Islam

Islam is about the last thing I ever thought I would write about, but a disturbing book brings to mind words from my first wife and father in law, both now deceased. The words were words of warning that applies to our present dilemma as if they were talking to me now. My father in law, Chester Burdick had worked in Africa and Turkey for many years as a ranking Diplomat and Engineer advising these post war developing countries in the building of bridges, roads and so forth. As a diplomatic brat, my wife attended the American College in Istanbul, wherein she was the only American. She learned the language, the customs and to live on rice and mutton. More to the point she learned of the fatal consequences of violating the religious customs. She taught me phrases and oddities but the thing that stuck with me was a school girl pride in the ferocity of the tribal fighters for lack of a better word and the obtuse and incomprehensible mind of the East. These words of Burdick’s sounded much like Jo Wilson, Valerie Plame’s husband, as Chester described his interaction with the Arab mind, with Haile Selassie and others. Jo Wilson’s cautions, at the start of the Iraq invasion, rang true and hung around in my mind as a red flag, but the problem may be much greater.

This is a Gold Dinar from Syria approximately 750 BC. About ten years ago I came across a highly touted Internet site for online payment with gold on deposit for security, e-dinar. From what is read here and elsewhere, ME countries and militant Islam would free itself from the dollar and trade oil in gold. Taking it a bit further they would attempt to devalue the dollar by encouraging all Muslims to switch to gold. There seems an almost paranoid drift to the logic but the fact remains there is now a world Internet payment system based on the Gold Dinar, 4.25 grams of 24 carat gold, with deposits in Dubai. Follow the money! Gold hit 24 year high today. That worries me, actually; it may signal a nascent event.

“Hate US policy” is the recurring claim of insurgents. The list seems surprisingly consistent and precise. Those policies may be wise and best for our country, but debate and discussion seems warranted given the intransigency in Iraq and uncertainty in Afghanistan. Imperial Hubris, by Michael Scheuer former CIA chief of Ben Laden unit.

1. What do we gain by massive support of Israel?
2. What do we gain by exporting our version of freedom at great risk to ourselves?
3. Do we actually force lower oil prices at home by our presence in the ME or do we merely appease Multinationals and lobbyists?
4. Can we actually direct our technology to switch energy source and become energy independent?
5. Do we need military bases on the Arabian Peninsula?
6. Do we need to install secular democratic governments in countries that do not want them and support Muslim regimes that do? (What happened to the prime directive?)
   

The Intent of our foreign policy seems altruistic (but naïve). Is it possible our leadership is mistaken, or as the book implies not completely informed? It would seem the Neoconservative view is to globalize the economy to bring a lasting peace and fairness to emerging economies, to bring civil rights and equality to the down trodden and to bring democracy to the world. On the surface these seem laudable.

The cynical reality, however, seems to bring demonstrations against globalization, An example I know something about is the family mountain farmer of Central America impoverished by our massive coffee promotion in Korea and Brazil. Democracy where theft is survival and disease is rampant, hardly offers security or the fundamentals of subsistence. Colonialism was no worse. Despots pretending to be democratic are hardly an answer. John Quincy Adams suggested that America should be the well wisher of Democracy but see to our own. We can hardly claim the high ground ourselves. It works but barely. We take campaign contributions as legalized bribes under a guise of free speech, we institutionalize our aging parents, have more people in jail and personal injury law and medical costs are out of control. Our feminism is not attractive even to the sexually mutilated ME woman.

The implication may be that our enemy is becoming more broadly defined almost daily. The hatred grows not from the acts of our soldiers or from how we live but from a sense that their religion is under attack, and I wonder about our policies. I think our enemy is not so much a bunch of mislead terrorists as a very committed deeply religious and extremely well trained army that is growing, invisible when in reserve, and fighting a war on their own turf and on their own terms. Are we underestimating the enemy? I think Islam is much much bigger than North Viet Nam, with far better fighters, better trained, better lead and committed.

Energy seems to drive us into this misadventure. It would be so much more effective to dump the multinationals and go to complete energy independence, by presidential edict and nationalize if necessary. Electricity could be the easiest answer. Nuclear in the new small contained pellet reactors is already cheaper than oil! If this war is as big as I think it is, the home front transition to a non petroleum energy source will be a cheap price to pay while advancing technology by a generation or two.

The Economy for us is more important than terrorists. The gold thing may actually be a threat if the economy weakens. Maybe we can economize them until they are back on camels. Of course that won’t work either because the other nations, dependent on oil, will move into the vacuum. Ah ha, that may move the battle line a bit. --- Our economy had better be good!

A global war will be waged no matter what we do baring a miracle. No more too little too late. Halsey was quoted as saying kill them until the language is spoken only in hell. Well that may be too much for our modern sensibilities. To use the insurgent’s own strategy and FDR's, let Iran start something big! That will fulfill “the prophesy” and put matters into perspective. Better there than here, a spectator's role. Let evil show itself for what it is. Then, if we must, Halsey's solution might do.

The book is very disturbing. Read it! The issues should be reconsidered. What will be our response to an Islamic nuke in DC or NY?