Isolated Incidents

Since 9/11 the war on Islamic terrorism has been in the minds of many a series of isolated incidents. Bali, Beslan, Spain, Britain. Of couse in the telling one must discount Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan. Not so hard to do. Those countries had it coming. Iraq because of American occupation. Afghanistan because of the occupation there. Israel, well they had it coming. The Jews are Nazis don't you know.

Well, this past week the Islamic terrorists struck Britain again. Hundreds killed in Iraq in various bombings. And now Egypt.

Egypt has been a rather friendly place for the incubation of terrorists. Their TV has been a font of Jew hatred and radical clerics have free reign to preach hate. As long as that hate did not extend to acts against Egypt.

This week has been an eye opener. Egypt has made the difference. Egypt has no troops in Iraq or Afghanistan. Why were they chosen? Because a tourist resort open to the world allows modern western people contact with Islam. The Islam of the terrorists fear such contact. Democracy, whiskey, sexy is seductive.

As long as the attacks were isolated in space and time the enemies of fanatic I slam could assume it was "their" problem. Isolated attacks could allow the general public to assume that duck and cover, it is not so bad, it didn't happen here, were viable attitudes.

The attacks of the past week are weakening those attitudes. If they keep up (as I expect they will) they will unite governments against the fascists. Why would al Queda and the rest do such a thing? Why would they attack in such a way as to unite countries who have a natural antipathy towards each other? Why would they act to prove that what is going on is not a series of isolated incidents, but a world war?

My guess is that they are weakening. The spasm of violence in Iraq over the past few weeks is to my way of thinking is an announcement of defeat. They are going out with a bang, but they are going out. A last spasm.

Does this mean that things will get easier. No. al Queda after two years of hard fighting is no longer attracted to the fly paper. Iraq for them is a dead end. Their only hope for victory is to bring down Muslim oriented governments and to change western policy not by defeat on the battle field but by striking fear into the West. So far such fear tactics have only worked in Spain.

With Iraq declining in immediate importance the open West and its enclaves (such as tourist areas in the Moslem world) are going to be targets for some time to come.

Stiff upper lip. Carry on. Even fear is allowed as long as it adds to the determination to defeat these scum.