May 5, 2010
Exclusive: FSM Reader Extra: Top Takes on National Security – How Can We Thwart Future Islamist Attacks?
FSM National Security Team
Alex Alexiev
To answer the question how we can prevent terrorist attacks on home soil from taking place, we first must answer the question: What makes the would-be perpetrators wish to murder fellow citizens? The answer, in virtually all known cases, is that they were driven to attempting mass murder by radical Islamist ideologies in which they were indoctrinated in mosques and Islamist organizations right here at home. This brings us to the undeniable reality that while the majority of American Muslims may be moderate and not given to extremism, the Muslim establishment and most Muslim institutions in the land are firmly in the hands of radical Islamists, aided and abetted by murderous Wahhabi/Salafi doctrines and funded by our Saudi friends. No progress is likely or possible until our government wakes up to this simple fact. Unfortunately, so far, Washington has done everything possible to avoid doing that – the Bush administration by coddling Saudi Arabia and thus facilitating its continued subversion; the Obama administration by going further still in not only turning a blind eye to Saudi misdeeds, but by actively pandering to radical Islam world wide and downplaying the terrorist threat at home.
- Alex Alexiev is an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute Washington, D.C.
Roger Aronoff
The Times Square terrorist bombing allegedly attempted by Faisal Shahzad is the latest reminder of the assault that America is under. And of course, citizens should be vigilant and report suspicious activity to the proper authorities. But more important is good, solid intelligence that comes from informants and infiltration and a close monitoring of activities by groups with known terrorist predilections. There should also be congressional hearings on the process of becoming a naturalized citizen. Shahzad became a naturalized U.S. citizen last year. Were there red flags, as in the case of Maj. Nidal Hasan, who murdered 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas last November, that might have halted the process of Shahzad becoming a naturalized citizen? Or will the Obama administration pressure Congress to not look under that rock?
- Roger Aronoff is a media analyst with Accuracy in Media, and is the writer/director of "Confronting Iraq: Conflict and Hope."
James Jay Carafano
Well, you got that exactly backwards. Only three were stopped by “sheer luck” – the shoe bomber, the Christmas bomber, and the Times Square bomber. The others were stopped by good intelligence, information sharing, and counterterrorism operations. We live in a nation of infinite vulnerabilities. We cant child-proof our way out of the terrorist threat. They best way to stop terrorists is to go and find them and stop them before they attack. That is why we need tools like the Patriot Act. That’s why we have GITMO. That’s why we have to finish the job in Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s why we have to recognize we are in a long against the terrorist forces arrayed against us. That’s why it is important to acknowledge the main threat Islamist terrorist groups and affiliates that want to attack the United States and its interests and allies. That’s why we need a president and a government who are on the job 24-7-365 and don’t try the war on terrorism as annoying distraction from their day jobs.
- James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., is a leading expert in defense affaires, intelligence, military operations and strategy, and homeland security at the Heritage Foundation.
Alan Caruba
Despite a huge counterterrorism force arrayed among U.S. departments and agencies, success in thwarting terror attacks does not have a good track record. Americans can expect to have many more such attacks for a very long time (some experts call it a hundred years war) and can only hope the current administration develops a serious intent to deal with this growing problem.
- Alan Caruba writes a weekly column posted on the Internet site of The National Anxiety Center.
Kay Day
Two things: One, better intel. Obviously we need more who cooperate from within communities where terrorist sympathizers live and work. And we need better vetting of those who apply for citizenship from countries where hostiles live in large numbers. Two: We need a sea change in thought. While it is proper for our government to ensure civil rights for all and non-persecution of Muslims, this administration has gone overboard with actions such as barring Rev. Graham's participation in National Prayer Day and permitting the president of Iran to enter the country. While excessive nationalism can result in tyranny, the lack of nationalism can result in destruction from within.
- Kay B. Day, author and editor of The US Report
Lee Ellis
Adopt the Israel plan of Behavior and Background Profiling (not racial) of everyone who travels to and back from suspected terrorist countries. This will require more trained behavioral inspectors and background checkers at all ports of entry. The current low-paid guards waste time and money. Let us also bring back the laws of sedition and treason!
- Lee Ellis is a retired journalist, narrator, and formerly a Vice President with both CBS and Gannett (USA Weekend). He can be contacted at indiolee@dc.rr.com.
