This article was published in the
July 2005 volume of the
SWJ Magazine.
The Radical Muslim War
Against the Western Tax Base
Mr. Shawn
O’Connell
INTRODUCTION: This paper outlines a theory concerning why Muslim
terrorists attacked the World Trade Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, bombed
London’s subway during the G-8 economic summit on July 7th,
and detonated blasts in an Egyptian resort on 23rd July. The
reason for these attacks was to create ‘Economic Terrorism.’ Economic
Terrorism is defined here as the attempt to assault and destroy a foe
through decimation of the enemy’s tax base via rank economic sabotage.
Such attacks on economic infrastructures lower net tax yield, thereby
shrinking the capital pool for military spending. There is historical
warrant for the belligerent use of strategic economic destruction. This
is detailed in an iconoclastic book on the Roman Empire’s demise, by
peerless Orientalist Henri Pirenne, called ‘Charlemagne and Muhammad’
(1943). This work challenged Gibbon’s thesis that Germanic barbarian
assaults doomed Rome, posited in the Decline and Fall of the Roman
Empire (1776). As we shall see, ‘Economic Terrorism’ is the most potent
weapon for Muslim radicals can deploy in their siege against the West.
There is hard evidence Islamicists employed Economic
Terrorism on Sept. 11 to mangle the US economy,
which vicariously damaged the tax base. By extension, this was meant to
prune U.S ability to pursue aggressive foreign policy, mount defense and
wage war. Radical Islam has long reacted with ambivalence and rage
towards capitalism.
Framing this debate is a larger ideological struggle, pitting
‘atheistic’ Western capitalistic economics against the Islamic idee
fixe – the formulaic Muslim theocracy. Accordingly, a famous radical
Muslim intellectual felt that, “…democracy is a form of idol worship.
So, too…capitalism, which is…is a form of idolatry.”
We now know Al Qaeda was fixated on casing New York financial
institutions for years before they attacked. If Islamic terrorists
further pursue Economic Terrorism without an organized Western response,
the impact upon economy and tax-derived defense will be massive. Also,
such attacks won’t be isolated,
but recurrent -- given the small cost of assaults and massive potential
reward. Therefore, we must study Economic Terrorism and prepare an
answer. Ultimately, as the poor and overmatched Islamic terrorists
pursue their struggle against the West, they realize this is the best
‘small war’ strategy of all.WHAT IS ECONOMIC
TERRORISM: Let’s here better define ‘economic terrorism.’ First,
according to Webster’s, terrorism is: “The state of being terrorized or
the act of terrorizing; the use of intimidation to attain one’s goals,
or to advance one’s causes.”
So, ‘Economic Terrorism’ is the act by any group or state for the sole
and illegal purpose of creating economic chaos and collapse as a means
of destroying the attendant society, for military, social, political, or
religious purposes. This definition is meant to ameliorate certain
potential problems in definition. Certainly, Economic Terrorism goes
well beyond any simple boycott, embargo, tariff, or trade war between
two countries. This would not merely be a case where one country cried
‘foul’ over another’s unfair or even illegal commercial activities. Such
actions would have to be shown to be the result of an outright attempt
through some malign person or group to create economic chaos meant to
undermine the ability of a country to mount a defense or even exist.
Some might ask if, for example, perhaps the U.S. could be guilty of
Economic Terrorism in its embargo and boycott of Cuba because, after
all, our activities badly damaged Cuba’s ability to exist. The simple
answer to this is -- No, because America had principled and arguably
just reasons for embargoing Cuba that are based upon respect for human
rights found nowhere in Marxist countries.
CLASH OF WORLDVIEWS: But, arguendo -- who
decides the standard should a dispute erupt between two countries, at
say – the United Nations? Radical Islam and the West diverge upon the
Western doctrines of freedom and human rights that form the foundation
for international law. Therefore, in the name of human rights and
freedom, we must insist that whatever country is trying to practice
those humanistic doctrines must be favored versus those in opposition,
because to not follow this logic is to buy into the terrorist’s
insistence to reject human rights, dignity and freedom. The goals of
Economic Terrorism are therefore summed as threefold: First, actual
attacks upon capitalist citadels meant to inflict maximum real damage.
