9/11 + 16 Years

In the wake of Pearl Harbor, the United States went to war with Imperialist Japan and Nazi Germany.  The Japanese utilized suicide bombers on planes, though they targeted American warships, not buildings.  We defeated them in 4 years.  The Nazis were vastly better at slaughtering Jews than the Islamic terrorists have thus far proven to be.  We defeated them in 4 years.  How is it that random bands of terrorists have proven more tenacious than two great powers from the 20th Century?

 

It is not the terrorists who are more formidable but the United States that is dramatically less formidable.  Japan had trended toward militarism, totalitarianism, and expansionism in the early 20th Century.  It had many similarities with the fascism of Italy and Germany, thus the natural alliance as the Axis Powers.  When the US defeated Japan, militarism was forcibly purged and a new constitution was imposed upon them.  The toxic ideas that had created Imperial Japan were ripped out by the victors.  This same process happened in Germany.  Nazis were rounded up and tried for war crimes.  The ideology that had justified the Holocaust was, to the best of our ability, eradicated.  The ideologies of the victorious powers were imprinted upon the losing powers.  Sadly, half of Europe suffered Communism as a result but no one was allowed to keep fascism in any of its forms.

 

Today, the ideology in question is Islam.  Islam is a fascist belief system.  Does it believe in totalitarianism?  Of course, the goal has been a global caliphate since the days of Mohammed.  Demand for violent action?  Yes, that global caliphate isn't going to form itself.  Are gender roles defined and enforced?  Can you say honor killing?  Yeah, we've got that.  Does it seek to purge decadence?  Clearly.  Believers frequently kill their own family members who have become decadent.  Hatred for Jews?  Absolutely.  However, unlike Italian Fascism, German Nazism, and Japanese Imperialism, Islam is a religion.

 

The 1st Amendment guarantees Freedom of Religion.  So long as Islam is given a pass as a religion, the ideology will just continue to produce more terrorists.  Does that mean we must bomb all Islamic countries?  No.  But we should have a version of Radio Free Europe to try to change the beliefs.  How many of these suicidal terrorists are doing it for the glory of Islam and the promise of 72 virgins in paradise?  That belief has to be countered.