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Muslim Allies in the War on Terrorism Armstrong Williams "We've got to be right 100 percent of the time; and the enemy has only got to be right once."
President Bush's statement sums up just how difficult it is for the U.S. to win the war on terror. Over the past several weeks the world received yet another reminder that our enemies have not lost their desire to take the lives of innocent people. Terrorism is alive. Three words that are hard to swallow, but following the foiled terrorist plot in the United Kingdom, we must not forget. We live in changing times, where our way of life is threatened by those who do not accept our free and open society. While the attacks on New York, Washington, Madrid, London, and Mumbai were devastating, they will prove to be only the tip of the iceberg if we do not find a way to destroy not only the groups that perpetrate these heinous crimes but also the sinister ideologies that fuel them.
The arrest of the suspected terrorists in the U.K. was a great example of global intelligence agencies cooperating and sharing information, with the U.S., U.K., and Pakistan all making significant contributions. I applaud these nations for a job well done in profiling and tracking these disturbed criminals. However, while their combined efforts proved to be sufficient on this occasion, we cannot assume they will be sufficient on the next. Story Continues Below
This global war on terror is unlike any other war the world has ever known. Though we posses the most powerful army on earth, the truth remains that neither we nor our allies have the power to win this war. Only the Muslim world can stop these crimes against humanity. The world must hold accountable governments that harbor these fanatics. We must apply pressure so intense that these governments are compelled to crush any terrorist cells within their borders and develop meaningful strategies for combating the rise of hateful ideologies. If the powers that be within these nations continue to spew empty rhetoric, making no real effort to solve this growing problem, then we must find a way to appeal to the 1 billion Muslim citizens of the world. The time has come for this fifth of the world's population to stand up and put down those who transgress the boundaries of their religion and dishonor the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. Was it not Muhammad who stated, "If one of you sees [something] bad, he should change it with his hand; and if he is not capable of that, then with his tongue; and if he is not capable of that, then [he should detest] it with his heart; but that is the weakest faith"?
I have no doubt that the majority of Muslims in the world watch in disbelief as these thugs kill thousands of innocent men, women, and children. However, to simply detest such vicious and unconscionable behavior will not save lives. The time has come for this silent majority of believers not only to speak out but also to do all that is necessary to take back this inspiring religion that has been hijacked by a misguided few.
I was pleased to learn that it was in fact a Muslim who tipped off the police to the suspicious behavior of his colleague, thereby helping to foil the sinister plot in the U.K. Perhaps it is a sign that Muslims are beginning to realize that they must play a more active role in the global war on terror. Informing the authorities of this planned attack was a courageous act, one that should not go unnoticed by England and the rest of the Western world. But if we wish for more God-fearing Muslims to take such stands, we must be willing build bridges with this important group and assure them that our fight is not against the Islamic way of life but against those who, under guise of Islam, kill innocent human beings.
Thus far, we have failed at this mission. We have succeeded at building a bridge, but the Muslim world perceives it as a bridge to invade and not one to unite. The fact that we have ignored the importance of perception in this part of the world has cost us invaluable allies. The recent conflict in Lebanon presented the U.S. with an opportunity to show that it values the lives of innocent Arabs just as much as it does those of innocent Israelis. However, the U.S. refused to ask its closest ally to show restraint in going after Hezbollah. While all Americans know the U.S values all human life, such actions or inactions give the impression that we have no regard for the lives of Muslims. Furthermore, Muslims who may have been willing to provide help in capturing terrorists believe that by helping the U.S. they are in fact betraying themselves. And without their help we greatly diminish our chances of being right 100 percent of the time.
www.armstrongwilliams.com
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