Second, to produce a shockwave of hopelessness and fear meant to remove
from businessmen and consumers ease and confidence while conducting or
contemplating trade. Third, to inflict such damage upon the money
holding and capitalistic organs of society that tax receipts no longer
cover any but the most basic expenditures. After this point such a
society will become from a practical military sense – de-clawed and
toothless.
STRIKE AGAINST CAPITALISM: So, the Sept. 11
terrorists specifically targeted American, and now European capitalism.
But, let’s ask specifically -- Why? For several reasons, the first being
pragmatic, the second ideological. First, as a doctrine of war, damaging
the industrial and economic infrastructure of your opponent means
limiting their ability to attack and defend. Hence, such was executed
during U.S. General Sherman’s ‘March to the Sea’ in the Civil War, and
also employed in the strategic bombing of Dresden, Germany during WW II.
Both came as classic examples of economic destruction as a component of
‘Total War.’ But there is also an ideological component of Islamicists
opposing capitalism that must be reckoned. The free market philosophy of
capitalism generally opposes the theocratic Muslim concept of the
perfect Islamic state, where all human decisions are pre-formatted. It
is unsurprising then that Sayyid Qutb, a highly influential modern
Islamic Intellectual referred to as “the brains behind bin Laden"
wrote a book called The Battle between Islam and Capitalism.
Of course, a preemptive act of sabotage would appeal to terrorists for
predictable reasons. For one, it would be an audacious way to land an
unguarded strategic blow. Therefore, the impact would be magnified, both
psychologically and in fact. It was also an inexpensive way to hurt a
rich country, and perhaps the best way for poor, unarmed terrorists to
take on a superpower. Further, we know the Sept. 11 terrorists
specifically concentrated on economic targets. This news was announced
when the Washington Post wrote of an intelligence coup gleaned from a
captured computer in the aftermath of a failed assassination against
Pakistani President Musharraf. The captured materials tell of Al Qaeda’s
American, pre-9-11 surveillance, the Post remarking, “Perhaps the most
important break from Khan's arrest was the discovery of a laptop and
computer disks containing scouting reports and hundreds of photographs
of financial institutions in the United States -- targets that officials
said were exhaustively surveilled by al Qaeda in 2000 and 2001.”
RADICAL MUSLIM GOAL: The current U.S.
administration’s claim that the Islamicist attack upon America are a
‘rejection of Western values’ finds merit here. On September 20, 2001,
President Bush asked rhetorically -- “"Why do they hate us?"…They hate
our freedoms: our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our
freedom to vote…,” etc. This approach sagely sidesteps tendentious (and
to Westerners -- inexplicable) terrorist religious motivations, instead
focusing upon the main Muslim terrorist goal. This goal is the economic
ruination of Western economies, and thereby their military and societal
expressions. It was the Islamic terrorist’s studied intent to cripple
America via a brutal attack on the heart of American economic
infrastructure and international capitalism. This was symbolically
raised against the World Trade Towers. The notion of the military value
of such attacks was foreshadowed by Professor Henri Pirenne’s
description of the terminal collapse of the Roman Empire being
precipitated not, as commonly claimed, by the inexorable onslaught of
Germanic tribes. Instead, Pirenne believed it was the asphyxiating
impact of the Muslim Saracens in the guise of insatiable pirates driving
a stake into the heart of Christendom, thereby precipitating the “Middle
Ages” period of European decline. Pirenne believed Muslim pirates
attacked so many ships, trading posts and caravans around the
Mediterranean that commerce around that body of water literally
evaporated, as traders and caravan organizers found the risks of
continuing too great. So literally, Rome collapsed as she lost her
trading centers and routes, then the attendant tax base.