Laina Farhat-Holzman
I don't think we will be able to thwart all such attacks, but we must continue to profile, watch Internet sites, and make sure the public is alert, as they were in New York. We certainly must watch women converts – and attempts to wear hijab in public. If we are attacked, we need to keep our cool and methodically round up the perpetrators.
- Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman is a historian, lecturer, and author. You may contact her at Lfarhat102@aol.com or http://www.globalthink.net/. She also writes for the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
M. Zuhdi Jasser
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to how to stop the continued uptick in attacks stemming from jihadists on our soil. In the short term, we are going to have to continue to have faith in our Homeland Security apparatus, FBI, police, and supporting agencies to continue doing the great work they are doing in prevention, counterintelligence, and monitoring. This has certainly included our share of good fortune as we saw in this most recent case at Times Square. More importantly, in the long term, our nation desperately needs to wake up to the war of ideas. We have taken major steps backward in the past year too many to mention here. While the Obama administration wastes its time striking the words “Islam,” “Islamic,” “Islamist” and “Jihadist” from the government lexicon, the Jihadists continue to virally spread their unopposed narrative that “American society, government, and media are against Islam and against Muslims.”
As a nation, we have been missing in action in the war of ideas. We continue to give the victim-mongering Islamist groups in America a giant pass on how recklessly they facilitate that same victim-obsessed narrative which feeds the minds of future radical Islamists. The arc of radicalization will only accelerate until the American Muslim community develops a palpable pro-liberty, anti-Islamist response. This war of ideas has been nearly impossible with much of the media, government, and academe unwilling to engage in the tough work of theo-political discussions of necessary Muslim reform. Muslim youth and young adults will continue to be susceptible to the separatist jihadist ideas of radical Islamists unless we provide alternative liberty-based winning ideas for their identification with this nation. Already, many (including Sec. Janet Napolitano) are rushing to say that this Faisal Shahzad, the first one arrested so far in this incident, was basically a “lone-wolf.”
Whether he ends up being connected to a militant jihadist Pakistani network or not, he is not a lone wolf. The ideas that drove him to act did not hatch in his own mind. We ignore to our own detriment the common ideology, the common malignant virus of the slippery slope of political Islam that takes over these Muslims. When are we going to collectively wake up as a nation? We need to begin to saturate the domestic and foreign messages in the media and online available to young Muslims seeking the “truth” with one based in the need to reform, to separate mosque and state and teach an inherent loyalty to Americanism, Constitutionalism and the central belief in the Establishment Clause of our republic over Islamism while they can also be devout Muslims. Anything else is short-sighted and continues to leave us intellectually unarmed against the Islamists who will only hatch more and more attacks as we remain missing in action in the war of ideas.
- M. Zuhdi Jasser is the founder and Chairman of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy based in Phoenix Arizona. He is a former U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, a physician in private practice, and a community activist..
Susan Konig
My first reaction to the Times Square attempt on Saturday night was, "Not in my city they don't." God bless those two street vendors with military veteran's instincts, the beat cops who quickly moved tourists out of harm's way, and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, a tough Marine who worked with the feds to catch the terrorist before he got away. We need to keep up the outrage and give our counterterrorism personnel the tools they need to protect our country and our cities. Oh, and no civil trials. This is a war.
- Susan Konig is a nationally read columnist and author of Why Animals Sleep So Close to the Road and Other Lies I Tell My Children.
Jim Kouri, CPP
Almost nine years after 9/11, the Obama administration is walking on eggshells in discussing the enemy in this war. Euphemisms and platitudes do not stop the enemy – radical Islamists. The best way to thwart terrorism is with concerted efforts by law enforcement, the intelligence community and – overseas – the military. But before we as a nation can succeed in eliminating the threat to the homeland, our leaders must stop the politically-correct nonsense and acknowledge the nature of our enemy.
- Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance.
