Progressive Democrat Issue 75: THOUGHTS

Not long ago I wrote about the Bush Administration's renaming the War on Terrorism as the "Long War"...or, as I prefer to dub it, the "Forever War" after Joseph Haldeman's science fiction classic. The fact is that Bush has done practically NOTHING to actually fight al-Qaeda since he abandoned the fight in Tora Bora so he could invade Iraq. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda regroups worldwide, reasserting itself in Pakistan and Afghanistan, spreading to Iraq, and further establishing itself in Somalia. Folks...we are LOSING the war on al Qaeda and Bush is pretty much to blame.

The elected Bush, followed by Bill Clinton, recognized that the chaos in Somalia back around 1992 was a major source of instability. Bill Clinton was well on his way to establishing order in Somalia when a single crashed copter gave the Republicans a chance to show their lack of support for our nation's leader during a war.

Somalia, once ruled by eternally battling warlords, was 90% subdued by Clinton's action. The capital, Mogadishu, was the last bastion of warlord control.

The Republicans in Congress didn't have the guts to stick it out until stability was established. The result? One of the nations where al-Qaeda has the greatest foothold is Somalia. The collapse of the stability Clinton established gave al-Qaeda as fertile a recruiting and training ground in Somalia as they had in Afghanistan. Other centers of activity were the Philippines, Yemen, the Sudan, and the mines of Tanzania where gem mining provided a nice alternative source of income to al-Qaeda's support from Saudi oil interests.

When 9/11 happened and al-Qaeda was identified as the perpetrator, Bush went after them in Afghanistan and came close to capturing their leader, Osama bin Laden. He also, with the co-operation of Yemen, dealt al-Qaeda some serious blows in Southern Arabia. It seemed like Bush recognized the need for a global fight against al-Qaeda, taking the battle to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Arabia and the Horn of Africa, and anywhere else they raise their ugly heads.

Then, suddenly, Bush figured he had put on a good enough show and he pulled out the troops we needed in Afghanistan and sent them to...Iraq. Iraq? A nation that had practically no al-Qaeda presence and whose government was about as anti-al-Qaeda as we are.

Bush dropped the ball. Bush let bin Laden go at Tora Bora, failed to complete the mission in Afghanistan, let alone Pakistan, and he completely ignored Somalia.

Now, in Somalia, al-Qaeda linked Islamicists are seen as the nations only hope against the civil wars of the warlords. The Islamicists are seen as they only chance for stability and we are seen as a destabilizing force.

From BBC News:

Fighting rages in Somali capital

Clashes between rival Somali militias have continued for a second day in the capital, Mogadishu, leaving at least 25 people dead and 61 others wounded.

The fighting started when an alliance of warlords attacked the vehicle of a group allied to the Islamic courts, according to eyewitnesses.

A child and a pregnant woman were killed in the crossfire, and residents forced to flee as fighting intensified...

The Islamic courts have restored order to some parts of the city by providing justice under Sharia law.

The alliance of warlords recently created the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism.

It accuses the Islamic courts of sheltering foreign al-Qaeda leaders, while the courts say the alliance is a pawn of the United States.

Last week, Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf accused the US of funding the coalition of warlords..."

Under Clinton there was a hope of a restoration of stability as local warlords were forced to submit to a central authority...an effort ruined by Republican gutlessness. Remember these were the SAME Republicans who lacked the guts to back Clinton when he wanted to go after Osama bin Laden.

Republicans prevented Clinton from going after bin Laden and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, in the Sudan and in Somalia. Had the Republicans just shut up and let Clinton lead, al Qaeda would have been our pimary target BEFORE 9/11 even happened.

Now they are doing it again. In Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, the Sudan...and now ALSO in Iraq, al Qaeda is growing in strength and influence. Think about it. They are strong in one nation, Pakistan, that has nuclear weapons, and another, Iraq, where they previously had no influence, that contains a large fraction of the world's oil. So what is Bush doing? Gunning for IRAN! Iran hates al-Qaeda at least as much as we do...at least as much as Saddam Hussein did. If we invade Iran, I guarantee that in NO TIME, al-Qaeda will infiltrate into that nation as well. That would give them one solid block of influence from Pakistan to Iraq, and another one from the Southern end of Arabia, into Somalia and into Africa. Saudi Arabia, the land between those two blocks, is already largely supportive of al-Qaeda, though officially opposed.