ATTACK UPON TAXES: One key goal of the terrorists
in their Sept. 11 attack upon the World Trade Towers was to reduce tax
collection. In fact, this could be argued their main goal. While this
may not seem obvious at first, it almost goes without saying upon
further reflection. America’s ability to be the preeminent world
military power is based first upon its status as being and remaining the
preeminent world economic power. It is only by maintaining this that the
U.S. can afford all the many expenditures associated with a
high-powered, state of the art, rapid response military. Hurting the
American economy would not achieve the goals of the terrorists Muslims
unless it also reduced our tax base. These fanatics were also interested
in destroying the American way of life, thrilled at the idea of proving
America a flaccid entity run by infidels. Yet the destruction of the tax
base was their real goal. Reduced taxes means an overall trimmed budget,
which yields smaller military expenditures, and in the long term it
would mean a decline in American ability to put their convictions into
concrete actions. Henri Pirenne claims a similar thing happened to the
Roman Empire.
THE WEST, ISLAM, ECONOMICS & PIRENNE: Modern
Islamic terrorists are not nearly as unschooled in Western liberal arts
traditions as popular culture claims, especially in world history. In
fact, many 9-11 terrorists were university educated. It is a conflict
truism that the worst mistake participants make is underestimating their
opponent’s abilities. Yet, in reducing the profile of terrorists Muslims
to those of illiterate, fanatically religious peasants, we overlook an
opportunity to understand the ideas and motives which animate them.
Accordingly, this paper’s theory of the Muslim terrorist’s mindset goes
like this. Given the terrorist’s Muslim pride in their great historic
moments, and how famed Pirenne’s thesis became, it’s highly unlikely
they didn’t know of his theory. Especially that he posited Muslim
aggressions and piracy precipitated Rome’s fall. Further, it’s not
relevant whether Pirenne’s Roman decline thesis is entirely correct.
Instead, it’s merely helpful to explain the terrorist’s actions. This is
almost certain, especially considering the last thousand years of
Islamic frustration, which naturally encouraged their emphasizing
Islam’s great ‘Golden Age.’ This recounting covers a period of Islamic
genius fostering an Augustan epoch of unparalleled achievement in
science, arts, literature, and military prowess – and lionizes figures
like Saladin, who bested the Crusaders.
Beyond this, granting how the wide array of possible targets they had in
New York alone, it is more than coincidence that the eponymously named
World Trade Towers were chosen. But, for skeptic’s sake, it’s possible
that the terrorists were wholly ignorant of Pirenne’s “Mohammed and
Charlemagne.” Yet, even if historically ignorant, they clearly were
still motivated by Economic Terrorism to attack the World Trade Towers,
bomb London’s ‘Tube’ during the G-8 summit, and shatter the Egyptian
Sharm el-Sheikh
resort.
EFFECTS OF THE SEPTEMBER-ELEVEN TERRORIST
ATTACKS: The impact upon the American economy, and by osmosis, the rest
of the Western economies from the 9-11 attacks has been staggering.
Entire market areas, like the airline industry, were destabilized
overnight. The industries affected by the terrorist attack have been
many, including travel, banking, stocks, national and international
trade, and many others. The impact on the U.S. economy was certainly in
the billions of dollars, and around the world many times this. This was
exactly the intent of the terrorists. They knew with very limited means
(and strictly speaking -- no military resources) they wouldn’t be able
to do much damage to the U.S. So they decided to maximize the impact of
their efforts. Had they attacked a military facility alone, even the
Pentagon; or simply a symbolic target, like blowing up the Golden Gate
Bridge, or leveling the Statue of Liberty, they wouldn’t have created
nearly the damage they did going after the added capitalist
infrastructures. To begin, they were able to make the key emotional
point of terrorism, the infliction of overwhelming fear, by letting
Americans know that the terrorists would make no distinction between
military and non-combatants. So public or private sites, secular or
religious targets, or even the most well established non-players --
killed at the terror sites -- women, children, including even other
Muslims, were targets. But beyond this symbolic terrorism, the Islamic
terrorists did major damage to the American economy, and by doing so,
shrank our tax base. And to state the obvious, our military and defense
are wholly derived from taxes.
