In the twenty-first century, war has morphed into something historically unrecognizable. Our conflicts are qualitatively and quantitatively unlike those in the past. What’s more, war will morph even more in upcoming years. Today’s wars are more about cultural and religious animosity than enlargement of borders or rectification of injustice. Further, rapidly developing technologies have not [ Read More ]
Praise be to Allah…. Allah Most High has struck America in its most vulnerable spot, destroying its mighty buildings, praise be unto Him. Look at America—filled with terror from north to south, east to west—all praise be to Allah! Thus began Osama bin Laden in his “Oath to America,” broadcast by al-Jazeera nearly a month [ Read More ]
On Tuesday, a terrorist in a rental truck plowed onto a bike path and into a crowd in lower Manhattan, killing eight people and injuring at least a dozen. The suspect, identified as Sayfullo Saipov, 29, shouted “Allahu akbar” (“God is great”) after he finally crashed, and was found in possession of handwritten notes pledging [ Read More ]
With the rise of Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and with the increase in terror attacks on the United States and its European allies, Americans are still sorting out why it is that people would hate “us” that much. The answer to this question is complex and multi-faceted, and varies from “hater” to “hater.” But the complexity of the motivations should not keep us from trying to gain some understanding—however limited—of the situation.
One attempt to shed light on the situation is a slim little novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, published a few years ago by Mohsin Hamid. Because it is written by a Pakistani who was educated in the United States, and because it is a well-written and brief work of fiction, I recommend The Reluctant Fundamentalist as a way of gaining insight into some people’s perception of the United States.
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Several weeks ago, Islamic terrorists pulled off a triple-bombing in Belgium, striking the Brussels airport twice and its downtown metro station once. The bombings killed at least 35 people. On Easter Sunday, jihadis bombed a park in Lahore, Pakistan, killing at least 70 people in their attempt to target Christians. These bombings are a reminder, [ Read More ]