What Is Jihad?

There is no war on terror. There can’t be. Terror is an abstract. During World War II, or as my Cajun friends call it World War Two Eye, no one made reference to a war on blitzkrieg.

Blitzkrieg was a form of combat used by the Nazis. The allies were up front in acknowledging it was a war against the Nazis. We did not engage in a war against Kamikazes. Blitzkrieg and kamikazes were forms of engagement used by the Germans and Japanese. Everyone knew we were at war with the Germans and Japanese.

Why then are we so reluctant to admit we are not engaged in a war against terrorism. Terrorism is the technique used in this conflict. It is a war gains terrorist known as Islamic jihadist. Let me rush to acknowledge not all Muslims are of this school of thought and behavior. However, within Islam jihadist go all the way back to Muhammad.

While acknowledging and defending the non-jihadist Muslims against unfair grouping with this element within Islam let’s not fail to realize the element always has been there. Having established that let’s admit we are not engaged in a war against terrorism but a war against radical Islamic jihadists.

Jihad means a holy war. The “war verses” of the Koran advocate it along with dhimmitude which is the relegation of non-Muslims to an inferior status under Islam.

I can’t say it often enough not all Muslims are committed to this school of thought. However, until we admit a significant number are we will continue to speak of fighting an abstract enemy; a war on terrorism. Terrorism is their current form of warfare. Those who advocate this form of conflict are the true opponents in the war. It is a war against extreme Islamic jihadists.

We haven’t caught on yet. At the insistence of Wahabi clerics we have opened Islamic centers at Quantico and other military bases where the “war verses” of the Koran are taught. These are the verses used by jihadists as their “manual of war” which legitimize terror.

Jihad means a holy war. Al Qaeda members believe with all their hearts they are doing as bidden by Alla as stated in the Koran. To them it is a religious war designed to annulate infidels and establish Islam in Dar El Harb, “the house of war,” non-Islamic nations.

This segment of Islam has historically manifested itself several times. The bloody drive across Africa and Eastern Europe was a manifestation of this. The way this bloodbath was stopped then is the only way it can be stopped now.

A significant segment in the Muslim world realized such aggression was wrong and hurtful. A representative group of responsible Muslim leaders emerged who believed the sword was not the answer. They quelled the slaughter.

We are not engaged in a war on terror or a war on Islam. We are at war to defend ourselves against extreme Islamic jihadist.