I read a couple of fascinating articles and a book which dealt with defeating the Al Qaeda terrorist organization. Here were some insights we can apply when it comes to dealing with enemies:
1. Jihadi Rehab: “The program came about after the Saudi government recognized that locking up the young radicalized Muslims and mistreating them in jail was counterproductive and served only to foment anger in the Islamic world.”
One young man who went through the program said: “I used to hate Americans. Now it’s different. Thank God I am a wiser man and I know right from wrong. In the program, they taught me killing a person — Muslim or non-Muslim — is wrong even if he gets in my way. You should help people, not hurt them.”
2. The Starfish and the Spider mentions Chinook diplomacy. The U.S. military became heroes in certain parts of Pakistan after the way we responded with aid after their devastating earthquake.
3. If all of that doesn’t work, the plague appears to be really effective.
4. Praying for our troops!
If you would like the full notes for Starfish and the Spider and to sign up for my monthly email newsletter, send an email to me at eric@mosaic.org with “Starfish” in the subject heading.
See also: “Is Islam the Enemy?”
Hello Eric,
An excellent followup to your reading and suggestions here is “The Inheritance” by David E. Sanger. Air Force One is on the cover and the shot shows the entry door high in the sky. A new President will board and control the plane destiny. We now know that man.
The Inheritance shows what areas of global life need immediate attention and why we got to this point over years.
One aspect is China policy. The Chinese were delirious to see us paying attention to the Miseast and areas not in their sphere, while ignoring Korea, soon to go nuclear.
Their planning does not involve Soviet style buildup uf nuclear bombs to saber rattle. They simply built a missle to rocket 500 miles up and blow out a supposed weather satellite. Truth? They were clearly showing the ability to knock out USA satellites for cell communication, finance, security and spying, commerce, in a nutshell, shut our country down as our satelittes blow up, period. Our laptops no longer work then (they are fully hijacking those at highspeed too).
But late in the book, things are changing.
China buys our debt; we are collapsing and require bailout. They need us; we need them.
“It’s a different kind of American presence, and it works”, (Keating) told me. The speed with which aid arrives and the accuracy with which it is airdropped, leave an impression….
“He recalled an incident from the winter of 2007, when two American C-17 cargo planes were dispatched to Guangzhou Province in China with blankets because the area had been hit with a brutal cold spell that threatened mass deaths from exposure. It took LESS than 72 hours between the time the Chinese asked for some help, and the arrival of the first American planes, which immediately offloaded pallets full of blankets.
There was a Chinese general there and the first thing he said was “I can’t believe you got here so quickly”.
All of this reinforced our military capability, so don’t waste your money and time trying to defeat us. At the same time, humanitarian aid showed America acting as Christlike in this incident (an the Earthquake relief there). Sunshine always beats wind bluster at turning hearts, one at a time.
The new president is talking to our enemies, instead of ignoring them. I am not referring to China in that line, but Iran, Korea, and al Qaeda….in Saudi Arabia as noted.
There is reason for hope.
Defeating al Qaeda does not mean killing every one of them, as we previously made policy. It means making your enemy……your friend.
It is a new world; but NOT for Christ!
I look forward to the Starfish email updates.
This is the way to go.
Best regards,
Danny Lucas