Since September 2001, terrorism has dominated the headlines. But there is a much less discussed form of terrorism — assault on dissidents in which the very systems meant to protect them fail and hand them over to their killers.
The attack on dissidents is robbing families of their loved ones, instilling fear in communities, and obstructing many pathways toward deep reform within the House of Islam. It is long overdue for security forces and governments to modify their policies and stand unwaveringly by the universal human right of free speech.
Last month, Jordanian writer and political activist Nahed Hattar was murdered in cold blood outside a local court for “insulting Islam” by sharing a satirical cartoon on his Facebook page.
Hattar was murdered by a “known extremist” cleric as he was facing trial by his own government which opposed his freedom expression. These autocratic and quasi-theocratic governments often light the fuses of radicalism which at times they explode themselves and other times hand over blindly to rogue assassins who they empower.
In Bangladesh, bloggers who question theocracy are slaughtered in broad daylight – this year alone, at least eight dissident bloggers have been murdered. In Pakistan, dissidents and even lawmakers who break rank with the religious establishment are murdered with impunity – often with their own bodyguards tipping off and aiding the killers. When they are not killed, Muslim reformers, dissidents and freethinkers are threatened, stalked and made to live in fear. With the continued advance of Islamic State and those who are inspired by them, the problem is growing.
While some of these cases make headlines, many go unnoticed by the broader public. Worst of all, those who tacitly endorse such crimes are more prevalent than ever. Even in the United States, non-violent Islamists enthusiastically harass reformists on social media and at public events, spotlighting them with slanderous comments, inciting others to hate them, and leaking false personal information about them online.
You’d think that the broader society would completely marginalize such malignant actors. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong in many cases.
Nonviolent Islamists who knowingly cause dissidents to be targeted with harassment and threats aren’t just allowed to continue their malicious activities – they are positioned as representatives of the Muslim community in the media and even in the halls of political power, from Washington to London and even at the United Nations. It is when these individuals are granted legitimacy through political and social clout that they become even more dangerous.
For example, in the United States, Islamist groups like the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), whose leadership has targeted members of the Muslim Reform Movement (including myself) as well as women’s rights and LGBT activists, have trained law enforcement on how to treat Muslims – when they themselves incite hate campaigns against minorities within the Muslim community.
At the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) claims to represent all of the world’s Muslims and even purporting to fight anti-Muslim bigotry. However, the OIC’s ideology and resulting actions – which include seeking to criminalize any speech or art they deem “offensive” to their interpretation of Islam – are exactly what inspire radicals to slit the throats of dissidents. Their governments and attendant systems are the malignant cauldrons that brew the ideas, culture, legalisms, and ideologues that suffocate reform.
The OIC, true to its name, has one purpose and that is to maintain control of the “House of Islam” by Islamists and suppress the diverse voices of anti-Islamist, pro-liberty reformers. Each Islamist regime does both domestically and globally. Domestically, they do so either directly or passive-aggressively by giving militants impunity over the murder of reformers, and globally they do so by making the free world in the West believe that Islamism and its attendant sharia states is the only possible form of Islam.
How can this be stopped? Through the education of the Muslim community as to the nefarious aims of Islamist regimes and their sympathizers; and by holding politicians, the media and national security establishments worldwide accountable for their empowerment of the worst within the Muslim community. While we must pay urgent heed to stopping violent extremism, that is only a tactic among many tried by Islamist movements. We must more importantly engage boldly and take sides in the war of ideas within the “House of Islam.” We must disarm non-violent Islamists as the theocrats they are in their war against dissidents, minorities and truth-sayers.
Although I can have limited impact on this issue (as I am not a Muslim) I recommend that everyone research the Muslim Reform Movement and read their declaration. People who value the ideals set forth in the U.S. Constitution will surely see this movement as a viable way forward, and recognize the bravery of those who have signed it.
