Week 9 Jihad

Week 9 20th century Islam: jihadSo far Ive talked about war in secular terms; asan activity without any spiritual aspects . this despite the fact that many old wars were religious wars, e.g., .. in 1095 Pope Urban II declared the first Crusade to restore Christian access to holy places near and within Jerusalem .. this was followed by 6 major Crusades and many minor ones over a 200 year period the first Crusade

The Crusades were not wars of globalization;they were not new wars; they were fought: . between regular armed forces . for geo-political and ideological reasons . using battles to capture territory, however . the Crusaders did not rely on supplies from governments; they pillaged the countryside they crossed and they lived off the land; this is like the predatory methods used by those who wage new wars

Despite the secularization that was expected to accompany the spread of a rationalistic/scientificunderstanding of the world, religion continues to play a role in todays wars, old and new, e.g., . the conflict between Catholic revolutionaries and the Protestants loyal to Britain in Northern Ireland . the conflict between the Jews and the Muslim Palestinians in Israel, and . the conflict between holy warriors and ruling regimes in a number of countries today

The troubles began in Northern Ireland in thelate 1960s and are said to have ended with the Belfast Good Friday Agreement of 1998 (although violence continues today); they were/are a politico-strategic struggle over control over territory but the status quo/loyalists are mostly Protestants and the separatist/Irish aremostly Catholics; those actually fighting were/arepara-military republicans (the Provisional IRA)and para-military Loyalists (plus the British army and police)

The Israel/Palestine war is about the latter regainingterritory; both sides use taxes (it is an old war);it is not, however, between regular armies going into battle (it is a new war); it is fought mostly by: . the Israelis building settlements on Palestinian land that they occupy and then building a wall . the Palestinians mobilizing international public opinion to show they still have a national identity and still deserve a sovereign state within the borders laid down in 1967

The wars between Muslim holy warriors and the regimes they want changed consist of terroristattacks by groups like al-Qaeda and its allies . al-Qaeda is a global Islamist guerrilla organization . it was founded by Osama bin Laden in Peshawar, Pakistan, in 1988/1989, as an anti-Soviet force . it operates now as a radical, multinational, non- state Sunni guerrilla force . it wants global holy war and sharia law, i.e., the law of god as given in the Koran and the Sunnah

Osama bin Laden

multinational, non-state armySome of its allies are very unlikely; on 6 January, 2014, the BBC said that an American, Jihad JaneColleen LaRose (50), was gaoled for 10 years forplanning to kill a Swedish artist . Lars Vilks became a target after drawing cartoons of the Muslim prophet Muhammad as a dog . Muslim militants in Iraq subsequently offered a $100,000 reward for his death, while . LaRose tried to recruit men on the internet to wage holy war in South Asia and Europe Jihad Jane . [and] Lars Vilks

[and] the Muslim prophet Muhammad as a dog

The religious wars of today are often old wars (in Kaldors sense) though some are new, i.e.,

they are fought by state and non-state actors for identity and the control of populations, using predatory financing; they involve guerrilla tactics, e.g. terrorist ones, in the attempt to replace the dominant regime (n.b. those involved see themselves as freedom-fighters not terrorists or rebels); they also involve ideas to do with a particular moral purpose, e.g. jihad

What is jihad?Who are the jihadists?

Why talk about them in a course on old wars and new wars? What is jihad?