PIRENNE’S THESIS ON THE FALL OF ROME; BACKGROUND:
In 1922 the Belgian historian Henri Pirenne published a short paper,
Mohomet et Charlemagne, briefly detailing his thesis that Muslim
pirate activities inadvertently starved to ruin the Roman Empire by
decimating trade. He followed this by writing a book, the rough draft
finished on the eve of his sudden death. His son then published the
book, using the same title, which appeared in 1939. The impact of this
work upon the academy and larger world were nothing short of
sensational. His thesis is as follows. The celebrated Roman Empire was
Mediterranean in character, a mare nostrum, or for all purposes,
an inland lake.
Trade was the lifeblood of the Empire, and it made their greatness
possible.
Roman commerce had declined since Diocletian, but was making a comeback
in the 4th century.
This was despite the fact the Germania was testing the strength
of Rome.
The Germans did not hate the Romans, but actually admired and wanted to
mimic them.
They only desired peaceful lives within the Empire, enjoying all the
benefits, and their main motivation for moving inside Roman borders
appears to have been the encroachment of the loathed Huns.
The Hun’s utter lack of civilization and even their appearance seem to
have rendered their opponents spellbound in their impending charge,
making them seem an encroaching invincible plague.
The Germans did war with the Romans, and made many sizeable conquests,
but their successes were mitigated, as they were always eventually
metabolized back into Romania.
As a whole, three preeminent aspects of the Barbarian kingdoms
established within Roman territory were noticeable: absolutist kingdoms,
secular government, and the instrumentality of the government appearing
as fisc and treasury. These three were also the defining aspects
of the Roman Empire.
What the Barbarians destroyed in their invasions was not Rome, but
simply the absolute hegemony Rome once enjoyed. The invaders became
established, but developed no innovations, being content to exist as a
kind of incorporated foederati.
Most strikingly, Mediterranean unity was sustained, making
continuing trade along the mare nostrum easy, nourishing the
great mother Rome, allowing her to continue in unabated, if not somewhat
modified splendor.
ISLAM, THE MEDITERRANEAN & EARLY REJECTION OF THE
WEST: The Germanic versus Islamic invasions into the Mediterranean are
studies in opposites. The German attacks were a long developing,
pragmatically driven incremental flow into Roman territory, whereas the
Muslim invaders hit like an enervating firestorm.
If the Muslims benefited from anything outside their dogma, it was the
gift for timing (which some call ‘luck’). Every kingdom they attacked
seemed already precipitously on the verge of collapse.
But their victories were not simply the result of sheer good fortune.
Instead, especially compared to the Germans who had no real dispute with
the Romans per religion,
the Muslims were vociferously opposed to any creed that denied
Mohammed’s revelations of Allah.
This utter disagreement on religion meant that the Muslims would never
assimilate into Romana as had the Germans. Pirenne writes, “Islam
had shattered the Mediterranean unity which the Germanic invasions had
left intact.”
Instead, they adopted all the arts, sciences, and institutions of the
societies they subjugated, merely consecrating them to Allah.
It was the ambition of the Muslims, after the death of Mohammed in 637
A.D. to expand their kingdom, especially into the Mediterranean. This
was increasingly attempted in the latter half of the 7th
century. Rhodes, Crete and Sicily were nabbed.
Africa became a battlefield between the Byzantines and Arabs, and around
700 A.D. Muslims achieved supremacy there, establishing a headquarters
at Tunis.
The Muslims then became enamored of continental Europe and set their
sites upon it, taking Spain and Italy, and encroaching into France.
While Charles Martel decisively defeated the Saracen Muslims at Tours-Poitier
in 732 A.D., his grandson Charlemagne was worn out by constant battles
with Muslims. The Islamic Saracens may have been driven from France, but
they stayed in Spain for hundreds of years, where Charlemagne
ceaselessly engaged them.
