The mixture of politics, religion and psychology is perhaps the most fascinating subjects known to humanity. One reason suggests that when it comes to these three topics, everybody has an opinion.
Years ago Hollywood made a kid’s block-buster titled “Monsters vs Aliens” which merged two themes that kids find captivating. In June 2013 Robin Wright- author of Rage and Rebellion across the Islam World wrote an opinion piece in “Time magazine titled AL-Qaeda vs Hizballah. The article suggested that the Syrian war was partly directed on pitting two main Islamic fanatical forces against each other.
Drawing Hizballah into Syria gave Israel opportunity to breathe as Hizballah was a genuine threat to Israel’s existential existence. Simultaneously Hizballah was to fight Islamic State which was evolving out of the al- Nusra front, remnants of AL Qaeda and other anti-Assad groupings which were carefully nurtured by the imperial USA and Britian etc. The plan was to exhaust the existing fanatical elements and also draw in fanatics and general Muslim volunteers from across the Muslim world and Europe.
This drawing in capability solved many problems. Example during the Bosnian genocide regular Bosnians were promised refuge at designated United Nation sites. After the sites were full of ordinary people fleeing, the United Nations camp guards withdrew and the Serbians moved in, killing all males over 13 years old and raping nearly a million Bosnian Muslim women. This suggests that drawing marked people into confined areas, makes it easier to kill which is also part of the Syrian war plan.
That is why early in the war, Muslim leaders like the influential Sunni cleric Yusuf al Qaradawi were fortified to inspire Sunni Muslims from across the globe to engage Hizballah in Syria. The USA, Britian and others eagerly supplied the weapons with royal Arab family funding.
Fast-forward two and a half years and Turkey a key NATO ally has been drawn into the war for shooting down a Russian jet that was flying in Turkish airspace and fighting for Assad of Syria.
After the Paris bombing the hatred for Muslims is at a global high and innocent Muslims fleeing the terror of the Taliban, Islamic State, and Boko Haram, AL Qaeda etc into Europe are now automatic suspects and are treated with suspicion, contempt and indifference.
Islamic State did the military industrial complex a favour as American and other European taxpayer have been reeling from supporting militaries that consumes ruthlessly. Those who inspire war are justified as the terror alerts send money towards the acquisition of armaments and away from social spending like pensions and housing. More guns mean more profits and more death. Right wingers that desire a return to a divided Europe with barbed wire and border controls have reason to rejoice.
Ironically 10 June 2013 Yuval Steinitz the Israeli Minister of Strategic and Intelligence Affairs advised that Bashar Assad could win the Syrian war. He was rebuked by other Israeli leaders for his foresight.
While the Syrian war may seem complex, those who inspire war have for the time being succeeded.
What people need to consider is who benefits from war. We must not be fooled and must identify who are the real “Monsters and Aliens”. There is obviously a bigger agenda at play and getting genuine God fearing “Jews, Christians and Muslims to hate and fight is part of the plan. From letters published in the media about mutual understanding less emotion and more thinking is perhaps required.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress