaking any time now. You will keep telling us to wait until after election time which then will allow you to ignore us. Until the next election cycle. In the meantime, do you have a book we can buy that outlines your solutions? You will need one to talk on Fox. God is our only hope.