ARAB PIRACY AND THE MEDITERRANEAN: If the Muslims
were unsuccessful in conquering all of Europe, they managed to assert a
compelling presence in the Mediterranean Sea that caused a disruption in
the Empire, effectively severing its ties to the past. Pirenne calls
this change, “The most essential event of European history which had
occurred since the Punic Wars. It was the end of the classic tradition.
It was the beginning of the Middle Ages.”
This event did not initially end all trading in the Mediterranean, of
course, as items like spices and papyrus were initially still moved.
What quickly changed were the actual trade routes themselves, as the
immensity of the Muslim conquests, and the capitalization of Damascus
dictated a new direction of trade flow.
Travel over the old byways would have simply been too dangerous, given
lack of protection, and the presence of many fierce pirate ships.
Spain was conquered in 711 A.D., and generally trade had broken down in
the whole of the Western Mediterranean by the late 7th
century.
African commerce became decimated by continual conflict.
Pirenne writes, “We may therefore say that after the conquest of Spain,
and above all of Africa, the Western Mediterranean became a Musulman
(Muslim) Lake.”
By the beginning of the 8th century, except for the Byzantium
coast, trade had ceased in the Mediterranean, and one Arab writer even
said, “The Christians could no longer float a plank at sea.”
Eventually, even such irreplaceable products as spice and papyrus
vanished, not returning till the 12th century.
But even gold disappeared (returning only when spices reappeared) and
loans ceased (although the Church’s position on usury also affected
this).
What caused this loss and eventual cessation of trade? Simply that when
the Muslims established Mediterranean hegemony, they focused on
plundering instead of capitalism, as the merchants of the Byzantine
Levant were irreplaceable compared to Muslim opportunism.
It appears that only the Jews continued to trade and we owe to them the
continuance of any economic link between Islam and Christendom.
HOLY PIRATES: But were Muslims really pro-piracy,
and if so -- Why? According to the Qu’ran, the Muslims lived in warring
times, and part of the motivation and reward of risking oneself to fight
for Allah was keeping the material goods of the enemy, and even the
enemy themselves as slaves. In chapter 8 of the Qu’ran, titled ‘The
Spoils,’ Mohammed wrote “Enjoy, therefore, the good and lawful things
which you have gained in war, and fear Allah.”
A logical reason for the rightness of taking from unbelievers is added
in the same chapter when Mohammed writes, “The unbelievers expend their
riches in debarring others from the path of Allah. Thus they dissipate
their wealth: but they shall rue it, and in the end be overthrown. The
unbelievers shall be driven into hell.”
One must see this from the Muslim worldview, where all people were
broken down into either believers or infidels. But we also need to
reckon with the Muslim motivations as part of a larger impulse to spread
the word of Allah throughout the world. Mohammed writes again in chapter
8, “Make war on them (unbelievers) until idolatry is no more and Allah’s
religion reigns supreme.”
IMPACT OF MEDITERRANEAN ISLAM: Trading as a
profession eventually ceased around the Mediterranean. Pirenne writes,
“One consequence of the suppression of the Oriental trade and maritime
traffic was the disappearance of professional merchants in the interior
of the country (Italy).”
Muslims did not trade with Christians, and as the impact of this set in,
the power centers of the Mediterranean shifted North, especially in
France.
To sum up the next signal events, we can briefly say that as trade
centers were abandoned around the Mediterranean, the populace became
increasingly impoverished, and the economy suffered, directly shrinking
the tax base. The populations became more tied to land for sustenance,
and returned to it,
abandoning urban centers, while the people eventually evolved into a
feudal class, completely beholden to land owners for protection. The
royal government itself took a huge hit, as Pirenne writes, “But the
treasury, which was the actual basis of the royal power, began to
dwindle in the course of the seventh century...”
The church was also devastated, Pirenne saying, “It was due, of course,
to commerce. And we must agree that as commerce diminished the indirect
taxes – that is, the tolls or dues (for the Church) – must have
diminished in proportion.”