Big part of the problem in US is the link between US interests and the House of Saud. This is the cancerous relationship, as US cannot really get to the heart of the matter. As inarticulate Trump was on the issue, we indeed are having problem with distinguishing cult from religion. One can say that Wahhabi religion is unique to Saudi Arabia, as it is a written contract between the House of Saud and the founder of Wahhabi sect. But what is happening is the following — in various guises this Saudi sect is being spread via Salafism (true believers) into the world, claiming that they are the only real Moslems. These are cults, but all definition of the word, but are in a very slick way being covered by smoke of different colors — to avoid linking these cults spawned by Wahhabis to Saudi Arabia. And their might in finding creative ways to defend "islam", while in fact supporting cults, is formidable. US politicians do not care. When Trump complains that Moslem population should help — he has no idea what he is stepping into. The last think anybody wants to be involved — as one risks being the target of these growing cults and their unwitting supporters.
It is not too hard to define the cult — and what distinguishes them from other main Sunni branches. The problem is — both Israel, US and Saudi Arabia actually quitely support the cult because of its one UNIQUE characteristic among all othe Sunni Islam branches: it considers Shia Moslem non-believers that can be killed. Another music to globalist America, cult does not believe in either borders or in secular instituions. Thus — the idea that Assad should step down regardless of elections, is righ up the alley for both Clinton, Israel or Wahhabi spawned cult. "Assad must go", mirrors their "Infidel must go". Israel has already on record said that it would prefer a head-chopping caliphate in Syria to a secular state with Shia in the government. The cult, supported cleverly by Saudi Arabia as Islam — does not want any secular institutions, as Sharia has already all the legal provisions necessary for criminal, family, inheritance or property laws. The fight for Syria is the fight to impose by force a Wahhabi based Sunni Cult to run Syria, to exterminate Christians, Shia, and all progressive Sunni in the counry. This has already been happening — but media has been very coy about it — making it sound like it is the fault of Syrian or Russian intervention. The defence against the worst of the worst of barbarism has been put on the level of holocaust. Any military operation against them is being placed under the test of "protecting civilian lives". And one of the most pernitious branches — Al-Qaeda, a Saudi creation — is now one of the strongest forces in Syria — taking hostage the entire East Aleppo. Yet, we are not allowed to know about the civilians held hostage and prevented to leave, about them being used as human shields, about their girls being kidnapped for "marriage" to terrorists, about their boys being executed if afraid or unwilling to join terrorists.
And then — the entire Western establishment is shedding crocodile tears about the victims of the war in Aleppo, failing to say that we are not talking here of civilians manning barricades — and attacked by brutal Syrian and Russian armies — but about roothless, cult-crazed Islamists that are determined to stay where they are, and keeping hostages longer. After all — the entire Western world is with them!
I suggest that these brave sould find something better to do. Until they can force US and their amen corner to STOP supporting Al-Qaeda butchers in Aleppo — we are not going anywhere. Saudi Arabia has won — West has been forced to accept their definition of Islam, and forced to protect Al-Qaeda in Aleppo. What Saudi Arabia is holding over their collective feeble heads, who knows. But for now, as most of the American public even does not know that we are defending Al-Qaeda, that we never really reported on all their crimes all these years, and that we studiously keep from the public the knowledge of the hostages in Aleppo — one has to just accept the fact that for as long as these Islamic cults are cuddled, supported, armed, paid, fed, telecom provided — who are we to define anything. Just keep quiet, it is for the best. Whatever Israel wants, Israel gets.
America was a small country of 200MM people & Saudi Arabia was a country of 30 MM people they aspired to become global power due to a unipolar world after cold war the problems have grown multifold………the war will spread into the soil of america & arabia it will be hybrid & covert over next 2 decades turkey may become head of muslim caliphate they will capture saudi arabia with help of china,russia India Japan iran pakistan & that can perhaps lead to lasting peace for muslimdom similar to capture of washington from redindians led to lasting peace for xtiandom land.
The new president of USA Mrs clinton & her husband created the salafist movement to protect the national security interest of USA & Saudi Arabia which came at huge cost for Pakistanis,Russians,Chinese,Turks,Indians,Iranians,Japanese,ehyptians,yemenis,Afghans,Syrians,Iraqis through the America/saudi network of taliban,alqaeda,isis,let,etc etc.Why there are no extremist group in turkey or Indonesia & they are respected world wide is what scholars in universities should debate about nexus of american xtians/saudi angle.
