Not An Alternative

The Power of Nightmares Video

“The terrible truth was that there was nothing there, because Al qaeda as an organization did not exist. The attacks on America had been planned by a small group that had come together around Bin Laden in the late 90’s. What had united them was an idea, an extreme interpretation of Islamism developed by Ayman Al-Zawahiri. With the American invasion, that group had been destroyed; killed or scattered. What was left was the idea. And the real danger was this idea could inspire groups and individuals around the world who had no relation to each other. In looking for an organization the Americans and the British were chasing a phantom enemy and missing the real threat.”

“I was with the Royal Marines as they trouped around eastern Afghanistan and every time they got a location for a supposed Al qaeda or Taliban element or base they’d turn up and there was no one there but a few startled sheppards. That struck me them that that was a wonderful image for the war on terror because people are looking for something that isn’t there. There is no organization with its terrorist operatives, cells, sleeper cells and so on and so forth. What there is, is an idea prevalent among young angry Muslim males throughout the Islamic world. That idea is what poses the threat.”

Check out a related post about “the idea” behind V’s mask (V for Vendetta)