The Islamist terrorists of the "Islamic State "are projecting a "fear factor "well in excess of their numbers. This has worked for invading armies down through the ages and the common tactic is to undermine the spirit of the defenders by creating the image of an unstoppable force that will impose the most bloodthirsty end to the lives of those who stand in their way.
It worked well in Iraq. The Iraqi army was vastly superior in numbers and equipped with the latest weapons of war. The Americans had spent time and treasure training it and despite a religious inbalance that worked against the general population numbers of that country it certainly had the capacity to perform a combat mission.
Faced with a fanatical foe, it's officers deserted and fled - and the ranks quickly broke and followed them, leaving behind a vast trove of weapons that not only equipped a terrorist army small in numbers, but under equipped with little more than AK-47 assault rifles, rocket propelled grenades - and a few truck mounted heavy machine guns. This spectacular victory certainly encouraged fanatical young men from many foreign countries to rush and join their ranks.
Nothing breeds success - like success ! The image of IS is that of an all conquering force that is sweeping away all before it. Now their tacticians are working to secure victory on the home front - and to them that is the vast masses of civilians that live in America, Australia and the countries of Europe. We are presented with the image of captured journalists being forced to read prepared statements - and then having their throats slit and being decapitated with knives. It is totally barbaric and it blends well with the images of captured Iraqi soldiers being led away to mass death in the desert.
They are careful to project a similar horror to the women of the western world. When they take a town or village their first act is to execute "Infidels " who refuse to convert to Islam, but a far different fate awaits their women and children. The prettier young women are shared up amongst their followers and forced to become second or third wives, and the rest are sold off for a few dollars in a slave market - to become sex slaves for those who take their fancy. The inference is that when they impose an Islamic Caliphate on the entire world, that will also be the fate of the western women that they conquer.
Whipping up religious fervour by barbarity abroad is designed to intimidate followers of Islam living in western countries. We are seeing this in Australia, where the silence of our Islamic population has been taken as support for terrorism. Firebrands have spread fear in the Mosques and few have been prepared to openly oppose fanaticism. When a street march has been proposed to raise objections to some supposed insult to Islam, the main rank and file have been too scared not to at least put in an appearance to appease their tormentors.
Islamic leaders in Australia have tried to steer a middle course, but that is now changing - fast ! The days of "double speak "- saying one thing to the media - and something entirely different in the mosque - are over. Islam is finding it's voice - and courageous leaders are emerging to express the views of the vast majority of Australian Muslims who simply want to live peacefully in this country.
The tactic of barbarity to silence opposition is now starting to work in reverse - and like the Boomerang - it is returning to sender. We certainly do have Islamic fanatics in our community and most likely there will be acts of terror that will cost Australian lives, but Islam in Australia is weighing up the reasons they are here in Australia - and not living under despotic Islamic rule where fanatics set the tune - and impose the rules.
The problem with the "horror tactic "- is that it quickly exposes all that is wrong with the intended achievement !
No comments:
Post a Comment