We’re at the muppet stage now, the more clueless than not terrorist wannabes rather than the cold, hard zealots who came before them.

Sageman’s policy advice is to “take the glory and thrill out of terrorism.” Jettison the rhetoric about Muslim extremism — these leaderless jihadists are barely Muslims. Stop holding news conferences to announce the latest triumphs in the “global war on terror,” which only glamorize the struggle. And reduce the U.S. military footprint in Iraq, which fuels the Muslim world’s sense of moral outrage.

That’s how to end it.

1 Comment »

The words “war on terror” will no longer be used by the British government to describe attacks on the public.

“The people who were murdered on July 7 [2005 subway bombing] were not the victims of war. The men who killed them were not soldiers,” Macdonald said. “They were fantasists, narcissists, murderers and criminals and need to be responded to in that way.”

Well put. Anyone who slaughters innocents for whatever political or religious purpose is a criminal thug. Along with being morally abhorrent, doing so usually backfires as a tactic because it inflames the other side to respond in even harsher ways.

Also, calling it a war raises non-state entities to the level of the state, a stupid tactic, because it legitimizes them as a major player, equal to the state.

May other countries follow the lead of Britain, especially the U.S.

3 Comments »