Presentation Transcript

1. Week 9 Jihad
2. So far I have talked about war in secular terms,i.e., as an activity without any spiritual dimension . despite the fact that many “old” wars have been waged for a religious reason, for example, . in 1095 Pope Urban II declared the first Crusade . this was meant to restore Christian access to its holy places near and within Jerusalem . this Crusadewas followed by six moreand by many minor ones over a 200 year period
3. “… the first Crusade”
4. The Crusades were not “wars of … globalization”,i.e., they were not “new” wars. They were fought: . between “regular” armed forces . for geo-political and ideological reasons . using battles to capture territory (n.b. the Crusaders did not rely on supplies from governments, though; they pillaged the countrysidethey crossed and lived off the land; this is more like the predatory methods used by those who wage “new” wars)
5. Despite the secularization that was expected to follow the spread of a rationalistic/scientific understanding of the world, religion continues to play a role in today’s wars, “old” and “new”, e.g., . the conflict between Catholic separatists and Protestants who remain loyal to Britain in Northern Ireland . the conflict between Jews and Muslim Palestinians in Israel, and . the conflict between Muslim jihadists and the rulers ofa number of non-Muslim countries
6. The religious wars of today are often “old” wars (in Kaldor’s sense) though some are “new”, i.e., they are fought by state and non-state actors for identityand the control of populations, e.g., . the Catholics of Northern Ireland want their ownstate or to join that of Ireland . they also often use guerrilla tactics in an attempt to displace the British regime (they see them-selves as “freedom-fighters” not “terrorists” or “rebels”)
7. The war between Israel and Palestine is aboutPalestine regaining lost territory. It is a war fought not between “regular” armed forces using battles, however. It is fought mostly by: . Israelis building settlements in the lands of Palestine and making a wall . Palestinians trying to mobilize international public opinion to show that they still have a nationalidentity and still deserve a sovereign state within the borders laid down in 1967
8. The war between Muslim jihadists and the regimesthey want to change consists mainly of terrorist attacks by groups like al-Qaeda and its affiliates/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 Muslim guerrilla force . it wants global jihad and sharia law, i.e., the law of god as outlinedin the Koran and the Sunnah
9. “…Osama bin Laden”
10. “… multinational, non-state army”
11. Some of its allies are very unlikely. On 6 January, 2014, the BBC said that an American, “Jihad Jane” Colleen LaRose (50), is to be gaoled for 10 years for planning 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 US$100,000 reward for his death . LaRose also tried to recruit men on the internet to wage jihad in South Asia and Europe
12. “… ‘Jihad Jane’ …. [and] Lars Vilks …
13. … [and] the Muslim prophet Muhammad as a dog”
14. What is jihad? Who arethe jihadists? And why talk about them in a course on “old” wars and “new” wars?
15. “… What is jihad?”
16. “… Who are the jihadists?”
17. “… And why talk about them in a course on‘old’ wars and ‘new’wars?”
18. Jihad is often described askilling Jews and Christians. Is this accurate?If not, what is it? . in linguistic terms it is an Arabic word that means to “struggle” and to “strive”. It applies, as such, to any effort by anyone. For example: .. a student may struggle to get an education .. a worker may struggle to do a good job and to please his or her employer .. a politician may struggle to be popular . N.b. there is a “greater” jihad and a “lesser one
19. “… to struggle and to strive”
20. 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 should be understood as: 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 hard, therefore, …
21. … to put Allah ahead of our loved ones, our wealth,our worldly ambitions, and our lives. For a non-Muslim who converts, this struggle may be especially hard, but this is jihad 2. staying on the straight path - Muslims who are persecuted should move to a more peaceful and tolerant place and continue with their struggle to live as true believers there 3. striving for righteous deeds - when faced with competing interests, jihadmeanschoosing the rightpath …
22. “… move to a more peaceful and tolerant place”
23. … a jihadist, therefore, “strives against himself for the sake of Allah” 4. having the courage to convey the message of Islam - like the many good people who have suffered to bring Allah’s message to humankind 5. defending Islam and the community -the Koran says Muslims can fight for their faith but only when “war is made” 6. helping allies who may not be Muslims - there are historic cases of Muhammad doing just this
24. “… to bring Allah’s message to humankind”
25. 7. banishing traitors - Muhammad undertook a number of armed campaigns to remove traitors from power and to exile them 8. defense by the use of preemptive strikes - Muhammad sought to protect his people and the religion he had established; that meant accepting intelligence reports of enemies massing near his borders and waging preemptive war 9. having the freedom to spread Islam in an open and free environment - Muhammad …
26. … used non-violent methods when he could, and armed struggle when it was unavoidable 10. freeing people from tyranny - Muhammad sought to free people from oppression; once free, these people could choose Islam or not. In 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 individual or national power, wealth or prestige. Is this merely “Muslim apologetics”, though?
