Monday Madness!

The Boston City Bombing

I am no expert, although I did a fair amount of research on terrorism while pursuing my B.A. in History at UC Davis. Terrorism is really a recent phenomenon. The idea of using fear as a weapon by a small group to achieve a political goal from a larger group has sporadically popped up in history but never as systematically as it has been used since decolonization began in the 1960s. So the Boston Marathon bombing is just one event in a long chain of terrorist action since the Munich attacks in 1972. But Boston should also be an event that reminds us of the changing nature of terror against the United States. I feel there are three important lessons to remember.

One, they still hate us. I know that is a shocking statement to many that are intoxicated with our relativistic, multicultural attitude today. But please, before I am indicted let me offer a justification. By "they" I mean militant Islamist. Those that not only want a strict interpretation of Islam with Sharia law but want to attack any entity that is detrimental to that effort. I mean those dedicated to jihad as a literal holy war against all non-Muslims and not an internal, personal war to be a good Muslim. I mean those that see the United States as the key to political change, even if that change is to occur in Iraq or Russian controlled parts of Chechnya. This is a deep hatred that motivates them to kill innocents and even to commit suicide to do so. They are fanatics. You can not negotiate with fanatics. Yasser Arafat was a Muslim but not a fanatic. The PLO used terror but it was specific and controlled and they were in the end willing to negotiate.

Two, they will hit "soft targets." The 9/11 attacks were not necessarily soft because the complexity of the operation made it involved and difficult. There were a multitude of things that could have gone wrong. Two pressure cookers packed with explosives and ball bearings set on the ground at a popular sporting event was simple in comparison. Islamic militants will hit the US using simple weapons on little to unprotected targets. I know what you are thinking, "Were they really Muslim?" It is not yet proven but the evidence sure leads that way. In the end an examination of computers, social media, travel, etc. will show that Islam was the motivating factor and they were Muslim from a Muslim country.

Three, we have to be vigilant. Because soft targets will be preferred, the average American has to note what is out f the ordinary and report it. This is not easy. We want to trust those around us, and overall we should; but abnormalities are important. Whether it is strange violent behavior in a sixteen year old who talks about killing people or a strange package left on a table at the church luncheon, we have to be vigilant. However, we can not give up our liberties and freedoms. It's a slippery slope, a judgment call in which we have to balance respect for others and the need for security. Local law enforcement has to be trained in terror identification and counterterrorist strategies and tactics. That way the local cop at friday night's football game has some idea what to look for.

We can never stop it, and should never give into it. But we can reduce the chances of a successful terrorist attack. My fellow Americans amaze me because they can at times be so complacent but then respond with such vigor and caring.

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