The modern image of jihad is of violent, Muslim fundamentalists, e.g.

or

In linguistic terms, however, jihad is Arabic for to struggle and to strive; as such, it can apply to any Muslim trying to be a better one, e.g., . a student struggling to get an education . a worker struggling to do a good job and to please his or her employer . a politician struggling to be popular .. this said, there is a greater jihad and a lesser one to struggle and to strive

In the West jihad is usually translated as holy war; according to Muslim teachings, however,to start a war is unholy, even though particular wars may be inevitable and justifiable; the Koran (the Muslim bible) and the Hadith (what Muhammad said and did) say that jihad is:recognizing the creator and loving him most - in Islam the creator of the cosmos (and the one god) is Allah. He is real but he is unseen hence he tends to be ignored; it is a struggle to put Allah ahead of our loved ones, our wealth, our worldly ambitions and our lives, and for non-Muslims who convert this struggle can be especially difficult; this, however, is jihad 2. staying on the straight path - Muslims who are persecuted should move to a more peaceful and tolerant place and continue there with their struggle to live as true believers 3. striving for righteous deeds - when faced with competing interests, jihad is choosing the right path

move to a more peaceful and tolerant place

a jihadist, therefore, strives against himself for the sake of Allah4. having the courage to convey the message of Islam - like the many people who have already suffered to bring Allahs message to humankind5. defending Islam and the community - the Koran says Muslims can fight for their faith but only when war is made6. helping allies who may not be Muslims - there are historic cases of Muhammad doing just this to bring Allahs message to humankind

7. banishing traitors - Muhammad undertook a number of armed campaigns to remove traitors from power and to exile them8. defense by the use of preemptive strikes - Muhammad sought to protect his people and his religion; that in turn meant using intelligence reports of enemies massing near his borders to wage preemptive war on them9. having the freedom to spread Islam in an open and free environment - Muhammad used non-violent methods when he could, and armed struggle only when he couldnt10. freeing people from tyranny - Muhammad sought to free people from oppression; once free, these people could choose Islam or notIn short, the Koran and the Hadith say that jihad means using the pen, the tongue, or the media - and only if necessary, force - to promote and protect Islam; it is not about striving for individualor national power, wealth or prestige; is this merely Muslim apologetics, though?For example, do your agree with Richard Dawkins or the Prophet Muhammad?

And what, for example, about preemptive war?

If jihad is so benign then why do leaders like Osama bin Laden, issue fatwas? . first, however, what is a fatwa? .. a Muslim fatwa is the technical term for a judgment or an interpretation by a qualified scholar on an issue of Islamic law .. it usually contains the details of the scholars reasoning and is considered binding by those who accept his authority

Jeff Bridges as the Big Lebowski

Bin Ladens first fatwa was issued in August1996:his Declaration of War against AmericansOccupying the Land of the Two Holy Places . this begins by saying: the people of Islam have suffered from the aggression, iniquity and injustice imposed on them by the Zionist- Crusader[] alliance and their collaborators All false claims about Human Rights [have been] hammered down [as they have] resorted to killing and arresting the truthful

Bin Ladens fatwa then attacks the land of Islams two holy cities (Mecca and Medina); it accuses Saudi Arabia of . replacing sharia law with civil law . allowing the Americans to be the countrys occupiers and to disastrous effect, e.g., .. with regard to the oil industry, and .. with regard to expensive arms deals . refusing to listen to those who accuse the Saudi government of abusing the media and serving their own corrupt ends

Saudi Arabia and the Kaaba in MeccaPeople are fully concerned with their every day living[], he says, every body talks about the the deterioration of the economy, inflation, ever increasing debts and jails full of prisoners. Government employees with limited income[s] talk about [their] debts merchants and contractors speak about [what is] owed to them by the government [Money] is owed to the people [in the form of] foreign debt. People wonder whether we [really] are the [worlds] largest oil exporting country?! the [worlds] largest oil exporting country

The right answer he says is to follow [the decisions of] the people of knowledge to join forces and support each other to get rid of [those who are] controlling the countries of the Islamic world Clearly, after Belief there is no more important duty than pushing the American enemy out of the holy land [E]ven the military personnel who are not practising Islam are not exempted from the duty of Jihad against the enemy. ... the American enemy

I would like to alert my brothers the sons of the nation, of [the need to] protect [our oil] and not to include it in the battle as it is a great Islamic wealth and a large economic[] power essential for the soon to be established Islamic state We also warn the USA against burning this wealth (a crime which they may commit to prevent it falling in[to] the hands of its legitimate owners) [thus causing economic loss] particularly [to] Japan, which is SAs main market

