Liberalguy

The strangest bedfellows By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen (bio)

It boggles the mind. A recent report illustrates the through-the-looking-glass mentality of our enemy and gives a whole new meaning to the concept of world events making strange bedfellows. The article noted that during a recent Arab summit, someone asked about the theory circulating around the Middle East and elsewhere, that Israel was behind the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Al-Qaida mastermind and propaganda hack Ayman Al-Zawahri, accused Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television of starting the rumor. “The purpose of this lie is clear — (to suggest) that there are no heroes among the Sunnis who can hurt America as no else did in history. Iranian media snapped up this lie and repeated it,” he said. So, just to make sure we’re clear, here, the terrorist kingpin wants there should be no mistake that his group carried out the cowardly, despicable bloodbath. He and his group are responsible for the mass murder of 3,000 innocents, and don’t you forget it. I seem to recall, among the first to suggest, in the attacks’ immediate aftermath, that “The Jews” were behind them, was an Arab newspaper editorial that said such an operation could not have been conceived or carried out by Arabs because only “The Jews” could have pulled off so clever a plan. A strange and disturbing conclusion to make, particularly if one is an Arab, since it contains more than a suggestion that Arabs are too stupid to develop such a plot. Of course, to believe “The Jews” or “The Zionists” or “The Mossad” or whatever euphemism for “Jew” once selects, had attacked the U.S. on 9-11, would require believing “The Jews” were able to convince a bunch of religious Muslim fanatics to kill others and themselves at “The Jews’” behest. We’re good, but not that good. On the other hand, this editorial’s audience consists primarily of a people known to fairly easily suspend disbelief when need be. And I guess someone felt need was at the time. Al-Qaida, though, wants credit given where credit is due, creating a weird and unlikely scenario that places Israel and Al-Qaida on the same side of something – wanting the world to know it was not the Jews but Al-Qaida that attacked America on Sept. 11. It also shows that both recognize Iran as the region’s greatest threat, though clearly for different reasons. “Iran’s aim here is also clear — to cover up its involvement with America in invading the homes of Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Al-Zawahri’s statement said. Iran cooperated with the U. S. in the 2001 assault on Afghanistan that toppled al-Qaida’s allies, the Taliban. In a recent audiotape, al-Zawahri denounced what he called Iran’s expansionist plans, saying Tehran aims to annex southern Iraq and Shiite areas of the eastern Arabian Peninsula as well as strengthen ties to its followers in southern Lebanon. He warned that if Iran achieves its goals, it will “explode the situation in an already exploding region.” He’s probably right, though I personally find neither brand of Islam more appealing than the other. The story notes that the rhetoric is a stark change for al-Zawahri, who in the past did not seek to exploit Shiite-Sunni tensions. However, if the West is smart, it will find a way to immediately do just that. If the different Muslim factions are at each other’s throats, they will be too busy to bother the rest of us. It’s the reality that kept Islamic terrorism at a relatively low roar for most of modern Israel’s 60-year history. The biggest danger Israel has ever faced, was the prospect of the Arabs agreeing on something. The closest they’ve come to speaking with one voice, has been on the subject of the Palestinian Arabs and hatred for the existence of a Jewish state in an area they believe is intended by Allah to be entirely Muslim. But since the bottom line of the Islamic mindset is that the entire world is intended by Allah to be Muslim, that’s not surprising. Since there seems to be no way to reason with Islamic fanatics or to slow their amazing and terrifying rate of growth through forced conversions and an incredibly high birth rate, the world’s best bet is to make sure their natural inclinations toward bloodlust is satisfied between one another. Strange bedfellows, indeed.