Jewish World Review March 15, 2005 / 4 Adar II, 5765

No better friend; no worse enemy

By Jack Kelly

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | On Feb. 28th, a suicide bomber killed 125 Iraqi police recruits lined up outside a clinic in Hilla waiting for eye exams. It was the single worst act of terror directed against Iraqis since the conflict began.

The purpose of terrorism is to so frighten people that they won't do what the terrorists don't want them to do. If acts of terror fail to accomplish this result, they are a failure, regardless of how high the body count.

There was another line of volunteers for the Iraqi security forces the next day, and for several days thousands of Iraqis in Hilla demonstrated against the terrorists and demanded that sterner measures be taken against them. Osama bin Laden recognizes terror against Iraqis has become counterproductive. That was behind his message last month urging Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the al Qaeda chieftain in Iraq, to focus on attacks within the United States.

Though viewed with trepidation by the Chicken Littles in the news media, this was an astonishing confession of weakness. Zarqawi has little familiarity with this country, and the FBI is unlikely to let him set up shop here. And if Osama has to pull his man in Iraq out to wage a struggle in North America, al Qaeda's manpower problems must be intense.

Since I don't think bin Laden's cupboard is quite that bare, I suspect he was telling Zarqawi diplomatically: "Cool it, dude. You're hurting the cause. It's time to fold the tent and slink away."

Acts of terror continue, because there is nothing else the resistance can do. It has negligible popular support, which diminishes with each new atrocity. The "insurgents" can't take or hold territory. Getting into fire fights with American soldiers — and, increasingly, with the Iraqi security forces — is an express ticket to Allah. If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. But despite the occasional spectacular success like Hilla, the attacks are diminishing in number and effectiveness. We haven't arrived at the end, but it is in sight.

Historians will note the turning point in the war on terror was when 8.5 million Iraqis defied terrorist threats to vote, and the terrorists couldn't make good on their threats. This gave Iraqis ownership of their country and confidence in the Iraqi police and army, the most visible providers of security for the election. And it broke the grip of fear the terrorists had had upon many.

It was the Iraqi example that triggered the burgeoning Cedar Revolution in Lebanon, and has emboldened freedom seekers in other Arab lands. Totalitarian regimes rule by terror, and can collapse suddenly when people lose their fear of their oppressors. That's why there is so much flop sweat on the brow of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.

There would have been no elections in Iraq if President Bush hadn't ousted Saddam Hussein, and the Cedar revolutionaries are counting on Bush's support to get the Syrians out of their country.

It's remarkable how rapidly America's image has improved in the Muslim world. Three years ago, Arab moderates were suspicious of America's motives, and doubtful of America's constancy.

That's changed in part because Bush, like Ronald Reagan before him, has called the tyrants by their right name, and assured the oppressed that America stands with them. More important, he's proven in Iraq he means what he says.

Still, most of the credit for the change in America's image belongs to our servicemen and women. It was an article of faith for Osama and Saddam that Americans were cowards. Drawing on the example of Mogadishu in 1993, they assured their followers that if you kill a few Americans, they'll turn tail. Now, as StrategyPage notes, the highest compliment that can be paid an Iraqi soldier is to tell him he "fights like an American."

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, support for bin Laden has plummeted and support for the U.S. in the war on terror has skyrocketed. More Indonesians (40 percent) now support the U.S. than oppose us (36 percent). In 2003, 72 percent were opposed.

The chief reason for this startling turnaround was the prompt and effective assistance from the U.S. military after the tsunami. Thanks to President Bush and our troops, many more Muslims now see us as the Marines want to be seen: No better friend; no worse enemy.