Al Qa Struggles
Terrorism: The Struggle for Peace In all corners of the world, terrorists pose a constant threat to the everyday life of millions. Despite the best efforts of nations around the world, the struggle to end terrorism is held back by a lack of understanding of terrorist organizations and their goals. If leaders of the world unite to better understand what these organizations desire, the struggle for power would come to an end. Leaders must put their selfish desires aside and come together for the good of all. Al Qa’ida, HAMAs and FARC claim the titles of the three largest and most powerful terrorist organizations in the world. All three of these organizations have different reasons for their behavior, different intentions with their attacks
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and different goals they are striving to reach. Better knowledge of what drives each organization will result in an end to the struggle for peace. Al- Qa’ida is the most powerful terrorist organization in the world.
The Al-Qa’ida originated in 1988. In Arabic, the word Al-Qa’ida means the base or the foundation. They believe that they are the foundation of reviving the Islamic religion. Al-Qa’ida is founded on extremist Sunni Islamic principles. When the organization started, it was headed by Osama Bin-Laden. Since the assassination of Bin-Laden in 2011, the organization has continued to thrive and carry out its mission. After the death of Bin-Laden it is believed that the Al-Qa’ida is less than finished (Gillis). In addition to upsetting the Al-Qa’ida in killing their leader, the amateur groups that the Al-Qa’ida assists also are seeking revenge for the death of …show more content…
Bin-Laden.
The power of the Al-Qa’ida directly relates to its colossal size. Today, the Al- Qa’ida are stronger today than they ever have been before (Farrall). What started as a small organization centered in Iraq has grown into a massive organization that is spread throughout many countries. The presence of Al-Qa’ida haunts many parts of the Middle East, some parts of Africa and a small area of Southern and Southeast Asia. Whispers and conspiracies lead experts to believe the Al Qa’ida operates their organization in a hierarchy: the core, a branch, a franchise and a subsidiary. Despite popular belief, they Al-Qa’ida did not form a coherent terrorist network; however they provide funds, contacts and advice to Islamic militant groups they have stationed all over the world (Burke). Dispersing the Al-Qa’ida power reinforces their presence throughout the world, as it is now nearly impossible to take down all of the organization down at once. Spreading out the organization and its power ensures that the Al-Qa’ida will remain a constant global threat. The global threat the Al-Qaida poses helps to assist them in reaching their goal. The ultimate goal of the Al- Qa’ida is to drive all non-Islamic people from the Middle East, destroy all apostate regimes and revive the Islamic religion (Greier). Under the rule of Caliphs, this Islamic nation would have no borders and it would be free of non- Muslims as well as westerners. Through who they target the Al Qa’ida has made it blatantly clear that they do not want westerners to be a part of their world. In February of 1998 the Al-Qa 'ida stated their main target is US Citizens and all of their allies in addition to Jews and Christians (Clarke). The only way to achieve what they want is through action and the more spectacular the action- the better. Their primary forms of attack include bombings, hijackings, suicide attacks and assassinations. They have been linked to the following attacks: Madrid train bombings in 2004, World Center attacks in 2001 and 1993, truck bombings in Kenya in 1998, Morocco in 2003 and an attack on the USS Cole near Yemen in 2002. The people who make up their military make these actions possible. To these people, it is an honor to die in the name of the Al-Qa’ida. Individual heroism is important because they believe they leave the world spreading their religion, therefore making it a better place. Similar to the Al-Qa’ida, HAMAs was also founded in the name of the Islamic religion.