Adrian Morgan
America prides itself on its freedoms, but a person’s freedom to live unmolested is always more important than anyone’s freedom to preach hatred. To be fair, survivalist Christian militia (such as the Hutaree) are potentially as dangerous as Islamist terror cells. The only answer is surveillance and monitoring of people who do not promote integration and social cohesion. Mosques and so-called “advocacy groups” with even tangential links to terror groups (such as Hamas) or Islamic schools that promote religious segregation should be monitored closely. Those who use the Internet to promote jihad or revolution should be monitored even more closely. In Europe, many of the mosques that promote hatred for the West are funded by Saudi Arabia. All foreign funding of mosques, Islamic bodies and charities should stop. If Islam is to thrive in America, it must do so to the benefit of everyone – Muslim and non-Muslim alike. Saudi Arabia may be an “ally” but its values are totally opposed to Western freedoms. In Saudi Arabia, people are still killed for “witchcraft.” It should have no right to influence any institution or university. In Britain, where Saudi and Iranian funds underpin college courses, criticism of their undemocratic regimes is suppressed. If Islam thrives in the U.S., let it be American-inspired and American-funded Islam, with no political interference from morally backward tyrannies that have no concept of democracy, human rights or freedoms.
-Adrian Morgan is a British-based writer and artist who has written for Western Resistance since its inception. He also writes for Spero News.
Chet Nagle
Domestic terrorist attacks from domestic terrorists fall in the purview of the FBI and local law enforcement. Stopping attacks planned in foreign lands and executed here (the diaper-bomber, 9/11, etc) are the mission of the CIA, supposedly in coordination with the FBI and local law enforcement. To one side is the New York police department, charged with protecting New York (they have offices in Islamic countries and are better at their mission than the FBI and CIA are at theirs). The White House may think otherwise, but terrorists and suicide bombers are overwhelmingly Islamic jihadists. With these truths in mind, the following 10 steps appear:
1. Rescind the White House mantra: "We are not at war with Islam." Islamic terrorists are certainly at war with us.
2. Train Americans in languages and hire those now adept. No Muslim volunteers (unless lie detectors are used rigorously). Include all citizens, Arabic-speaking Christians, Jews and other immigrants with useful skills.
3. Government agencies must end PC pro-Muslim actions and statements, especially Muslim-led "sensitivity training" and other smokescreens for subversive activities.
4. Mosques and Muslim schools that preach and teach the overthrow of the constitution must be warned that is against the law, and that Arabic-speakers will be in the schools and mosques to insure compliance, or the imams will be brought to justice.
5. Shut down affiliates of the terrorist organization, The Muslim Brotherhood, including CAIR and others.
6. Train local law enforcement, on a state level, about Islamic doctrine, The Muslim Brotherhood, and how to recognize their activities.
7. Fund the New York Police Department's foreign activities, and encourage cooperation with the FBI and CIA. (Given the FBI attitude, that will be difficult.)
8. End the FBI's pro-Muslim stance and especially the current exclusive control of all sensitive translations by Muslims.
9. Establish a computerized database between local law enforcement, the FBI and the CIA. (This is incredibly hard, but so was landing on the moon.)
10. If the Director of National Intelligence cannot coordinate the CIA, FBI and others (the case to this day) then fire him and the Directors of the CIA and FBI. Remember that the CIA was supposed to do the job that DNI is supposed to do now. So start firing at the top and work down until there is coordination serving the safety of American citizens.
Easy, right? No, hard. But American lives are at stake, so we must be clear-eyed, honest, and disinterested in the posturings of congress and the White House.
God Bless America,
- Chet Nagle is a Naval Academy graduate and Cold War carrier pilot who flew in the Cuban Missile Crisis. He is the author of IRAN COVENANT.
W. Thomas Smith, Jr.
Thwarting terrorist attacks – and improving how we do so – is twofold. First, we have to use commonsense in terms of profiling (political correctness will get people killed), and make sure the public is aware, educated on threats, and unafraid to report unusual activity. Second, there must be a concerted effort among counterterrorism and force protection officials in the military and law enforcement to overcome what terrorism expert Patrick Poole refers to as "classified blindness" (relying only on classified intelligence and failing to recognize the importance of open-sources), "analysis blindness" (so-called experts who don't know the difference between Sunni and Shia), and "bureaucratic blindness" (agencies that have more office boys and girls than warfighters).
- W. Thomas Smith Jr. is a former U.S. Marine infantry leader and shipboard counterterrorism instructor, who writes about military/defense issues and has covered conflict in the Balkans, on the West Bank, in Iraq and Lebanon. Visit his website at uswriter.com.
Perhaps, if Faisal Shahzad had spent more time trying to find a good job with his talents and education, and putting them to some good use to further the Republic, instead of spending his money and resources on finding a way of blowing up the country and civilians that welcomed him here, maybe he may have been an upright citizen and not have taken the cowardly way out.
The man was totally bankrupt. Why? He had talent.
