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ISIS Existence Does not benefit Islam or Muslims
9-24-2014
As the leaders gather at the UN Annual Summit this week, one thing on the agenda will be ISIS, and what should be the international response to it. If we leave it up to United States, to tell the world what should be the response, we are going to get ourselves into deeper trouble than we really are. In recent history, any sort of the "solution" put forward by US has backfired, whether it be Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Pakistan, Yemen. Essentially, getting western nations into a deeper hole than they really are, in regards to terrorism. It seems as if the net beneficiary to this all are arms manufacturers in US. While there seems to be no end in sight for US led War on Terror. Thirteen years, and the world's super power, and largest conglomerates of military forces in the world, NATO, has not been able to contain groups of terrorists. Something wrong we must say!
In fact, forget about containing Al-Qaeda and its offshoots, we seems to be getting newer, better, advanced, sophisticated and well equipped groups. How did this all happened. Unfortunately, regardless of what's decided by the power holders, the losing ends has been Muslim population around the world, and western soldiers chasing a phantom enemy. No one has bothered to say time-out, let’s look at the root causes. Each new expedition is creating more terrorists, more radicalized Muslim youth.
Where did ISIS came from? How it is harming the image of Muslims? How it is providing fuel for the US to continue its War on Terror? Who wins and who is the loser?
One thing we do agree is we need to fight this menace called ISIS. However, we must also ensure that any such action is not going to lead to more radicals, more advanced, and more sophisticated terror groups. This has to be dealt with in a manner a surgeon would perform a surgical operation, get to the root cause of it and eliminate it once and for all.
Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a will by the decision makers sitting in the Ivory Towers to do just that. Everyone seems to be looking for a "Quick Fix." It is this "Quick Fix" approach is what’s getting us all into a deeper and deeper hole. They act in a reactionary manner. Such as Harper government’s recent decision without consulting with the parliament on deployment to fight ISIS.
ISIS is unique in a sense that it’s a terror group caught the entire world blindsided, including the west, where it draws its recruits. The question which we all, especially the western leaders need to reflect upon is how and why it is able to draw its recruits from the west?
The mainstream media highlights it as on offshoot of Al-Qaeda fighting in Syria. However, it fails to highlight the contributions made by the west in the rise of ISIS. It fails to even explore western contribution in increase Islamic Extremism among Muslim youth in the west.
Abigail Esman of Algeimeiner in her article, dated September 14, 2014 wrote, “But the problem did not begin with emigration to Syria. It began with the radicalization of these Muslims while they lived on European soil, attended European mosques and joined European programs for Muslim youth – programs frequently created in an effort to prevent such radicalization. But according to a report in Dutch newsweekly Elsevier, many presumably moderate mosques have used government funds to subsidize visits from extremist imams such as Usman Ali, who has given speeches at the Greenwich Islamic Center. Ali’s fee, according to Elsevier, was paid through a €75,000 government subsidy ostensibly aimed at “preventing radicalization.” By 2010, when government subsidies to the center had expanded to €168,000, Ali was serving on its board. Just who is Usman Ali? Among other things, he is known for showing videos of the 9/11 attacks to children, while preaching “Allah is the Almighty,” (“allahu akbaar”) reports Elsevier. The leader of what has been called a “powerful web of Islamic radicals and terror convicts,” he has also been accused of inspiring Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, in the horrific almost-beheading of British soldier Lee Rigby outside the military barracks in Woolwich, South East London.”
There are many such examples scattered across Europe and America, which Ms. Esman highlights in her article.
Britain's MI6 Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, Sir John Sawers, said that the way the West responds to civil war in other countries created "real dilemmas." Speaking to the Financial Times, “"If you decide not to [rebuild], as we did in Libya, partly because of the scars from Iraq, then you topple the government and you end up having nothing in its place. And if you don't intervene at all, you end up with a situation like you have in Syria. These are real dilemmas," he said.
However, the painful part for Muslims is that it is harming none other than the Muslims, both physically as well as psychologically. It is hurting the image of Islam and Muslims, especially in the west.
There still remains a part of the population which feels that ISIS is in fact a brain child of the west to continue its grips on Muslim countries, and continue its War on Terror. This thinking is not limited to just Muslims. There is a group which feels that ISIS is being directed by the Israelis, in particular, Mossad, which literally means, Institution.
Then there is a video being circulated on social networks, adding credence to this thought process. The video is in English, featuring a talk show on an American network, where one of the Intelligence officer pointing out the real name for Mossad is Israeli Security Intelligence Services (ISIS). We did look up the real name for Mossad, and no, this is neither its real name nor its acronyms. However, to an average joe, this is just yet another reason to disbelief west, and the extent it would stoop to harm Islam and Muslims.
Then there is a case of a British parliamentary candidate who has been suspended after she tweeted anti-Israel messages in which she asked why the ISIL had not yet attacked Israel. The Sunday Times reported that the labor party candidate for Woking, Vicki Kirby said, “Apparently you can ask IS/ISIS/ISIL questions on ask.fm. Anyone thought of asking them why they’re not attacking the real oppressors #Israel?”
We have repeatedly pointed out in past editorials, and we will continue to do so. If we need to protect our children, Canadian citizens from being radicalized, and if we want to protect the interests of all Canadians than the government needs to do much more than what it has been doing. It needs to engage Muslim leaders, and provide appropriate funding to educate the youth on proper Islamic education. Make Muslim youth partners and make them feel like a contributing members of the society. Unfortunately, so far the government does not seem to be interested.
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