Bin Laden then says: as you know, it is wise,in the present circumstances, for the armed military forces not to be engaged in conventional fighting (my emphasis) with the forces of the crusader enemy unless (me) a big advantage is likely to be achieved and great losses [can be inflicted] on the enemy help[ing] to expel [him] from the country, and . support [your brothers and sons], he says, in every possible way with information [and] arms

The regime is fully responsible for the situation today but the occupying American enemy is the main cause of the situation, he says; thus: efforts should be concentrated on fighting and killing [them] until [they are] completely defeated It is incredible, he says, that our country is the world[s] largest buyer of arms from the USA [?] and partners of [those] who are assisting [the] Zionist[s] in occupying Palestine and evicting the Muslims there

//www.defenseindustrydaily.comFurthermore: [t]he security and intelligence services of the entire world can not force a singlecitizen to buy the goods of his/her enemy. Economic[] boycotting of American goods isa very effective weapon [for] hitting and weakening the enemy, and it is not under the controlof the security forces of regime; what is more . [t]errorising [them], while [they carry] arms on our land, is a legitimate and morally demanded (?) duty [Our] problem [is] how to convince [our] troops to fight

He concludes: It is [beholden] now on every tribe in the Arab Peninsula to fight, Jihad (me), in the cause of Allah and to cleanse the land [ofthese] occupiers [Their] blood is to be spilled and their wealth [is to become our] booty The walls of oppression and humiliation cannot bedemolished except in a rain of bullets. The freemandoes not surrender to [an] infidel[or a]sinner[] [O]ne will die (anyway) and the most honourabledeath is to be killed in the way of Allah. It is [beholden] now on every tribe to fight

Bin Ladens second fatwa was issued in February 1998; it was signed by more than one group and itdeclares holy war on the West too; it begins by saying that there are three facts known to everyone:1. for over seven years the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its peoples , and turning its bases there into a spearhead to fight neighboring Muslims

2. despite the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people by the crusader-Zionist alliance, and despite the huge number killed the Americans are once again[] trying to repeat [these] horrific massacres, as though they are not content with the protracted blockade imposed after [this] ferocious war or the fragmentation and devastation. So here they come to annihilate what is left of this people and to humiliate their Muslim neighbors the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people

3. if the Americans aims behind these wars are religious and economic, the aim is also to serve the Jews petty state and divert attention from its occupation of Jerusalem and murder of Muslims there. The best proof of this is their eagerness to destroy Iraq, the strongest neighboring Arab state, and their endeavor to fragment all the states of the region to guarantee Israels survival and the continuation of the brutal occupation of the Peninsula its occupation of [East] Jerusalem

What follows from this, the fatwa says, is the need to kill Americans and their allies civilians and military in any country in whichit is possible to do [so] . We call, it says, on [all] Muslim[s] to kill Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they find it . We also call on Muslim leaders, youths, and soldiers to launch raid[s] on Satans U.S. troops and [those] ally[ied] with them

Who, then, are jihadists? 1. any self-improving Muslim (see earler) 2. though today they are usually seen as the violent members of movements that promote fundamentalist (mostly Sunni) Islam; their activities go back to the early 19th c. but they became most evident after the Cold War ended and 9/11 occurred; as such they include . the mujahideen, i.e. those who wage guerrilla war against ruling regimes, e.g., the Taliban . Islam-inspired para-military and terrorists, e.g., Islamic State and Boko Haram Re the mujahideen: during the Cold War NATO governments, particularly the U.S. and the U.K., launched covert and overt campaigns to encouragesuch movements in the Middle East and southernAsia; they were seen then as a hedge against . the expansion of the Soviet Union . the growth of nationalistic movements that would not favorable to the interests of Western statesBy the 1970s these movements had become important allies, supporting governments like Egypt which were friendly to America . by the late 1970s, however, some had become militaristic; they began to threaten those in power . the overthrow of the Shah in Iran and the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini were evidence of this threat . they subsequently caused a civil war in Algeria

the overthrow of the Shah in Iran and the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini

a civil war in Algeria

Jihadists are the most violent of contemporary Muslims and they include the al-Qaeda movement already mentioned . they are pan-Islamists, i.e., they want to spread Islam worldwide and restore the Caliphate (an Islamic umma-state led by a supreme religious and political leader known as a caliph) . globally they use international terrorism . regionally they use guerrilla war

Re Islam-inspired para-military and terrorists:jihadists of this kind wage war against all faiths and those with none . their contemporary activities also date from the end of the Soviet war in Afghanistan in 1989 . the fundamentalist Islam they promote today is called Islamism because they are: .. determined to return to the founding texts .. passionate in their opposition to the so-called corrupting influence of the West, e.g., they wear the thawb rather than the Western business suit

they eschew the necktie (based on the necker- chief 17th century Croatian mercenaries wore)

they prefer to make the gesture of salaam rather than shake hands (n.b. it is illegal for a woman to shake a mans hand in Iran)

they think women should return home and wear the niqab (or hijab, chador or birka) when outside

and they oppose music and laughter (e.g. Charlie Nesbo)

Being anti-Western also means rejecting the universality of the declaration of human rights,especially on such issues as: . religious police . equality between men and women . the separation of religion and state . freedom of speech, and . freedom of religion religious police [banning tempting eyes

freedom of religion [from an Islamic perspective]

As recently as last year (2013) a study by the Wissenschaftszentrums Berlin fur Sozialforschung found that not only is: . Islamic fundamentalism widespread among European Muslims but that . the majority say religious rules are more important than civil laws, and . three-quarters reject the religious pluralism within Islam

Some of the best known groups of jihadists include: 1. Harakat al-Muqawamat al-Islamaiyyah (HAMAS) - a fundamentalist Islamist Palestinian movement that mostly attacks Israeli soldiers and civilians (Israel, the European Union, the U.S. and Japan classify it is a terrorist organization) 2. Hezbollah (or Party of Allah) - a Lebanese group that seeks to eliminate Israel and to establish an Islamist state in Lebanon (it is also seen as a terrorist organization by the countries above). HAMAS [and] Hezbollah

. Hezbollah was formed to resist the Israeli occupation of Lebanon . it was funded and trained by Iran . it now controls 11 of the 30 cabinet seats, a radio and a satellite TV station, and programs for social development . it is, in effect, a state within a state and has been called a national movement of resistance

3. the Taliban - this spread from Pakistan into Afghanistan where it ruled from September 1996 until December 2001 (though it was only recognized by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) . in power it enforced a fundamentalist version of Shariah law (and was widely condemned for its brutal treatment of women) . most Taliban are Pashtun tribesmen . it is supported by al-Qaeda and maybe Pakistan (recent attacks are changing this) . in power the Taliban were merciless . they were overthrown by an American-led alliance . they then regrouped as an insurgency movement, using terrorism to promote their ideological and politico-strategic ends . they are responsible for 75-80% of the civilian casualties in this conflict . the Americans have now withdrawn, leaving the Afghan army and advisers behind And Japans contribution?

This leaves the last question: why talk about jihad and jihadists in a course on old and newwars? Some answers have already been suggested,i.e. . some jihadists (like HAMAS) have conventional goals like national self- determination . others (like al-Qaeda) have a very different model of world affairs in mindTo compare old and new war we have to think of . armies fighting set-piece battles over territory funded by taxes and respecting the laws of war versus . irregular as well as regular forces not fighting set-piece battles over territory funded by donations and local tithes and using genocide and ethnic cleansing (i.e. disrespecting the laws of war)Which do you think is jihad? What kind of jihad do you think is at issue here?

and I hope to see you next week 95