When they stopped minting gold coinage we realize that the economy was
in freefall.
The end result of this was a creep into a human abyss, as education was
too expensive for the fragile economy and with the denouement easy to
auger - lawlessness reigned as the very glue of society dried and
disintegrated.
DESTRUCTION OF THE OLD EMPIRE: When the
Mediterranean was turned into a lawless sea, trade dried up to nothing,
the government shriveled, and people hunkered down as they headed into a
long season of human impoverishment. This article argues that the Muslim
terrorists would like to again push the West in this direction, and if
they cannot completely collapse Western capitalistic representative
democracy, they would like to at least wound us so badly that we can no
longer express our political, economic, theological and humanistic
convictions in concrete terms. In doing this they would certainly employ
‘Economic Terrorism’ as their main tool. Muslim terror cells could be
called upon to assist, like those operating in countries like
Afghanistan, Bali, Britain, France, Germany, Iraq, Iran, Morocco,
Palestine, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, the United States,
and many others.
WAS SEPTEMBER 11 ECONOMIC TERRORISM? Some will
undoubtedly dismiss out of hand the notion the Muslim terrorists who
destroyed the World Trade Towers were engaging in anything as
sophisticated, or historically derivative as Economic Terrorism. To such
folks, the terrorists were probably fairly random in choosing targets,
and any big building in New York would have worked. But this simplistic
analysis must be mistaken, as a careful reading of the facts will prove
that they must have been trying to achieve a major economic hit. Let us
recall that the terrorists spent years planning these attacks (as noted
above) and so nothing about them was either random, or without good
strategic reasoning behind it. Specifically: First, every target chosen
by the terrorists was picked for a specific reason, combining both
symbolic and practical value. Targeting the Pentagon, the titular U.S.
military command center, made clear this attack was a preemptive act of
war, and was also meant to destabilize the machinery of battle, limiting
any response. The plane that crashed in Pennsylvania was thought on its
way to the U.S. Capitol Building, or the White House, both symbolic and
actual loci of top American government. Hitting either would have caused
widespread fear, chaos, and panic, and if accurate enough could have
decapitated the government. The third choice of the Trade Towers
received the most material attention -- two planes, and so these were
the most important targets, at least for use of ‘resources’. They were
picked for a combination of symbolic and practical importance. As we
know, they were ostensibly called the ‘World Trade Towers,’ and because
of their name and location in Manhattan, N.Y., the West’s banking and
economic center, and they symbolized Western capitalism. But these
towers really were also very important to world trade, and many
international businesses had offices there, so destroying these really
would hurt international business. The terrorists Muslims believed this
last fact was most crucial.
ISLAMICIST ATTACKS ON LONDON & EGYPT: The most
recent assaults upon Britain and Egypt again richly illustrate Economic
Terrorism, and can only be understood through that prism. The initial
flurry was launched upon Britain’s ‘Tube’ subway system in an astute,
multiplied, and diversely targeted salvo. First, Europe and Britain was
hosting the G8 world economic summit in Scotland, a few miles down the
road. It was during the day of the meetings that the bombs were
detonated. This was a shot across the bow to alert Europe that
capitalism itself had been placed in the docket and found wanting. But
beyond this, London was wildly celebrating hours after receiving
confirmation of their unexpected Olympic bid when the terror struck.
This was profound psychological theatre as it deflated England’s sense
of joy over receipt of the 2012 Games before it could be even
celebrated. This planted several malign messages. The first was the
Islamicists could attack any time they wanted, even upon the heels of
the greatest moments of victory. Yet it also telegraphed that the
Olympics themselves were not safe, planting 7 long years of
psychological anxiety. Beyond this, the terrorists slipped a stiletto
into the illusion of safety associated with London -- Europe’s banking
and commerce center. Here they boldly informed the traders, marketers,
business people and all others that the main mass transit thoroughfare
was a ticking bomb. Also, London is always a major world destination for
tourists, and every would-be traveler around the globe now realizes ‘it
could have been me!’ sitting next to the bombers. But, can
anyone imagine what would happen to London if broad support and trust
for the London Tube collapsed? The economic effect would be utter
enervation, and no doubt the bombers – if unchallenged would mount and
destroy the bus system as well. Likewise, the attack of the Egyptian
resort was another savvy broadside against world tourism, coming against
arguably the greatest center of archeological antiquities in the world.
