I will venture to say that Al-Qaeda is behind the Madrid atrocity. While the investigation continues, the rest of us can see the fingerprints and smell the venom. There is seething anger around the world and it is justified. Before we panic, however, let us reflect.
It is dishearteningly obvious that Al-Qaeda is alive and kicking, in spite of the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the unseen wars of the secret services. The Iraqi people have been liberated from Saddam. The Taleban and their vile government is no longer officially the rule in Afghanistan.
The Middle East is heaving with promise and the rulers are taking note of their populations. When Arafat and Sharon are history, I think the Palestinians and the Israelis will sit down and settle the issue once and for all. These are all positive achievements. If only Bush and Blair had put it in those terms before embarking on this venture! The one stark failure is the declared aim of this global campaign: Al-Qaeda is still alive, killing, maiming, disrupting and just about doing what it likes.
Obviously fingerprinting at embassies and airports and haphazard checkpoints in our streets are not effective. Al-Qaeda is proving too smart for this sort of chase. They play the political scene and they manage their movements with clarity.
Al-Qaeda is a tree in a big shop of horrors. It will not die if you cut off its limbs. The world and its leading powers need to face the ugly realities of where the roots of this tree extend. America and other powers cannot afford to play politics with this menace. You and I know that in an election year, any American president is sure to play politics.
This president, however, is in a unique position in history and he has to relinquish his ‘ties’ whatever they might be in pursuit of this menace. If he doesn’t, history is known to be a cruel judge that recognizes no ties. A fresh, more concentrated approach is needed.
Europe and America have to reconcile since it is obvious that one cannot do without the other in this venture. The rest of the world will have to take note, amiably or otherwise. Those from this area who know and understand the mentality of the group should be advisors on the antidote for the venom.
Washington’s pedants are useless in this venture since the immediacy of the problem renders them ineffectual. Basically, we should be humble enough to recognize that we have to go back to the drawing board.
