Author: Sunanda Vashisht
Publication: Myind.net
Date: November 19, 2015
URL:   https://www.myind.net/global-jihad-network-mumbai-paris

George W Bush in a White House Press Conference on September 16, 2001 famously said “This crusade, this war on terrorism is going to take a while. And the American people must be patient. I'm going to be patient. But I can assure the American people I am determined, I'm not going to be distracted, I will keep my focus to make sure that not only are these brought to justice, but anybody who's been associated will be brought to justice. Those who harbor terrorists will be brought to justice. It is time for us to win the first war of the 21st century decisively, so that our children and our grandchildren can live peacefully into the 21st century”

Fourteen years later America has managed to keep its shores safe (a great achievement) but has not won the first war of the 21st century even remotely. The enemy has become bigger, more evil and even more ruthless than Al Qaeda that Bush wrestled with. George Bush was clear about his strategy that America will take the war to the terrorists and keep them engaged there. The theater of the war will be wherever Islamic terrorists find refuge and they will be contained at every cost. An unusual war that is fought with barbarians and not with regular armies of hostile nations has to have unusual metrics for winning and losing. You declare victory if you can keep terrorists busy in their refuge.

Twenty five years ago when I escaped Kashmir valley, World’s first jihadist laboratory, I thought the ordeal was finally over. As a little girl, perched safely behind my mother in a shawl and big coat, I heard my mother say what she called temporary goodbye. ‘We will be back when ‘situation’ is better’; she told our neighbors whom she still trusted. They made no attempt to hide the glee, but managed to be polite. Of course you will be back sister, but right now it is best to leave.  As we were about to leave, a woman who knew my mother well, accosted her and said- ‘How do you know ‘they’ whom you are escaping from won’t come wherever you are going?’ My mother pretended not to listen and we drove away. Later we found out that woman’s teenage son had gone for ‘training’ across the border euphemism for getting trained as a jihadi in ISI run camps in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. That was the last we heard from her and our erstwhile neighbors. The question that lady asked became the center point of my existence since. How do I know ‘they’ will not come wherever I am escaping to? Eleven years later ‘they’ hit the country I had taken refuge in. That woman in a small neighborhood in Kashmir in 1990 knew what Bush could not comprehend in 2001. ‘They’ will follow ‘us’ wherever we go. It is impossible to contain them in one geographical area. (Below: The MyIndMakers team discusses the ghastly Paris Attacks and terrorism)

Few days ago, Islamic Terrorism that is these days most popularly known by its franchise with popular acronym ISIS, hit the heart of French Capital of Paris.  It will be remembered as 13/11, another date that the world will remember after 9/11. Of course there is Mumbai 26/11, London 7/7 and many other ‘dates’ that ripped cities, societies, families and people.

What is common between Kashmir 1990, New York 2001, Mumbai 2008, and Paris 2015? The enemy has refused to be contained at one place and will not only be engaged at a place of our choosing.  Islamic fanaticism remains the Franchisor and Al Qaeda, ISIS, Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar e Toiba, Jaish e Mohammad and countless others are the Franchisees. The Franchise is doing extremely well because the recruitment is at an all-time high, success rate is pretty decent, number of victims across the globe are increasing and the money pouring in is very good. In its excellent documentary ‘ISIS in Afghanistan’, Frontline, PBS reported that each ISIS fighter gets 700 US Dollars per month for waging Jihad. In Afghanistan, that kind of money is luxury beyond words.

Where has the free world gone wrong in dealing with War on Terror? Billions of Dollars have been spent yet the civilized world finds itself more vulnerable than ever. America and the rest of the Western Countries didn’t realize that destroying franchisees will not help. That is why uprooting Al Qaeda resulted in something even more vicious called ISIS. Osama Bin Laden has been replaced by even more ruthless Baghdadi. In India we have seen Jamaat e Islami, Lashkar e Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen.  All of them connected, all of them have the same motto- destruction of infidels and implementing Sharia. ISIS for the first time gave the call for the Caliphate and the intention of making everything they take over a caliphate. Of course each new franchise is an improvement on the old Franchise. ISIS owns territory and has oil money. As long as the Franchisor is not dealt with, Franchisees will keep mushrooming and destroying everything that comes in their way.

So how can West deal with Islamic Terrorism?  There is consensus on the fact that there has to be some amount of military action on the ground. America under Obama is non-committal to boots on the ground and European countries simply don’t have the capacity to annihilate ISIS. In the short term, America, Russia and Europe will have to come together for some kind of strategy to deal with ISIS militarily. It is time that Western Nations bite the bullet and allow Assad regime to survive. When Saddam Hussain was removed, the vacuum allowed Al Qaeda to gain strength in Iraq and which has now to some extent been replaced with ISIS. There is no question that Assad is a ruthless dictator but it is up to people of Syria to overthrow him. For now ISIS is the bigger evil and if destroying ISIS means allowing Assad to stay and get some semblance of order in Syria that is the price that will have to be paid. A tough bargain can be worked out with Assad who will then have to work on finishing ISIS. America will also have to give up with its infatuation with Arab Spring. Springs in deserts are temporary and not very pleasant.
       
In the long term, the corporate headquarters of Islamic Terrorism or Franchisor remains. Franchisor is headquartered in Saudi Arabia with many regional headquarters in places like Pakistan and Afghanistan. West will have to understand South Asian terrorist groups are no different from Al Qaeda and ISIS. By turning a blind eye to them, they are leaving the ground ready for recruitment. Whether it is Lashkar or ISIS, both are equal enemies of free world and civilized people. Western Nations cannot discriminate between the two because only ISIS is a threat to them and Lashkar is a threat only to India. The world will have to become intolerant of all shades of terrorism. Ultimately, someone is selling the weapons that terrorists are using to terrorize people on the streets of Mumbai and Paris. Where are these weapons coming from? America at some point will have to stop its role as ATM (Any Time Money) in Middle East. Not only do the terrorist organizations need to be annihilated, they also need to be starved for cash. This is not going to happen in a day or weeks, but when the problem is as big as this, then solution will have to be drastic also. Otherwise every ‘Osama’ armed today is a potential Osama Bin Laden who crashes airliners in buildings in New York tomorrow.

Muslim communities also have to ask themselves that why are Muslims finding it hard to assimilate in places where they have been living for generations. Racism and discrimination are not valid reasons for anyone to become a jihadi. In any case Osama Bin Laden or 9/11 bombers were neither victims of racism nor did they face any discrimination. Clearly there is a poisonous ideology that makes a Jihadi train six year olds to become suicide bombers in Afghanistan, same ideology propels Mohammad Atta in New York to crash airplane in Twin Towers. There is nothing in common between the two except ideology which preaches hatred for infidels. Prominent Muslim thinkers who say ISIS is not Islam are only doing their faith a huge disservice. ISIS is getting sustenance from a certain interpretation of Islam and not from Islamophobia. They must fight for Renaissance within their faith and not Islamophobia which even if it exists is at best a reaction not the cause.