| 21st Century Crusade |
| It isn’t often that I get the urge to punch a whole in a wall. It isn’t often that I want to scream and yell at somebody for what they say. It isn’t often, but it happened just a week ago. What is the cause for my irritated state? This article. The main problem facing islam at the moment is PR. Actually, it isn’t a problem as they have none, PR that is. Jihad, a word which up to a couple of years ago was absent in many a persons vocabulary, brings worth imagery of bearded men screaming while waving guns or packs of dynamite. Holy war, jihad, islam versus the world of infidels. Currently, due to new waves of suicide bombings and retaliatory strikes, the roadmap to peace in the Middle East seems blocked. At the same time, in the liberated city of Baghdad, American GI’s and their British counterparts face the possibility of death by the hand of the people they saved from tyranny. All these actions are negative in respect towards islamic PR, only fueling hatred in regards to all that stands for islam. Mr. Krauthammer, a respected journalist/columnist in his own rights, has not done much to help out the PR, except that in this case I am talking about the US’s PR. Gee mr YKI, what ever do you mean? It is a game we played, as children; my dad can beat up your dad. Bravado based on nothing, except if dads would actually go and proof that one is better at fisticuffs then the other. In case of the above mentioned article; my army is better then your army. “It is time the world recognized that we are not God. America today is the closest the world has ever seen to God. But, alas, the gap remains great. We are not quite omnipotent, and we cannot be ubiquitous.” It is a bold statement to make, some might even find it blasphemous. I find it megalomaniacal, with a hint of pass me the crack pipe. When the Bush II administration decided to go play cowboy and indians in Iraq many nations thought it unjust, most notably Russia, Germany and France. ‘Fine then,’ said Bush and Blair ‘we shall go at it alone, but don’t expect us to like you anymore.’ And in they went, and out they kicked Saddam and his party, and the world sighed in relief as the actions were swift and methodical. The oil fields are protected, fire up your engines everybody, gas prices shall remain low. We have all read the news articles, we have all seen the pictures, there is chaos in Iraq. Chaos fuelled by lack of water, electricity, food and order. Rebuilding a nation isn’t easy, nor can we expect it to be done overnight. However, is it odd for me to wonder if anybody really thought this all through? The cost involved? The man power needed? “If the world will not help us in Iraq, we should ostentatiously announce a global reconsideration of all U.S. military commitments in humanitarian ventures. Why are thousands of U.S. troops sitting in the Balkans, doing a job the French and Germans and others who won't lift a finger for us in Iraq can very well do themselves?” I do not know the answer to that question, but it is a valid one; why aren’t other NATO nations more involved in the Balkans? As a matter of fact; why aren’t other NATO nations more involved in peacekeeping missions all across the globe? Then again, earlier in his article Mr. Krauthammer made the comment that only the US and GB have an army large enough to win wars. Could Mr. Krauthammer be confused? Could he be under the misguided notion that cleaning one’s dirty laundry should be done by others? Has god run out of fabric softener? But, for the sake of the article and it’s message, let’s assume that Germany builds a larger army—one that can go out and keep the peace and whoop ass anytime and anywhere in the world. How long till voices start raising fears about another “Crystal Night”? Mentioning France, in regards to a larger army, is silly as the overall sentiment in the US seems to be that [France] was only good at letting other countries waltz through the Champs Élysée. Several months ago, seems like a lifetime to me, the US representatives to the UN pretty much said ‘if you don’t want to back us, then we will go at it alone.’ Now Mr. Krauthammer seems to be suggesting ‘if you don’t help us, fuck you.’ What is next? Shall the bullying ever stop? “If the world wants us to play God, especially in godforsaken places, it had better help. We cannot tend to every sparrow in the forest. Not even God does.” Holy war. That is what jihad means, Holy war—my god is better then your god… as a matter of fact your god doesn’t even exist. The times of the Crusades are long gone, the death toll it created forgotten. The countries it left in ruins rebuild over the centuries. I didn’t ask for the US to play god, I never asked for another Crusade. ... |