Those attacked were visitors, and here the message is that no country
can safely plan for tourism. Beyond this, one Muslim group lets another
know that even they are not safe against the Jihad. Finally, it lets any
Muslim country know that conspiring with the enemy West will be punished
harshly.
HYPOTHETICAL ECONOMIC TERRORISM: A few
theoretical examples of Economic Terrorism follow. Consider a concerted,
massive, and totally debilitating Internet attack upon computer servers
in a specific country upon a signal industry, like banking. This could
destroy any company using that bank, or the entire economic sectors if
other related banks began to topple domino-like (similar to a failing
power grid). Another case might be planting a dread disease in an
important farm animal, such as cattle, the public knowledge of which
could plummet the entire industry into bankruptcy after the public loses
their taste for beef. Simply such a rumor such as Muslim terrorists
claiming to have widely planted ‘mad cow’ disease might do the trick.
Another could be badly poisoning or infecting the water supply to a
strategic city, such as New York in a manner so random that everyone in
the city felt an overwhelming urge to leave. Or consider the sabotaging
of every large car or computer chip factory in the U.S, at once? Again,
contemplate a computer virus sent to the IRS that was so destructive all
records were wiped out and the government had no idea who owed what? Or,
perhaps starting a string of wildfires during the summer season to
provide devastating results. Ponder the horror of blowing up a toy store
full of kids before a busy holiday, like Christmas. Perhaps even
selectively destroying high power electricity towers in remote areas
would have an enormous impact. Recently someone suggested the ease of
poisoning the milk supply.
Of course, it would be hard to improve upon simultaneously collapsing
the Trade Towers, given what a nest of international businesses were
there.
NEED FOR RECOGNITION & RESPONSE: But beyond all
of these individual events, we ought to bear in mind several things.
Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter whether these terrorists were
inspired by the Saracen Muslim pirates to attack their enemies because
it is abundantly clear they deployed a textbook case of Economic
Terrorism. This was meant to rip the capitalistic viscera out of an
unsuspecting and softly naive Western business underbelly. The main
point is the Muslims terrorists were unquestionably engaging in Economic
Terrorism when they attacked these different targets and will
undoubtedly do so repeatedly. Why? Because it is cheap, easy, can have a
staggering payback for their efforts, and is a well-established part of
their historical military repertoire. And terrorists Muslims are more
historically minded and motivated than virtually any other group of
people in the world. The most important thing is that we understand what
the Muslims tried to do at the World Trade Towers, how they attempted to
repeat this during the European G-8 summit, and in Egypt and how we can
be prepared for the next strike. We need to develop doctrines and laws
to help us survive these coming attacks in a way that the great world
empire of the Romans did not.
SUGGESTED REMEDIES: The Bush administration in
concert with the U.S. Armed Forces, Justice Department, CIA and FBI, has
already made substantial changes meant to detail and confront the clear
and immediate danger of continued terrorism. But these need to be
broadened, at least doctrinally, and we need to add serious checks to
help ward off economic terrorist centered war. What can be done? There
should be a national quorum of leaders of all the major business types
in the U.S. meeting to discuss biggest dangers and remedies in each
field. At a series of national meetings meant to dissect the industries
& their typology, an outline of possible responses will be offered for
the most trenchant specific possibilities for terrorism. Having done
this, the group should then draft a bill outlining general and specific
suggested anti-terrorism guidelines for the different industries.
