Arming Our Fearful Psyches

American President Barack Obama addressed his nation, informing them that their country now faces an increasingly internal-generated terrorist threat, rather than the external threat that had entered the country in 2011 for the purpose of expending hateful energies in instilling terror by imposing terror, in the process demonstrating to Americans that their aloof island of security was not impregnable to attack.

One might say the admission by the President of the United States was a kind of catch-up to reality. The viciously violent jihadist militias have been busy and increasingly so, in their own bailiwicks. Although they claim that the West is at war with Islam, Islam has turned increasingly against its own. Muslims content to worship their maker as they have done for hundreds of years are being taught indelible lessons in heresy.

Their form of worship, let alone the foundation on which their faith is built, has been deemed by either the (majority) Sunni or (minority) Shiite factions of those major sects as insufficient unto the day. That day being when Islam itself must completely conform to a politically ideological-mandated pure version of fundamental orthodoxy that brooks no variations. Those Muslims foolish enough to object find themselves very dead.

This is a double-pronged exercise. On the one hand the ummah must be taught that casual Islam is a sin. Complete and utter devotion to Islam with no hold-back is a dire necessity, a divine command. With one committed voice of surrender the world of Islam must be completely monolithic in its faith, its outlook, its Sharia-led culture. Which will allow it to expand its grasp world-wide.

Years ago on on-line jihadist sites and on the official website of al-Qaeda's how-to-be-a-jihadist journal the utility of committing to becoming a loner jihadist with modestly effective aspirations in terror-mongering was being emphasized as a boon to the global jihad movement. Every single bit of jihadist activity, even those that were apprehended by intelligence agencies would be useful to the cause. The very thought, the realization that terrorists were out there plotting, was useful.

And those fervent believers who espoused their own brand of loner-jihad from the inside because suspicion was not likely to fall upon them, would be even more effective because of the shock effect that someone who had benefited from all the social advances of the West, in lifestyle, education, health services and social benefits chose to spurn it all in favour of a hard turn to jihad would be of immense terrorist benefit.

"So America is at a crossroads. We must define the nature and scope of this struggle or else it will define us", he stated. "Most, though not all, of the terrorism we face is fuelled by a common ideology -- a belief by some extremists that Islam is in conflict with the United States and the West, and that violence against Western targets, including civilians, is justified in pursuit of a larger cause."

Is this a new realization? Unsurprisingly it seems to be just that for European countries. Britain, where a new atrocity has taken place, so bold and shocking that people witnessing it save one woman were incapable of reacting. The Scandinavian countries whose values exemplify social welfare, are only now realizing how burdened their social welfare systems have become with the influx of immigrants unwilling to integrate into what they consider normalcy.

Canada is steadily uncovering, through diligent intelligence gathering and watchfulness, one plot after another planned and intended to be executed internally by Muslims who have entered the country to take advantage of the health and education system, social benefits, and freedom from persecution and harassment by state authorities and finding life good. And then a discrete number of youth find life puzzlingly boring, the opportunity for jihad far more intriguing.

Of course, President Obama is not suggesting that Muslim residents of the United States be held in greater suspicion, that security and intelligence agents look more acutely, critically at their activities and proclivities, because racial, ethnic, cultural or religious profiling is anathema to the values of the United States. Which may explain why someone like Nidal Hasan was able to shoot up Fort Hood, and how the brothers Tsarnaev were able to casually place pressure-cooker bombs at the Boston Marathon.

So what is he declaring for?