It isn't just Somalia. The al Qaeda-allied Taliban are regrouping right under the watch of the Paksistan army and al-Qaeda is being lauded as heros within the borders of our supposed ally.

Again, from the BBC News:

Taleban fighters battling Pakistani security forces declared a unilateral ceasefire last week to accommodate a religious gathering near Miranshah, the largest town in North Waziristan...

The Taleban seem to be enjoying the ceasefire: the customary tension on their faces replaced with easy smiles...

As the congregation concluded with a collective prayer for a Muslim renaissance, hundreds of devotees could be seen buying posters of Afghan commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

Mr Hekmatyar has recently declared his intent to team up with al-Qaeda to fight the US forces in Afghanistan.

It was difficult to find a place anywhere in Miranshah [Pakistan] where one would not come across some measure of resentment against Pakistan security forces.

[A shopkeeper said,] "[The Taliban] are mujahideen waging a jihad against the Americans. They have no reason to disturb the peace in Waziristan if left to themselves..."

Remember, this is in the nation that is our number one ally in the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan!

We are losing. The Taliban are intact and growing. Osama bin Laden is alive and still in command of a resurgent al-Qaeda that has actually EXPANDED it's reach since we declared war on them. Pakistan is ripe for an uprising by the warlords and religious leaders. Afghanistan would follow immediately after, isolating our forces in a sea of people who hate us. Kashmir is bound to be affected, bringing another nuclear power into play when India has to intervene. If we are already bogged down in Iraq and even Iran, then we will be unable to hold, so Afghanistan and Pakistan (with it's nukes) will fall to the Taliban.

Meanwhile, al-Qaeda linked Islamic extremists are re-establishing their control in Somalia and Sudan has remained sympathetic to al-Qaeda all along. Bush never dealt with the Tanzanian gem trade that helps fund al-Qaeda. Bush has never dealt with the Saudi oil industry's funding of al-Qaeda. So the money still flows from two very lucrative industries while in areas like the Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and now Pakistan it is the Islamisists who are viewed as the forces of stability while we and our supporters are seen as the invaders who are destabilizing the area.

We have lost the hearts and minds of a swath of the world extending from the Sudan to the border of India. All it awaits is a charismatic leader to come in and unite the whole area.

A new extremist Caliphate is forming that, if Republicans don't start getting a clue, will reach from the border of India, across the oil fields of the Middle East, and sweep down into the heart of Africa. India and Israel will be threatened. Russia will be threatened. Shi'a Muslims will be exterminated if possible, pushed out if not. Will Osama declare himself Caliph? Or will it be his successor? And Muslims will follow the new Caliph because that Caliph will unite them against the enemy of the faith...America which declares indescriminate war against Muslim nations.

And through it all, America, thanks to Republican gutlessness, greed and stupidity, ALWAYS fight the wrong wars at the wrong time, giving al-Qaeda renewed popularity rather than taking them out the way Clinton wanted to...the way Bush could have.

Why are the Republicans failing so miserably? Is it because they are stupid? Or is it because the Forever War gives them so much room for domination, corruption and profit as our entire nation is subcontracted to Halliburton and similar Cheney-connected companies. Without the Forever War, the Republican Military-Industrial-Religious complex might see their profits fall.  Or they might find themselves in jail as America seeks to prosecute them for their corruption. So maybe they HAVE to continue their Crusade or face jail. But for whatever reason, the Republicans are falling into bin Laden's trap, pitting our Holy American Empire against the New Caliphate.

Every single American killed by al-Qaeda since the first Republican yammered "wag the dog" when Clinton wanted to get bin Laden is as much the fault of Republican incompetance and greed as it is al-Qaeda fanaticism.

Bush has dealt America some serious blows and has been a Godsend to al-Qaeda.