The terror masters despise our economic system and culture, but freely use our cell phones, computers, and modern weaponry in their relentless efforts to destroy us. Michael Ledeen also notes that these thugs form alliances with their ideological opposites that are peculiar to say the least. Logical consistency is apparently not a highly held value. The Ayatollah Khomeini was a radical Islamic cleric who didn't hesitate to ally "himself with anyone who could advance his cause: from Sunni terrorists like Arafat to Marxists unbelievers like the the leaders of the PFLP, and even deviants from the Islamic tradition like Hafez al-Assad." The author contends that it is foolhardy to suggest "that members of different sects and or traditions cannot work together in a common enterprise." On the contrary, terrorist leaders readily embrace the concept that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. This is especially true when their common foe is the United States and the other centers of Western Civilization. Tomorrow they probably will return to killing each other, but today there are infidels to be murdered. "If it were simply a matter of our actions," adds Ledeen, "the leaders of the Muslim world would hail America as one of the greatest allies they've ever had." Didn't we, after all, save Muslims in Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Bosnia? Sadly, our efforts motivated by moral considerations are deemed irrelevant and unworthy of gratitude. We should also not be deluded in believing that this hatred is directly connected to Israel's tense predicament with the Palestinians. The rage of the Islamic fascists transcends this seemingly intractable problem. The ultimate goal of these monsters is to eradicate our very presence anywhere on this planet.
The United States is paying a severe price for long viewing the Middle East "in the context of the anti-Communist struggle, not as a problem unto itself." Ledeen is particularly frank concerning the incompetence and naiveté of our recent Presidents. Both the Republican administration of George Bush 41 and Democrat Bill Clinton underestimated the threats emanating from the Islamic lands. The latter is especially criticized for leaving our nation vulnerable. Clinton virtually gutted the CIA and the FBI rendering these agencies incapable of performing even minimal intelligence duties. The author employs the insights of Machiavelli to conclude that men like former President Clinton are "indolent princes" who "prefer to play it safe, and either take half measures or simply pretend to act." George Bush 43 hesitates in admitting that some aspects of the Muslim faith do not encourage peace and brotherhood, but overall he is currently leading our nation in the right direction.
Should we be pessimistic? Are we doomed? Not at all, asserts Ledeen. The author devotes an entire chapter regarding "How to Win the War." "Don't forget how quickly the Soviet Empire imploded," he points out , "to the astonishment of most of the world." The United States must secure its homeland, "kill or incarcerate the terrorists," and destroy their infrastructure. You will find the author's development of these three central themes to be both fascinating and invaluable. "The War Against The Terror Masters" should be on the top of your list. I strongly recommend it.
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2002Format: Hardcover