He had education. He had a small family to support. What made him go the way he did?
Blame it on the ideology of Islam. It courrupted his mind and turned him against the principles I believe he may have had a chance of upholding. Either that or he was just using the educational system and his job as a front for his real intention.
Islam is very puzzling, to me. On the one hand it wants to conquer the world. On the other hand it encourages its people to be lazy and merely terrorize the population of the country it is trying to overthrow. I guess that is what joining "the army of God" brings with it...it's the "Jihadist Way".
It's too bad for those naive enough to get sucked into the Islamic ideology. Too bad...so sad.
posted by: Kim Bruce
Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 12:09 AM
I have watched and listened very carefully to what has been happening since 'obama' has 'taken over' the Oval Office and then elected Czars (that answer to no one but him).
There are things that should have been done, should be done and must be done...BUT there has been nothing done up to this present day to deter Islamic Terrorists. There will more than likely be 'nothing' done in the near future.
This present and past admistrations (especially this current administration) has put 'every American, and I mean all American's' in such danger by appearing, no wait, by Being Weak.
They have made it a 'crime' almost to say anything against the Enemy. They are against 'profiling' for the reason of 'protecting' the people of America..They are more afraid of 'OFFENDING' the Enemy than keeping their own citizens safe... against these Terrorist Countries and from the Terrorist Within. Although what can you expect from a President that 'reveres' the enemy more than the people of America.
I fear that it is too late for America due to 'obama's' own agenda. I believe that he is apart of a 'global plan' to bring down America and make it fit into a 'New World Order' of things, that is against 'capitalism'...and he will try everything within his power and ability to do so. Even if it is ignoring the TRUTH....
The only thing is, while he and his 'goonies' are trying to destroy the Current America (and they are doing it exactly as Saul Alinsky said it could be done) he is about to find out that he is only the 'puppet' man who's strings are being pulled by some bigger and more dangerous players on the field.
I pray for more American's to have their eyes opened to what is REALLY going on behind the scenes before it is too late...OR PERHAPS IT IS ALREADY TOO LATE.
posted by: Gramma from Canada
Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 12:43 AM
The answer clear back to the Clinton days has been full Muslim Ideological Profiling, to recognize the danger of political Islam by creating a database of all Muslims living in or entering or leaving the U.S. and attempting to flag those with signs of radicalization, including visits to countries like Pakistan, in order to flag them for extra security measures at airports and to deny them immigration and citizenship. Combined with this we need to repeal Ted Kennedy clueless 1965 Immigration Act that blithely permits mass Muslim immigration and has created so many ticking time bombs.
Too bad, we have a president who's a throwback to Neville Chamberlain and attempts to appease unappeasable intolerant supremacist Islam. Is Obama a closet Muslim or just trying to please his Muslim relatives despite the consequences? Find out how deep his rabbit hole goes with my free Obama Historyscope at
http://historyscoper.angelfire.com/obamascope.html
posted by: TL Winslow
Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 01:22 PM
I concur with the preceeding comments and emphasize that the Democratic Party, since John Kennedy told Russia to get its missiles out of Cuba, has failed miserably in keeping us safe from our enemies, whose goal is to destroy America. Instead of trying to shut down our intelligence community, they should praise them for the good job they have been doing, and support them in the dangerous and secret war they are carrying on, while daily putting their lives on the line to protect us and keep us safe. Unless these failures who think of themselves as Royality, who think they know it all, and are not to be questioned, but obeyed! Remember Harry Reid saying that the "surge" in Iraq would fail, or how the stimulus would create jobs. These guys are a bunch of inexperienced Dunces,who haven't the qualifications to run a kid's lemonade stand.
posted by: Richard C. Wagener
Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 11:29 PM
I was hoping I might find some real solutions in this article but there is nothing except silly opinions that miss why this guy became a terrorist. Shazad was not a radical or attended radical mosques. He simply went to pakistan. Saw the innocent people getting killed by drones in Pakistan and Afghanistan, became enraged and decided to take revenge. To stop people like him from becoming terrorists, maybe we should stop killing 100 civilians for every devout taliban.
posted by: blindexperts
Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 04:53 AM
Until we get rid of Political Correctness and start calling this war of Islam against everyone else what it is there is no prayer of avoiding another catastrophic attack. They only have to be right once, we have to be right every time.
Keep up the good work
posted by: Larry Breeden
Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 09:27 AM
