While it’s a bit irritating to have an atavistic mass murderer presume to dictate appropriate politics for a black American, Zawahiri’s diatribe is good news. In fact, it may be the best news we’ve gotten in the struggle against al-Qaida since the so-called Sunni awakening in Iraq.
Zawahiri and his fellow jihadists are clearly worried both about the symbolic power of an Obama presidency and about the smarter strategy against terrorism that Obama has laid out.
The hamfisted tactics favored by George W. Bush, including his ill-fated invasion of Iraq, were a gift to al-Qaida and its recruiting efforts. They allowed bin Laden and Zawahiri to paint the U.S. government as an imperial power bent on a 21st-century crusade against Islam.
However, that’s a more difficult argument to make when the Oval Office is occupied by a black man whose Kenyan grandfather was Muslim and who played with Muslim friends during his childhood years in Indonesia.
“Obama’s election has taken the wind out of al-Qaida’s sails in much of the Islamic world because it demonstrates America’s renewed commitment to multiculturalism, human rights and international law,” former National Security Council staffer Richard Clarke said. “It also proves to many that democracy can work and overcome ethnic, sectarian or racial barriers.”
I'm stunned. Tucker seriously believes that Obama's strategy (whatever it is, other than attacking Pakistan and unleashing prosecutors) has al Qaeda up late at nights after Bush's strategy has killed them on battlefield after battlefield? After al Qaeda has lost their reputation for invincibility? After the jihadis have lost support among Moslem governments and people who reject bombings of innocents and the whole jihad thing in far greater numbers today?
Is Tucker seriously arguing that the jihadis couldn't work up a reason to hate us and kill us prior to our liberation of Iraq? There was that one thing back in September of what, 2001? And there were the East African embassy bombings in 1998. And the Cole bombing in 2000. Lip-biting Clinton sensitivity didn't save us back then.
Can anybody with a functioning brain stem really believe that we caused jihadi hatred by liberating Iraqis from Saddam's tender mercies? The idea that until Iraq the Moslem world had no issues about so-called imperialism is just nonsense.
And when jihadis have slaughtered Moslems with enthusiasm, including the bombing in Bali, Indonesia, how rock-pounding blind to reality do you have to be to think that the jihadis are going to think that President Obama is OK and they shouldn't fight him and kill Americans? Good grief, Tucker, hush about that playing with Moslem friends bit. Don't you know that jihadis are more likely to kill those Moslems for associating with a Christian?
And don't rely on Richard Clarke, for God's sake. The man is an idiot. The idea that the Islamic world thinks we are now a bunch of multi-culturalists (as if the jihadis even like multi-culturalism!) is farcical. San Fransisco liberals don't believe we are no longer a racist nation despite electing Obama. You really think the jihadis are going to say, "Oh never mind. The Great Satan is just peachy fine now." The jihadis hate democracy. Why would they be impressed with democracy in action even if we elected Obama?
And Tucker's idiocy goes on. It is truly depressing that reality has not touched her existence. Guantanamo Bay is regularly visited by the human rights industry and our press corps. This is a well-run prison that is not any type of gulag. Honestly, read it all. My head hurts from the concentrated ignorance that she represents.
They hate us all, people. I've been expecting the most extreme supporters of Obama to be quickly disappointed, but some truly are so far out in their hopes that reality is going to send them into a coma to escape the reality of our enemies' hatred.
Our enemies will continue to try to kill us. How long before such idiocy as this article displays is set aside and we get down to work to destroy our jihadi enemies?
