“Anti-War Activists” and Al Qaeda: Mutual Objectives for Military Withdrawal
Forcing the U.S. out of Iraq will create vulnerability.
Reuters reports: “Al Qaeda’s second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has urged the militant network’s leader in Iraq to prepare for an Islamic government to take over the country when U.S. forces leave, according to a letter released on Tuesday by U.S. intelligence officials.”
“We must be ready starting now, before events overtake us, and before we are surprised by the conspiracies of the Americans and the United Nations, and their plans to fill the void behind them,” Zawahri told Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in a July 9 letter that U.S. officials say was obtained during counterterrorism operations in Iraq.
“The aftermath of collapse of American power in Vietnam — and how they ran and left their agents — is noteworthy,” the letter said.
“I stress again to you and all your brothers the need to direct the political action equally with the military action,” it said.
It seems like pointing out the obvious that Cindy Sheehan and her band of misfits have only encouraged this perspective. In many ways, liberal rhetoric has helped to define al Qaeda’s approach as reflected by Zawahiri’s letter. How?
As Powerline’s John Hinderaker writes, “It’s not hard to see how liberals’ calls for withdrawal from Iraq dovetail with al Qaeda’s strategy.”
With descriptions like “quagmire” and “another Vietnam”, the anti-Bush, anti-war critics have used the memory of Vietnam as a device to cast public doubt over our democracy efforts in Iraq. Their aim is to discredit the mission. Their demand is to cut and run. Hinderaker continues, “It’s all the liberal Democrats and their friends in the media can talk about. No wonder Zawahiri finds the Vietnam precedent encouraging.”
It is not a far stretch to suggest that liberal activism and Sheehan’s showboating may have had some influence on shaping al Qaeda’s defensive policy. While not directly complicit with terrorist ambitions, the “peace protesters” assist our enemies by creating political unrest in the U.S., dividing the public, generating negative press worldwide, and thereby undermine American foreign policy.
Perhaps the liberal “anti-war movement” will read Zawahiri’s letter and think twice before chanting, “Bring the troops home.”
Of course, Al Qaeda hopes they won’t change their tune.
(FOXNews screenshot courtesy of PoliticalTeen, who also has the video)
RELATED:
Reservist Says “Anti-War†Protesters are Breaking Faith
Comforting The Enemy: Another View of
The “Peace March†On Washington
An “Anti-War†Movement?
Is Iraq Vietnam?
October 25th, 2005 at 1:48 pm
[...] “I ask that when you report on the events, take a moment to think about the effects on the families and those serving in Iraq,” Boylan said in an e-mail. “The 2,000 service members killed in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom is not a milestone. It is an artificial mark on the wall set by individuals or groups with specific agendas and ulterior motives.” People like this, this, this and this. [...]