27. For example, do your agree with Richard Dawkins (quoted here) or with the Prophet Muhammad?
28. And what about “preemptive [preventive] war”?
29. And if jihad is so benign then why do jihadists, 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 scholar’s reasoning and is considered binding by those who accept his authority
30. [Jeff Bridges as the “Big Lebowski”]
31. Bin Laden’s first fatwa was issued in August1996:the “Declaration of War against America Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places” . it begins by saying: “… the people of Islam” have suffered from the “aggression, iniquity and injustice imposed on them by the Zionist- Crusaders alliance and their collaborators … All false claims … about ‘Human Rights’ … [have been] hammered down … [as they have] resorted to killing and arresting the truthful …”
32. Bin Laden’s fatwa then attacks the land of Islam’s two holy cities (Mecca and Medina). It accuses Saudi Arabia of . replacingsharia law with civil law . allowing the Americans to be the country’s 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
33. Saudi Arabia and the Kaaba in Mecca
34. “People are fully concerned with their every dayliving[]”, 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 [world’s] largest oil exporting country?!”
35. “… the [world’s] largest oil exportingcountry”
36. “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”.
37. “... the American enemy”
38. “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 SA’s main market
39. 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 with the forces of the crusader enemy … unless a big advantage is likely to be achieved; and great losses … [inflicted] on the enemy … that will help to expel [him] … from the country”; nonetheless, . “… your brothers and sons”, he adds, “request[] that you support them in every possible way … supplying them with information … [and] arms”
40. “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 …”
41. //www.defenseindustrydaily.com
42. Furthermore: “[t]he security and intelligence services of the entire world can not force a single citizen to buy the goods of his/her enemy. Economic[] boycotting of … American goods is a very effective weapon … [in] hitting and weakening the enemy, and it is not under the control of the security forces of the regime”. . this said, “[t]errorising… [them], while … [they carry]arms on our land, is a legitimate and morally demanded duty … [Our] problem will be how to convince … [our] troops to fight …”
43. He concludes: “It is … [beholden] now on every tribe in the Arab Peninsula to fight, Jihad, in the cause of Allah and to cleanse the land … [of these] occupiers… [their] blood is … to be spilled … and their wealth … [is to become our] booty … The walls of oppression and humiliation cannot be demolished except in a rain of bullets. The freeman does not surrender … to [an] infidel [or a]sinner[] … [O]ne will die (anyway) and the most honourable death is to be killed in the way of Allah”.
