Max Abraham's study provides frame of reference

Submitted by B.N.Gururaj (India), Apr 28, 2009 at 10:29

After going through Max Abraham's study, it seems that the study might be more appropriate for classifying the terrorist attacks and goals where the terrorists are inspired by political ideologies, and have relatively short term goals which may span few decades or a couple of generations. It is seen in India that Communist revolutionaries of late sixties and seventies have ended up selling tea and stationery. After some time, the zest for revolution cools down.

But, with Islamic terrorism, it is an entirely different matter. There the goal is ultimate Islamisation of entire globe. Essential tenor of Islamic belief is "You are not with us, therefore, you are against us". Terrorism, the modern version of time tested Jihad is only an advanced step of attempts at Islamisation. Where the Muslims are in minority, the attempt to gain territory (both literally and figuratively) starts with grievance mongering, claims of privileges for their religious beliefs and practices. When a pocket in urban agglomeration becomes dominent with Muslims, then attacks on non-muslims, harrenguing them starts.

Once the Muslims attain dominent minority status, the strategy becomes billigerent. They manifest themselves as street riots, attacks on the Police and security forces. When this does not yield quick results by way of government yielding to the ever-escalatiing demands, terrorism properly so-called commences. Unlike communist revolutionaries, who could not always pass on the flag of revolution to the next generation, in Islam sponsored terrorism, this can go on from generation to generation, across political borders. Every single child is brought up on the staple diet of learning Koran by rote, learning the practices and precedents of the Prophet. Whether it is gaining Gaza strip or a Palestinian nation, such goal is always a short term goal, until entire world is Islamised. Islamic Ummah is vast, not circumscribed by political boundaries as in the case of terrorists inspired by other political ideologies.

The degree of hatred produced by Islam in the minds of its followers is a kind of sickness. Therefore, unless Muslims are cured of Islam, the threat of Islamic terrorism spanning several generations will continue. Unless the political leaders of the world understand this, the problem of islamic terrorism will be tacked on wholly wrong footing.

There may be a lesson for the modern world in learning how Indonesia, a country lying far away from Islamic epicentre became the country with largest muslim population. Even applying Max Abraham's cirterion, one has to wonder how such a huge population gain was made for Islam in relatively recent history.

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