Jihad

This morning, an airman on Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) just outside San Antonio, Texas shot and killed his squadron commander, then killed himself. At this time, it is unclear on the reasons for the incident. But it once again brings up the question, should military personal be allowed to be armed at all times to protect themselves? The active shooter incident on Lackland marks the 10th fatal shooting on a U.S. military installation in the U.S. since 2001. Of the 10, 3 have been confirmed…

The conspiracy theories surrounding the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks are varied and have been present for many years, edging into mainstream society in certain circumstances. Many of the theorist’s contest that the attack constituted a ‘false flag’ attack to rationalise increased limitations on civil liberties and foreign invasion with an ulterior agenda, both of which the attack incited. Evidence put forth by both individuals and groups to justify conspiracy theories is varied and involve…

Peter Morey, 2011, argues that there has been a basic shift in attitudes surrounding cultural difference in the post 9/11, “Age of Terror”. Morey argues The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a hoax narrative that destabilizes the cultural certainties that emerged in trauma narratives in literature following 9/11. “Culture talk” is a theory that essentially boils a culture down to one “essence” that is used to define the entire culture. Morey suggests that The Reluctant Fundamentalist forces readers to…

In Dying to Win, Robert Pape explains the causal logic of suicide terrorism and why the phenomenon has become more frequent since its inception in the 1980’s. This is accomplished through dividing the logic into three categories: strategic, social, and individual. Throughout this explanation Pape argues that suicide campaigns are not primarily derived from religious fundamentalism, but nationalism. This would indicate that such tactics are also a form of insurgency. To assess the overall…

The house of a debate on The Doha Debate show believed that “The War on Terror has become a War on Islam.” Anas ALtikriti and Dr. Mustafa were with the motion; Faisal Abdul Rauf and Ramzi Khouri were against the motion. What compelled me to write this analysis is Anas Altikriti, founder of Muslim Association of Britain, and his usage of rhetoric to drive his appeal to ethos and pathos. Anas started with a nice introduction that restated what the house believes and how complex the issue is.…

Revolutionary Warfare and Terrorism; written by the victors? When one thinks of terrorism, the immediate thoughts would probably lean towards the current state of events in the world. Religious extremism, most notably Islamic extremism has dominated the media with reports of suicide bombings, beheadings and mass murder. The end result of these attacks are carefully orchestrated and perform their intent of inciting terror in global populations notably effectively. Is there a difference however;…

Ever since the horrific events of 9/11, the media have targeted and used Muslims and Islam to saturate inconsistent and sensationalised news to subconsciously plant a seed of fear and suspicion towards the Islamic faith. Muslim extremists, alongside the general Muslim population, receive a disproportionate amount, mainly in Western countries, of intense scrutinised worldwide media coverage, discussion, stereotypes and are generally brought upon in a negative light (The Guardian, 2005).…

The diversity of religious beliefs in America, and the freedom to practice whatever religion one wishes, is what has made America, the United States of America. Religious tolerance had always been a part of this country, and to the most extent, it still is. However, after the attacks on September 11, 2001 in New York, everything changed. Fingers were pointed towards Islam, and its entire followers, framing each and every one of them for the attacks. As time moved on, and other attacks occurred,…

1. Characterize the psychological profile of most Islamist terrorist recruits, what attracts them to particular groups, and to what extent they are clinically mentally ill. Without a regular supply of recruits, Islamist terrorism will extinct. As a result, Islamist terrorist continue to recruit and win the hearts and minds of potential Islamic converts. To a larger extent, terrorism is a natural and inevitable extension of fundamentalist Islamic faith. Islam tend to disassociate itself from…

Another critically important foundation of an effective de-radicalization platform is the involvement of family and community in the process. Deprogramming a terrorist requires a lengthy procedure and a concerted effort from people who can provide an external support system. Family involvement can create shortcuts in the long rehabilitation process of a terrorist. For instance, Saudi Arabian government believes that the continuous increase in the involvement of family can result in significant…