Specifically we must map out the exact response to the most damaging
types of attacks in each industry, and then the ingenuity, will and
industrial might of America must be committed to this project. This
ought to include a communitarian aspect where each participant, if
called upon during an emergency, agrees to forego any excessive
remuneration for their fees much beyond basic costs. This in itself will
do much to develop goodwill and foster esprit des corps. Needless to
say, it would be wise for tax breaks to be included, also. For an
example, American interstate highways are essential to U.S. industry.
Yet, many of them have strategic weak areas, such as singular high
mountain passes, or other spots of vulnerability, often in remote
regions. Should the Islamic terrorists blast such a location in a key
spot, it might normally take months to repair. But with a new
anti-terrorist industry protection bill, the Army Corps of Engineers,
along with construction leaders of every state would agree to unleash a
lightning quick response to any such attack. The upshot being that even
the worst act of anti-capitalist destruction would have a crack team
trained & ready to rebuild within a matter of days, or weeks. Of course,
not every attack would have such a speedy recovery, but if we organize
the infrastructure already existing into theoretical units, it will be
not only literally a response to Economic terrorism, but will help
stabilize bond & stock markets all over the world. Ultimately, the
captains of each industry will know best how to frame a responsive
outline for their own fields. This is not to suggest that the government
hasn’t made any plans along these lines, but plans have not been
detailed nearly to the pragmatic optimum. While this might seem like
more ‘red tape’ to be avoided, this reaction is extremely naïve, and
ultimately horrifically naïve and shortsighted. Currently, we are
experiencing a lacuna of terrorism in the United States which is a
blessing that may not last. Now is the time to develop deep & infinitely
well-considered long-term defensive strategies for the private sector.
We need to take this time and use it to seriously examine our response
to Economic Terrorism, because it is inevitable that the terrorists will
return, or the ones here become active again. They have undoubtedly
already hatched many plots and are waiting for them to come to fruition.
For instance, imagine the aggravation and expense of having to post
guards every mile along a major oil pipeline! But, conversely, how much
more expensive would it be to have to repair a blown up and burning
pipeline. Examples such as this abound.
WORLD ECONOMIC TERRORISM BILL: A world Economic
Terrorism bill would be framed along the same lines as the American,
bringing to the table experts on all of the world’s important
industries, and a similar book of suggested safeguards to shield against
Economic Terrorism. As we see how ripples from each attack spread from
one country to another -- we must now admit that an assault against one
is a battle against all. Therefore our opposition must be unified too.
Important truths are waiting acknowledgment. First, we must stop buying
into the argument that any of the violence is justified, and strongly
oppose craven sympathy for the murderers. This only confuses the issue,
aiding and abetting the attackers. Second, in refusing to condemn the
terrorists for fear of reprisals we give the killers victory. Instead
condemnation against future attacks must be voiced loudly. In
unity there is safety. In this new, bold environment some wonderful
things will occur. The peaceful yet timid will grow brave in their
resistance of evil; the formerly silent will become encouraged to stand
up and speak out; and the many silent Muslims who fearfully oppose the
radicals will be emboldened to plot a different future for Islam.
Professor Shawn O'Connell is an Adjunct professor of Rhetoric at St
Thomas University in Miami, FL. He graduated from the University of
Oregon with a BS in Philosophy; and from Regent University with a joint
degree -- a JD in law and an MPP in Government. He values your
comments. You may contact him at hibernian1@gmail.com.
For
example, the website Islamic Invitation Centre, a British Muslim
reference site had this, “Q: Is Islam against Capitalism? A:
Yes. Capitalism is based on the concept that economics is that
which examines man's needs, which are unlimited and how to
satisfy these unlimited needs. The system depends upon the
separation of church and state or in other words, the separation
of the Creator from life's affairs. The concept of freedom plays
a major role in the Capitalist ideology.” Found at:
http://www.islamicinvitationcentre.com/FAQ/Economic/FAQ_Economic.html.
From the
article, Analyzing a Bioterror Attack on the Food Supply: The
Case of Botulinum Toxin in Milk, by Lawrence M. Wein and
Yifan Liu, published in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences. This article was roundly condemned by those who felt
it gave aid to the enemy.
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