If You Want to Catch a Fish, Do Not Go to a Desert
Dr. Mohammed T. Al-Rasheed, comments@d-corner.comThe summer of heat and bombs continues unabated. The condemnations of terrorism are deafening yet meaningless. Are we to get used to the sight of the wounded being carried away from beaches, hotels, and transport modes? As for the dead, the charred bodies leave nothing to contemplate.
The Brits have tempted fate with their “stiff upper lip†till their police lost their cool and killed an innocent man. Chalk up one more for the terrorists. The Egyptians on television keep telling the world that it was “imported†and could not have been an Egyptian that did the Sharm atrocities. Well, possible, but Ayman Zawaheri is an Egyptian and bosom buddy of Bin Laden.
Are we seeing and experiencing the dementia and frustration of the powerless? I think we are. The world seems impotent for the time being in the face of these atrocities. The world does not lack the means to combat this menace. The history of humanity is full of such struggles and invariably the majority wins and terror recedes. But today we lack the will to combat it. If you want to catch a fish, you do not go to the desert. And if you want to catch a terrorist you do not man tube stations. Once you are in the station trying to catch the perpetrator, you have already lost the game. The most effective way to combat vermin is to strike at their breeding grounds and not under your sink.
Dr. Al-Rasheed has another powerful op ed in today’s Arab News. He recognizes–and tips his hat to Prime Minister Blair for realizing–that the war against terror is not an anti-crime action, but a war against an ideology that is dangerous to any and all liberal thought. While it may have succeeding in fooling millions that it was all about religion, it is not. It is about power and the delusions of a few that they have the right to dictate to all how they should live–and die.
Note, too, that when Al-Rasheed says, “Read the books that their mentors publish and distribute for free,” he isn’t talking about philanthropists with deep pockets, but rather those writers who, through whatever device, are able to solicit support of governmental printing presses.
It’s an excellent piece. Read the whole thing.
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July:28:2005 - 08:04
If You Want To Catch Fish, Don’t Go To The Desert
Interesting editorial in the Saudi-run Arab News by Dr. Mohammed T. Al-Rasheed:
The summer of heat and bombs continues unabated. The condemnations of terrorism are deafening yet meaningless. Are we to get use…
July:28:2005 - 19:21
Nice post John.
July:28:2005 - 20:13
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July:31:2005 - 09:55
“While it may have succeeding in fooling millions that it was all about religion, it is not. It is about power and the delusions of a few that they have the right to dictate to all how they should live–and die.”
Excuse me but what make you think the above idea DID NOT come from their religion, or that such ideas do not come from religion in general?
The Koran explicitly requires such behavior.
July:31:2005 - 10:50
I think there are many differences between what any religion teaches and what is actually practiced. Religions are generally not about power, but those controlling religions often seem to believe and behave otherwise.