Jihad Against the Great Satan

Most Americans have no idea why the Muslim world hates the U.S. The average person dismisses the fatwas of Mullahs or Imams as the judgment of unreasonable wackos upon a peaceful and just country. Western conservatives point to the political and economic success of the U.S. as the impetus behind Islam's Jihad. An equally simplistic response comes from many liberals: Islamic hate comes from the U.S. exerting hegemony in underpriviliged parts of the world. Although all three of these ideas have merit, there's more, much more to the story.

Forty years of U.S. foreign-relations were dictated by international Cold War defense policy. The government seemed to an all's fair in love and war against communism approach and allies were found without consideration for their in-home policies. Many excused the U.S. government because the 'sins' of the allies paled in comparison to the threat of communism. For current generations living in the Arab and Persian world, this backdrop is our track-record. Every president includes peace in his Middle-East master plan, talking the talk and posturing for the global community. But actions speak louder than words. Iran is a perfect case-study.

When the Soviet Union had strong ties to most of the middle-east, the U.S. was desperate for an ally in the oil-rich desert sands. The Shah of Iran wanted to westernize his country, and took a pro-Israel position. This was the will of his people and by the mid-1970s opposition parties were growing. By 1977 the Shah was said to be worth billions of dollars, while the people of Iran lived like peasants. In 1978 Amnesty International estimated that 2,200 political prisoners were jailed in Iran. The U.S. found itself propping up the regime of a dictator.

The Shah fled to Cairo during the Iranian Revolution and was replaced by a religious leader, the Ayatollah Khomeini, who instituted a Muslim theocracy.

Another factor that fuels the fires of Islamic terrorists is the relationship between the U.S. and Israel. Israel is the U.S.'s greatest ally in the Middle East and its aggressive policies are supported-much to the dismay of the surrounding Arab nations. Is it more than your enemy is my enemy? Certainly, however the topic is too broad for the scope of this article.

Most Christian Fundamentalists have an easy time with the word of God. Nearly all Protestant denominations have a closed canon: no more books can be added to the Bible. Islam enjoys no such simplicity. Anyone calling themselves a prophet can sit down and write holy scripture. This is most convenient for manipulative tyrants uniting Muslims against a common enemy.

Most countries governed by Muslim Theocracies endure complete censorship. Limited access to the Web, and propaganda news sources like Al Jazeera are the only sources of information. Oppressive governments portray Americans like the great Satan. Spring break orgies, police beatings, Girls Gone Wild, war footage, the Hedonism resorts, and our violent-crime rate must appear as everyday life in the U.S: not very virtuous for a person of any faith. The decadent use of wealth at the expense of third-world nations is the reputation of the Great Satan. The values of Western culture are impacting industrialized countries through the entertainment mediums of music, movies, and television. It's already swept Japan, and is impacting southeast Asia. Personal values differ culturally. In closed cultures with complete censorship, individual beliefs and values are tightly controlled. In such a place it's not hard to see how a suicide bombing against an entity like the Great Satan could make the world a better place.