One of the first tasks of the new Kerry Administration should be to
re-think 911. What did it really mean?
When Ashcroft announced that Osama was 90% prepared to hit the
US "hard" this summer, STOCKS SOARED! AND BONDS TOO!
FORTUNATELY, NO ONE RAISED THE TERROR ALERT TO ORANGE! OR, THE DOW
MIGHT BE ABOVE 11,000 NOW. WHAT GIVES?
IS OSAMA NO LONGER VIEWED AS A THREAT ON WALL STREET?
Or, is it possible that we have mis-read Osama and Co.? Consider:
There is a real possiblity that Osama is more middle east oriented,
and more concerned about the state of the Muslim World, than he is
about the West, or the US in particular.
PERHAPS OSAMA IS A MUSLIM-CENTRIC PERSON, WITHOUT GLOBAL AMBITIONS.
Dubya and Co have interpreted 911 to mean that: "They're comin to get
us!" Why? "Because we're good and they're evil!"
Now, that viewpoint might need more elaboration and nuance.
I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT OSAMA REALLY WANTS TO CONVERT AMERICA TO ISLAM.
And, I doubt that Osama wants to "make trouble" for the Muslim
Diaspora, who live in western countries for whatever reason.
BUT, IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT OSAMA WANTS THE WEST SIMPLY TO LEAVE
THE ISLAMIST NATIONS ALONE; AND TO NOT INTERFER IN THE INTERNAL
AFFAIRS OF ISLMAIC COUNTRIES.
Please note, that this interpretation is different than the current
view in Washington;
And perhaps less threatening to the West.
It is highly possible that Osama hates the House of Saud and the
other middle east autocracies, more than he hates America.
In fact, I think that the REAL game for Osama is control of Saudi
Arabia and the Islamic "holy sites."
It's possible that Osama is really more MUSLIM RELIGIOUS FANATIC,
THAN HE IS A GLOBAL POLITICIAN.
IF THIS IS SO, THEN THE STRUGGLE FOR OSAMA IS REALLY WITHIN ISLAM
ITSELF, AND NOT WITH THE US OR EVEN ISRAEL!
This makes a big difference strategically.
Indeed, the Israeli-Palestinian trouble was said to be tangential to
Osama's thinking up till recent events in Iraq.
This goes back to the need to solve the Israel-Palestine problem is
the sine quo non for the whole sorry mess in the middle east.
THE POINT?
I'M GETTING THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HAVE MIS-READ THE MIDDLE EAST AND
OSAMA IN SOME VERY FUNDAMENTAL WAYS.
AND WITH THE "BUSH DOCTRINE" OF PREEMTIVE WAR NOW DISCREDITED;
IT MAY BE TIME FOR THE KERRY ADMINISTRATION TO TRY SOME NEW PREEMTIVE
DIPLOMACY AFTER JANUARY 2005.
Because something just isn't adding up here; when Ashcroft expounds a
vision of near certain GLOOM AND DOOM; And Wall Street soars on the
news!