44. “… It is … [beholden] now on every tribe to …fight”
45. Bin Laden’s second fatwa was issued in February 1998. It was signed by more than one group and it declares 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
46. 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”
47. “… the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people”
48. 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 Israel’s survival and the continuation of the brutal … occupation of the Peninsula”
49. “… its occupation of [East] Jerusalem”
50. What follows from this, the fatwa says, is the need to “kill … Americans and their allies … civilians and military … in any country in which it is possible to do … [so]” . “We”, it says, “… call 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 Satan’s U.S. troops and … [those] ally[ied] with them …”
51. After looking at “what is jihad?”, the next question is “who are the jihadists?” . jihadists are those members of global movements that use armed jihad to promote fundamentalist Islam (they are most often Sunni) . their history goes back to the early 19th century but their activities became most evident after the Cold War and the 9/11 attacks . they now include .. mujahideenguerrillas (those who struggle on the path of Allah) and .. Muslim-inspired terrorism/extremism
52. During the Cold War some NATO governments,particularly those of the U.S. and the U.K., launched covert and overt campaigns to encourage such movements in the Middle East and southern Asia. They were seen as a hedge against . the expansion of the Soviet Union . the growth of nationalistic movements that did not necessarily serve the interestsof Western nations
53. By the 1970s they had become important allies,supporting governments like Egypt which were friendly to America, though . by the late 1970s some had become militaristic; they had begun to threaten those in power . the overthrow of the Shah in Iran and the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini there was seen by the U.S. as evidence of this threat . militant Muslims subsequently started a civil war in Algeria
54. “… the overthrow of the Shah in Iran … ”
55. “… and the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini”
56. “… a civil war in Algeria”
57. Jihadis are the most violent of contemporary Muslims. They include the al-Qaeda movement already mentioned . jihadists are pan-Islamists, i.e., they want to spread Islam worldwide and restore the Caliphate (an Islamic umma[brotherhood] state led by a supremereligious and political leader known as a caliph) . globally they use international terrorism . regionally they use guerrilla war
58. Jihadists have waged wars against Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, pagans, Zoroastrians, atheists and Christians . the activities of modern jihadistsdate from the end of the Soviet war in Afghanistan in 1989 . the fundamentalist Islam that they promote today is called “Islamism” because they are: .. determined to return to the founding texts .. passionate in their opposition to the perceived corrupting influence of the West, e.g., …
59. … they may wearthe thawb rather than the Western business suit …
60. … they may eschew the necktie (based on the shawl 7th1 c. Croatian mercenaries wore) …
61. … they may prefer to make the gesture of salaam ratherthan shake hands …
62. … they may thinkwomen should wearthe niqab (or hijab, chador orbirka) outside the home and …
63. … they may oppose music and laughter
64. Being anti-Western also means disagreeing with 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 the state . freedom of speech, and . freedom of religion
65. “… religious police [banning ‘tempting eyes’”
66. “… freedom of religion [from an Islamic perspective]”
67. As recently as last year (2013) a study by the WissenschaftszentrumsBerlin fur Sozialforschung found that not only is: . Islamic fundamentalism widespread among European Muslims but that . the majority believereligious rules are more important than civil laws, and . three-quarters reject religious pluralism within Islam
68. Some of the best known jihadistsinclude: 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 all classify this as 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).
69. “… HAMAS … [and] Hezbollah”
70. . Hezbollah was formed to resist the Israeli occupation of Lebanon . it was funded and trained by Iran . it now controls 11 of the country’s 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 . it has been called a “national movement of resistance”
71. 3. the Taliban - this spread from Pakistan into Afghanistan where it ruled from September 1996 until December 2001 (though it was only ever recognized by Pakistan, Saudi Arabiaand the United Arab Emirates) . in power it enforced a fundamentalist version of Islamic 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
72. . in power the Taliban were merciless . they were overthrown by an American-led alliance . they then regrouped as an insurgency movement, using terrorism as a means to promote their ideological and political ends . they are responsible for 75-80% of the civilian casualties in the Afghanistan conflict . the Americans are currently withdrawing . they plan to leave a local army behind
73. Which leaves the last question: why talk about jihad and jihadists in a course on “old” and “new” wars? . some answers have already been suggested . jihad is a tactic used by jihadists .. some (like HAMAS) have conventional goals to do with national self-determination, for example .. others (like al-Qaeda) have a very different model of world affairs in mind
74. How do you think jihad and jihadists should be seen in this regard? . are they better described in “old” war or “new” war terms? . can we see what they do in both terms, depending on the group concerned? . does this distinction matter when applied to jihad and jihadists?
75. … and I hope to see you next week