Commentary
The National Security Mosque
Ali Soufan, 08.18.10, 12:40 PM ET
The
furor over the proposed Islamic cultural center and mosque near Ground Zero
makes me think back to one of the most important lessons I learned from al
Qaeda terrorists I interrogated--that they have a warped view of America. To
them--and this they get from Osama Bin Laden's rhetoric--the U.S. is a country
at war with Islam and Muslims, and so they had a duty to fight us.
While
I was serving on the frontlines I found that this distorted view of America was
common among ordinary Muslims too, and it was only by correcting this image did
we encourage locals to help our investigations and turn against al Qaeda. Our
efforts were helped by public statements, like from President Bush in the days
after 9/11, declaring that America was at war with al Qaeda and not with Islam.
I was in Sana, Yemen, on that day, and I remember our military and law
enforcement group feeling encouraged that our leadership understood how to
frame our battle.
But
while we started off on the right note in dealing with the Muslim world, our
leadership soon demonstrated that they failed to understand that our war
against al Qaeda was not just a military fight, but an asymmetrical battle for
the proverbial hearts and minds of Muslims across the world too. We should have
been highlighting that al Qaeda has killed thousands of Muslims and blown up
dozens of mosques around the world. But instead we failed to appreciate the
importance of rebutting al Qaeda's propaganda and of turning ordinary Muslims
against the terror network.
When
we eventually did this, we had great successes. As commander in Iraq Gen.
Petraeus reached out to local Sunni groups and convinced them that al Qaeda was
their enemy and America their friend. That led to a remarkable turnaround in
our fortunes in Iraq. He is now trying to do the same in Afghanistan. Just this
weekend Meet the Press reported
that when Gen. Petraeus learned that the Taliban attacked a mosque near the
border with Pakistan, he ordered it to be publicized among the local
population.
There
are many reasons for supporting the Muslim community's right to build a
cultural center and mosque on private property, not least of all the First
Amendment of the Constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion. But from a
national security perspective, our leaders need to understand that no one is
likely to be happier with the opposition to building a mosque than Osama Bin
Laden. His next video script has just written itself.
The
potential damage to our national security is not only to our work abroad, but
at home too. Today in America we are facing an increased threat of homegrown
terrorism. While Bin Laden couldn't find a single American-Muslim to be part of
the 9/11 plot, today, thanks to mixture of poor (and even harmful) leadership
within the American-Muslim community and failed strategies from our government
in dealing with the threat, some young Muslims are finding themselves
increasingly isolated and marginalized--and are becoming easy prey for
radicals.
When
demagogues appear to be equating Islam with terrorism, it's making young
Muslims unsure about their place in the country. It bolsters the message that
radicalizers are selling: That the war is against Islam, and Muslims are not
welcome in America. As a Muslim-American, I know that isn't true. Whatever some
rabble-raising politicians say about one mosque doesn't trump what America
really stands for--the values enshrined by our constitution that guarantee
equality and freedom for all, whatever your race, religion or creed.
Young
American-Muslims need to focus on comments by leaders like Mayor Bloomberg,
whose stand on the issue exemplifies the very best in American leadership:
educating people and standing up for the values of our Constitution, rather
than playing on fear and ignorance.
It
is because of the principles enshrined in our constitution that thousands of
American-Muslims, like Americans from all races and religions, volunteer to
serve our country in the military, intelligence and law enforcement
communities. The Pledge of Allegiance, ending "one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," is a constant reminder
that America is worth fighting for.
To
those politicians now saying a mosque can't be built near Ground Zero, I would
like them to take a walk through Arlington Cemetery and learn the names and
stories of American-Muslims who have died in service to our country. They
should also learn a bit more about the victims of 9/11, such as Mohammad Salman
Hamdani, a Muslim-American who was a New York City Police cadet and paramedic.
When he saw smoke coming from the Twin Towers he ran to assist, where he died
helping victims.
Another
Muslim who died in the World Trade Center was Mohammad Chowdhury who was
working at Windows on the World to support his pregnant wife and daughter. He
never made it home that day, and his son born 48 hours later never knew his
father. Al Qaeda didn't differentiate between Muslims and other Americans when
it hit the Twin Towers--and neither should we.
Ali Soufan was an F.B.I. supervisory special agent from 1997 to
2005. He is the president and CEO of The Soufan Group, an intelligence
consultancy.
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