The Arab Problem

As we slip past the 5th anniversary of our generations Pearl Harbor I wonder if it's appropriate to feel that our efforts to thwart another terrorist attack on our soil is working? After all dates and symbolism seem to be important to the Islamic scum who desire our demise. Would they not have done great harm to our sense of safety to even mount a small attack on any anniversary up to this point? If you believe they are fearful that the symbolism of another attack on a 9/11 anniversary would re-awaken the sleeping giant with a vengeance not seen before, think again. There not that smart, nor do they understand our kind of patriotism.

I'm not suggesting we are employing all the best tactics in fighting this war...some are in fact laughable. And to not TARGET MUSLIMs in police work and intelligence work of this fight is stupid and dangerous.

What is worrisome is the attitude in the overall Arab world where one would assume that all are not extremist and some not even Muslim. A great blog on Iraq and the Arab world, by two brothers who should know since they're blogging out of Baghdad is Iraq The Model. One of the brothers, Mohammed Fadhil, has a piece to this point called Blaming the Victim in today's WSJ. Fadhil points out the Arab medias focus on our response to 9/11 as opposed to the act itself. To ignore the provocation is dishonest but also speaks to the attitude that America deserved this. Fadhil also shares my belief as he answers the question on whether the West can appease these ruler and clerics by our changing our strategy:

I don't think so. Those dictators and extremists always seek to keep a state of low-level confrontation and to keep the possibility for war open because their dominance over their people depends on their ability to create enemies and convince their people that those enemies are whom hatred and anger must be directed at.

A poll just published on Jihad TV's (Al Jazeera) website further illustrates the Arab attitude. I found this on www.littlegreenfootballs.com but you can see the original page of the terrorist medias poll on a Google translation page. My pal, Glock26, points out one positive in the poll...that the majority don't want to visit our great country!

1) Is the world safer after September 11? Yes - 4.2 % No - 95.8 %
2) Do you support Osama bin Laden? Yes - 49.9 % No - 50.1 %
3) Do you think that the war on Iraq is a war on Islam? Yes - 79.8 % No - 20.2 %
4) Do you think that there is a link between the war on terrorism and the war on Iraq? Yes - 23.4 % No - 76.6%
5) Do you wish to travel to the United States? Yes - 27.6 % No - 72.4 %