Al-Qaeda's New Fury

The world is on notice - the United States of America in particular has been forewarned, as though that was required - that the fanatic mission of al-Qaeda is still on track. There remain influential and respected leaders to enthuse, inflame and encourage their followers to mount exercises for the purpose of spreading terror. The death of Osama bin Laden did not, they claim, strike a death blow to the ongoing aspirations of al-Qaeda.

There remain ample resources yet to be deployed. And the death of bin Laden only spurs them on to greater resolve, through the infuriating and unspeakable assault on the honour of Islam, al-Qaeda and its leader. His presence and the inspiration that he engendered on his followers will simply be delegated to others equally endowed with the intellectual resources and spiritual renaissance to bring jihadists to agreement on their sacred duty to Islam.

There are sufficient elements dedicated to the furtherance of world domination of Islam enraged over the killing of their leader from among whom will arise another charismatic to lead them to victory. There will continue to be many victories, and each one will represent another triumph. Until the blood-soaked triumphs coalesce to the point where the infidels and the Jews cower in abject fear.

"America and those who live in America will never enjoy security until our people in Palestine enjoy it", al-Qaeda central now solemnly proclaims. Observe: Fatah and Hamas have joined forces, pledging to restrain from murdering one another, to focus their attention now on the State of Israel. Whose presence represents the fount of all the Islamic world's frustrations and anger.

Solve that conundrum and there will be no further reason to assault the West, is surely implied. The West has been listening intently to the message for quite a little while. And seems to have reached a similar conclusion. The delegitimization of Israel, and with that in fact, the presence of all Jews, has begun its gradual ascent.

There remains a mystery, despite that enlightening revelation that without Israel's presence in the Middle East to stir trouble all would be solved. For the hatred that streams out of that geography appears by all available evidence to have various strands. It is directed against Israel, most certainly. But it encompasses equally lethal hatred directed against the West as well.

Yet most tellingly, the radiating strands of hatred, revenge, and tribal animosities leading to mass atrocities are aimed at Muslims. Where Shia detest Sunni, where Sunni are enraged against Shia, and where break-off sects of Islam are seen to be heretics, despised and victimized. The blood shed by Muslim upon Muslim is far greater than that spilled by jihadists against non-Muslims.

Al-Qaeda, its associates and supporters require a new, revised, uplifting and explanatory narrative more invested to display its convoluted reasoning than what currently obtains. Otherwise, the conclusion is inescapable, that fanatical Islam is a death cult that celebrates and adores death. Which is to say the explicit purposeful delivery of death to hated ones.

And the circle of the hated is dense and all-encompassing. Tribal, clan, regional, political, sectarian - and the outside world. So much of the world is an obvious target. How will it be possible for a dedicated group of jihadists to fulfill their plan of annihilating all whom they identify as deserving of their hate, destined to be delivered to death?

Pakistan's secure premises of their nuclear warheads may be as secure as the knowledge that the country's secret intelligence and its military had of the safe haven for Osama bin Laden and his family over the past six years' tenure. The weak government and the infiltrated strength of al-Qaeda and the Taliban within the military and the ISI, supportive of an Islamist caliphate may provide the key.

And although Islam and Islamists speak so approvingly of the divine surrender to Islam through martyrdom, its leaders prefer life for themselves. Death for all others.