Saturday, August 07, 2004
Another decapitation (Update: NOT!)
An jihadist website has posted another gruesome decapitation video, this of an American who identifies himself as Benjamin Danforth of San Francisco. Mr. Danforth apparently denounced the American occupation, just before the bastards chop his head off. Our nemesis, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, takes the "credit."
For what it is worth, a quick Google search of "Benjamin Danforth" turns up no hits that refer to a living person, so either Mr. Danforth's name was spelled incorrectly, the tape itself is a fraud, or Mr. Danforth was not the sort of person who leaves footprints on the web. No matter, the Islamists chopped off another person's head.
Of course, Zarqawi must have a reason to behead these people. Let's consider what those reasons might be, in no particular order.
First, he may simply like beheading people, in the fashion of serial killers through history. If that's his motivation, we know it makes no sense to respond to his demands. We just have to hunt him down, extract any information from him that might be useful, and then turn him over to the government of Iraq for disposition. In that regard, I suggest that Iraq reinvigorate its trade with the French and order up a new guillotine.
Second, Zarqawi may actually want what he says he wants -- for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the rest of the coalition to leave Iraq. Of course, he must understand that we would withdraw most if not all of our soldiers once the killings end. The militants can achieve this objective by laying down their arms. Given their current political fortunes, Bush and Blair would massively reduce the coalition military presence on very short notice if the militants went quiet and declared a willingness to participate in a democratic Iraq.
Third, Zarqawi may only want America to leave Iraq if it does so under the cloud of defeat. Under this thinking, America needs to be chased out of Iraq. After all, if America leaves peacefully it will have met George Bush's stated victory conditions. Also, Zarqawi has to be worried that if America left peacefully the perverse Arab world would view him has having been defeated. Look at the way the Palestinians stepped up their attacks on Isrealis in Gaza after Sharon announcement his plan to withdraw from Gaza unilaterally -- the macho Arab culture demanded that the Palestinian fighters be seen to have pushed the Israelis out.
Fourth, Zarqawi may want the opposite of his stated objectives -- knowing that America will not leave as long as he sustains the violence, he may actually be trying to keep America pinned down in Iraq. We should consider this possibility.
Fifth, Zarqawi may be trying to affect American elections. He may in fact believe that America will only leave if it is driven to leave. Since there is a universal global consensus that George W. Bush is stubborn -- the only argument is whether this trait is a virtue or a failing -- Zarqawi must therefore be hoping for a Kerry victory. Since John Kerry "hopes" for a significant reduction in troop levels, it would seem that Zarqawi's objectives and Kerry's campaign promises are, at least, converging.
Sixth, Zarqawi's real objective may be to frustrate the development of a successful and representative government in Iraq, whether or not the Americans and the British withdraw. If so, then he and the other militants must believe that it is possible for such a government to emerge in Iraq -- otherwise, why go to such trouble to stop it? Does this not suggest that the jihadists actually agree with the Bush Administration's argument that democracy in the Arab world is the antidote for jihad, and that it is possible for democracy in some form to take root there?
If, as Bush's critics maintain, democracy "cannot be imposed at the point of a gun," then why are so many jihadists risking their lives to prevent its emergence?
UPDATE (9:20 a.m., 8-7-04): This beheading was a fake. CWCID: Wizbang, who smelled a rat from the get-go.
What point is Benjamin Vanderford trying to make?
For what it is worth, a quick Google search of "Benjamin Danforth" turns up no hits that refer to a living person, so either Mr. Danforth's name was spelled incorrectly, the tape itself is a fraud, or Mr. Danforth was not the sort of person who leaves footprints on the web. No matter, the Islamists chopped off another person's head.
Of course, Zarqawi must have a reason to behead these people. Let's consider what those reasons might be, in no particular order.
First, he may simply like beheading people, in the fashion of serial killers through history. If that's his motivation, we know it makes no sense to respond to his demands. We just have to hunt him down, extract any information from him that might be useful, and then turn him over to the government of Iraq for disposition. In that regard, I suggest that Iraq reinvigorate its trade with the French and order up a new guillotine.
Second, Zarqawi may actually want what he says he wants -- for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the rest of the coalition to leave Iraq. Of course, he must understand that we would withdraw most if not all of our soldiers once the killings end. The militants can achieve this objective by laying down their arms. Given their current political fortunes, Bush and Blair would massively reduce the coalition military presence on very short notice if the militants went quiet and declared a willingness to participate in a democratic Iraq.
Third, Zarqawi may only want America to leave Iraq if it does so under the cloud of defeat. Under this thinking, America needs to be chased out of Iraq. After all, if America leaves peacefully it will have met George Bush's stated victory conditions. Also, Zarqawi has to be worried that if America left peacefully the perverse Arab world would view him has having been defeated. Look at the way the Palestinians stepped up their attacks on Isrealis in Gaza after Sharon announcement his plan to withdraw from Gaza unilaterally -- the macho Arab culture demanded that the Palestinian fighters be seen to have pushed the Israelis out.
Fourth, Zarqawi may want the opposite of his stated objectives -- knowing that America will not leave as long as he sustains the violence, he may actually be trying to keep America pinned down in Iraq. We should consider this possibility.
Fifth, Zarqawi may be trying to affect American elections. He may in fact believe that America will only leave if it is driven to leave. Since there is a universal global consensus that George W. Bush is stubborn -- the only argument is whether this trait is a virtue or a failing -- Zarqawi must therefore be hoping for a Kerry victory. Since John Kerry "hopes" for a significant reduction in troop levels, it would seem that Zarqawi's objectives and Kerry's campaign promises are, at least, converging.
Sixth, Zarqawi's real objective may be to frustrate the development of a successful and representative government in Iraq, whether or not the Americans and the British withdraw. If so, then he and the other militants must believe that it is possible for such a government to emerge in Iraq -- otherwise, why go to such trouble to stop it? Does this not suggest that the jihadists actually agree with the Bush Administration's argument that democracy in the Arab world is the antidote for jihad, and that it is possible for democracy in some form to take root there?
If, as Bush's critics maintain, democracy "cannot be imposed at the point of a gun," then why are so many jihadists risking their lives to prevent its emergence?
UPDATE (9:20 a.m., 8-7-04): This beheading was a fake. CWCID: Wizbang, who smelled a rat from the get-go.
What point is Benjamin Vanderford trying to make?
0 Comments:
