The US is responsible for fomenting Jihadi culture : Veterans Today

And Israel too, just maybe.

By Asif Haroon Raja

Illegal creation of state of Israel in 1948 with the help of USA and Britain at the cost of Palestinians sowed the seeds of antagonism and extremism in Middle East . It gave birth to several radical groups including PLO within the Arab world. Defeat of armed forces of Arabs in 1967 Arab-Israeli enhanced the prestige of Israeli forces. Occupation of additional territory of Egypt , Syria and Jordan by Israel and its policy of forward settlement of Jews in occupied lands to extend perimeter of security propelled PLO activists to resort to air piracy. This was a new form of terrorism to combat Israeli oppression and chauvinism. Egyptian forces broke the Israeli myth of invincibility in the 1973 war by breaching the unassailable Barlev Line; Syrian forces too gave a tough fight to Israeli forces. Psychological advantage gained by the Arabs was squandered when Egypt agreed to sign Camp David peace accord with Israel in 1978 and got back its oil rich Sinai Peninsula .

Non-serious attitude of Arab leaders towards the suffering of Palestinians at the hands of Israelis and US unjust support to Israel paved the way for Intifada in early 1980s in which teenaged boys’ pelted stones on Israeli soldiers in occupied territories of West Bank and Gaza. Intifada was deceptively blunted through US facilitated Oslo Accord signed in 1993 which led to creation of PLA in occupied territories. However, disregard of several clauses of the agreement, particularly status of Jerusalem and Aerial Sharon led armed march to Jerusalem ’s temple Mount led to second Intifada in September 2000. It sparked suicide attacks by young Palestinians, which were a new phenomenon to bleed Israelis.

Occupation of Lebanon by Israeli forces in early 1980s and their ruthless policies gave birth to Hezbollah in Lebanon . Likewise, persecution of Gazans and PLO not measuring up to Israeli intrusions catapulted Hamas in Gaza . Defeat of Israeli forces at the hands of Hizbollah in Lebanon in 2006 and spirited defence put up by Hamas fighters in Gaza in early 2009 jolted Israel . Cruel sanctions against hapless people of Gaza failed to cow them down. Despite killing tens of thousands of Palestinians and inflicting gruesome atrocities, spirits of Palestinians have not waned since they are on the right. It has bred in them greater unity and steadfastness to fight back Israeli aggression. However, they are utterly disappointed with Obama on whom they had pinned high hopes since he too is following pro-Israeli policies.

Islamic revolution in Iran resulting in toppling of Shah of Iran and takeover by Imam Khomeini in March 1979 had a ripple effect throughout the Islamic world including six Soviet Republic States in Central Asia . Invasion and occupation of Afghanistan by Soviet troops in December 1979 was resisted by Afghan Mujahideen and supported by Pakistan . CIA played a key role in marshalling holy warriors from all over the Muslim world, financing, training and equipping them to wage a Jihad. It provided funds and weapons to religious seminaries in Pakistan to impart military training to the students undergoing religious education and to motivate them to become Jihadis. Religious madrassas in tribal belt in particular became venues for military training as well. For eight years heroics of Mujahideen were generously praised. Besides cash earned from drug trade in Afghanistan , Saudi monetary assistance was also available to fund Jihad and to promote Jihadi culture.

Defeat of Soviet Union was made possible by rag tag Muslim fighters fighting guerrilla warfare after sacrificing 1.5 million lives and suffering crippling injuries to tens of thousands. Shattering defeat and humiliating withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan led to collapse of Soviet Empire within two years. Spectacular victory achieved by the Mujahideen was no mean accomplishment since it helped the US to emerge as the sole super power. They were looked at with great respect and admiration. Fragmentation of Soviet Union gave fillip to Jihadist culture.

Abandonment of Afghanistan instead of rebuilding the war ravaged country and leaving Afghan Mujahideen in a lurch disenchanted them. Mission oriented Jihadism directed against godless Soviets became unruly and resulted in internecine war between various Afghan factions vying for power. Afghans held the Americans responsible for their woes and gradually the ire of Jihadis started to gravitate towards them. They blamed the Americans for using them as gun fodder and then dumping them when their interests were served without paying any compensation for their colossal sacrifices. Russia too didn’t give a single penny in war reparations. This resentment against USA turned into aversion when US forces invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 without a justifiable cause since Afghans had no connection with 9/11. Heroes of yesterday known as Mujahideen were named as Al-Qaeda and Taliban and branded as terrorists. They are being hounded and persecuted with impunity thereby giving a just cause to the oppressed to wage Jihad against the occupation forces.

Iraq venture undertaken on a false pretext over extended the US militarily, financially and diplomatically. It drained the US of its credibility, resources and resolve. It discredited its leadership, degraded its financial health and disabled its political will. Fomenting of sectarianism in Iraq by CIA and Mossad shifted the focus of suicide bombers from Israel towards Iraq where suicide and car bomb attacks became a norm. It further fuelled Jihadi culture in Middle East .

In South Asia , Kashmir is the unfinished agenda of partition in 1947. Indian unyielding stance to resolve the dispute in accordance with UN Resolutions became the bone of contention between India and Pakistan resulting in three wars and two local conflicts. It stoked antagonism and fueled extremism. Fed up of Indian policy of ambivalence and oppression, docile Kashmiris launched armed uprising in November 1989 to break the shackles of slavery. Over seven lacs Indian forces unleashed a reign of terror. Despite massacring more than 100,000 Kashmiris, raping thousands of women, destroying houses, shops and property and imposing inhuman laws they failed to extinguish the liberation movement. Tens of Jihadi groups sprouted in IHK to wage Jihad against occupation forces. Kashmiri Mujahideen are now resorting to unarmed Jihad against Indian soldiers armed to the teeth since India has sealed the Line of Control and divided the APHC.

Passions of Islamists were deliberately inflamed by defaming Islam and displaying caricatures of Holy Prophet (Pbuh) to provoke them to resort to violent means and thus giving the US excuse to dub them as extremists and terrorists deserving no mercy. Islam phobia also gave rise to Jihadi culture. Unresolved Palestinian and Kashmir disputes, Islamic revolution in Iran and occupation of Afghanistan by Soviet troops had direct bearing on rise of extremism and Jihadi culture in Middle East and South Asia .

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The writer is a retired Brig and a freelance defence and security analyst. Email: asifharoon7751@yahoo.com