Yes, I understand that changes are comming. But these you describe are really far fetched. The only productive way to analyse and observe — from my experience — is to start tracking the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, goals, membship and then conclude what may be their ultimate objective. My guess is — Pan-Asian security structure, not guaranteed by US or its European NATO allies. Seems lika a tall order, but looking at the brick by brick moves, it does not seem far fetched. The idea that some other, superior beings can be better or defining and upholding Asian security structure and its mechanisms — has crossed some minds in Asia. But the progress cannot be easy, as the goal is NOT to create another NATO — the goal is not an exclusive control over one’s friends and trading parters, but rather a committment to uphold values of "do no harm" to others. That is happening slowly, as the would be polkiceman of the globe, just does not see it that way — and consequently, demands of its partners to be divisive, and do/or threat with harm — the "others". The "otherism" is a big problem in a globalised world. We cannot have an utlimate security for some, and untimate, conditional or coerced security for the others. So, this is where we are. The two visions are far apart, one advancing the other, digging heals.
And a bit more then that. They realised that Ameican or Erupoean population is not willing to fight wars, thus — we are not putting "boots on the ground’, and decided to do something about it. Thus, a new ground forces, recruited from the world’s poorest, war displaced, driven to desparation populace of the Middle East — giving them a religious ideology of a cult. And entusiastic cuts do attract likeminded around the globe — not necessarily poor, but alienated, marginalized, juvenile, rebels from authority, mentally and emotionally unstable. All cults do, and the garden variety of the same cult gives an impression of their success and purpose. The dark side of using cults for ground forces is — recruiting their families as well. When these people fight, they litterally have the skin in the outcome, their relatives, children.
We have done everything wrong — by talking about Islam, as if the religion is really at the root of it. At the root is the objective of creating armies of those ready to die for "their" cause. Supply them with necessities, arm them, provide them with the religious leader, who is a political commissar, and provide a military leadership — trained and brought in for a purpose. That is all that takes to have ground forces.
But those that saw wind, reap whirlwind. We see already now the beginning of blowback. Because once used — it is not as easy to discard them. One cannot just demobilize, send them home to civilian jobs. If the idea is that they will not be a match for superior fighting forces when it is time for their group or groups to exit stage left — backlash will ensue. At least some will understand that they are nothing but disposable tissue, a reallignment of ideas will occur. Their manipulators will never again be trusted, not even for money. And the earned anymosity will be exponential. While others will continue, as drifters do love the lifestyle of mercenaries and the lack of obligations and attachement in real life — as for all others involved in this brilliant schema — the bill will get due.
Branka Alhamdy I think the chinese & russians now think their national security is compromised ……so along with Pakistan & Iran they have plan to capture saudi arabia & make someone from turkey or Pakistan as Sultan of Arabia.Most likely the new sultan will be from Turkey …..the chinese & russians have modernized their military forces they even have deployed hypersonic missiles which can hit washington,london,frankfurt,melbourne,berlin in just 1 hour mostly they may want to start their cold war in arabia as the russians,chinese and iranians will not forgive the hostility caused to them by arabs & americans during cold war.America has to surrender some outposts either it is australia,israel or saudi arabia to the chinese,russians,iranians.America if it is not proactive in surrendering their outposts they will make life hell & miserable for their allies now….that is what i think will happen in next 2 decades.
Branka Alhamdy I think earlier the chinese,iranians,russians pakistanis & turks used to confine themselves inside their country.Now they think it is a bad strategy when the saudis & americans go to other countries using their version of religion to upset their national security.So it is possible that chinese & their allies would have trained their diaspora in modern arms which they will deploy it in london & australia & saudi arabia it is like taking the battle to where the source is…..so next 2 decades will be very very interesting & clinton presidency will be greatest disaster for world peace & security.
Mr. M. Zuhdi. Jasser. Should. Watch. Your. Back. Because. Being. In. The. USA. No. Longer. Means. Your. Safe….You. Are. Important. To. So. Many. Of. Us….Be. Carefull…
After. WW I, The. British. Gov. Sent. To. This. Country. BLACK. AND. TAN. Operatives. To. Kidnap. Ex. Sinn. Fein. Irish. American. Citizens. For. Trial. And. Imprisonment. In. Britian….Our. gov. Being. Politically. Correct. Looked. The. Other. Way….