Islam is the main factor that connect HAMAs and its counterparts. Arabic words that mean Islamic Resistance movement form the acronym HAMAs. In 1987 HAMAs was founded by Ahmed Yassin, Abdel Aziz al- Rantissi and Mohammad Taha. The start of this organization was sparked by the First Intifada, a Palestinian and Israeli uprising over control of the Palestinian territories. Israel has failed to keep HAMAs out of the country and its politics (Peraino). Twenty years later, the HAMAs organization has come into power in the Palestinian parliament. In 2007, the HAMAs had seventy-six members voted into the house, putting them in power (Zunes). With this win over Fatah, a rival political party, HAMAs proved themselves to be more than a terrorist organization. Despite their position in the Palestinian government HAMAs is still considered a terrorist organization by Canada, Japan, Israel, the European Union and the United
States. HAMAs was founded in the Islamic religion, and religion remains central in everything they do. HAMAs uses politics and violence to reach their goal of establishing an Islamic-Palestinian state located in Israel (Clarke). The ideology believes that the Palestinian territory should be occupied by only Muslims. HAMAs advocated and engages in violence and terror in order to destroy the state of Israel and replace it with an Islamic state (StudyMode). The attacks are not random and neither are the victims. They frequently attack on religious holidays, knowing that where they attack will have more people so more lives are ended. They want to cause the most damage possible and be responsible for the most loss. Israel has remained the main target of the HAMAs since the organization started. They target rivals from the political group Fatah and Palestinian collaborators. In addition to political figures, HAMAs targets families vacationing as well as children in schools. They have never threatened the US, but due to their massive army and potential to attack, they remain a listed threat. HAMAs attack methods are brutally violent, as they use their massive and powerful military to their fuel their attacks. The majority of their attacks have been suicide bombings. Although they still have not established their Palestinian state, but their attacks have disturbed peace and caused the death of hundreds of people. Unlike HAMAs and Al-Qa’ida, FARC is not a religious based organization. FARC is an acronym for Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia. FARC as the main obstacle to national progress in Columbia and has converted Columbia into one of the most violent countries in Latin America. The original purpose of FARC was to serve as the military wing of the Columbian communist party. Today, FARC is a member of the Marxist party. The organization’s ultimate goal is to overthrow the Columbian government and establish a Marxist state. The organization was founded on May 27, 1964 by peasants who wanted to be represented in the Columbian government. Columbia has one of the world’s largest gaps between the rich and the poor and the second most internally displaced population (Banjak). FARC claims to be representing the poor of rural Columbia in the fight to earn them a voice in the Columbian government. However, the conflict has been a class struggle distorted by the drug trade where the principal victims have been civilians (Brittain). The defining point of FARC is their heavy involvement in drug trafficking. Trafficking started as a way to fund their attacks but has grown to be the center of the organization. In addition to drug trafficking, they also participate in bombings, murder, mortar attacks, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, guerilla, warfare, taxation, and cultivation (Clarke). These attacks are targeted at Columbian officials as well as foreign citizens. The most shocking target of FARC is civilians, who make more than two thirds of their death toll. Their criminal action accounts for over eight billion dollars of damage yearly. Despite peace talks with the Columbian government, the group has yet to stop their horribly violent attacks. However, in the past decade FARC has considerably downsized cutting its number of rebels nearly in half (Agence). This dramatic decrease in rebels has come from the government enforcing more a more aggressive military policy on the organization. Al-Qa’ida, HAMAs, and FARC all pose a serious threat to the little peace that is left in the world. However, HAMAs and FARC pose little threat to the Unites States. Despite the massive military power of HAMAs, they have never attacked, threatened, or stated the United States as a target. FARC is centered on overthrowing the Columbian government and is not interested in terrorizing other nations. This leaves Al-Qa’ida as the biggest threat to safety in the United States. Their previous attacks serve as proof that they are determined to take down the United States. A better understanding of the organization will lead to an opportunity to relieve the hostility and tension between the Al-Qa’ida and the United States. As a nation, coming together to better understand the Al-Qa’ida is the only way peacefully end this struggle for peace.
Works Cited
Bajak, Frank, and Paul Haven. "Talks set for Colombia; Government, FARC rebels will begin peace negotiations next month in Norway, trying to bring conclusion to half-century conflict." St. Louis Post Dispatch [St. Louis] 5 Sept. 2012: n. pag. Print.
Blanche, Ed. "The Al Qaeda Enigma." Middle East 1 Nov. 2008: n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
Brittain, James J. "The FARC-EP in Colombia: A Revolutionary Exception in an Age of Imperialist Expansion." Monthly Review 57.4 (2005): n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.
Burke, Jason. "Al Qaeda." Foreign Policy: n. pag. eLibrary Academic/Public Library. Web. 2 Dec. 2013.
Clark, Elizabeth A., et al. Volume. N.p.: The Center for Learning, 2005. Print. Vol. 4 of World History. Al-Qa 'ida.
- - -. Volume. N.p.: The Center for Learning, 2005. Print. Vol. 4 of World History. HAMAs (Islamic Resistance Movement).
- - -. Volume. N.p.: The Center for Learning, 2005. Print. Vol. 4 of World History. FARC Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia.
- - -. Volume. N.p.: The Center for Learning, 2005. Print. Vol. 4 of World History. Basque Fatherland and Liberty.
FARC. Prod. Agence France Presse. eLibrary. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
Farrall, Leah. "How al Qaeda Works: What the Organization 's Subsidiaries Say About Its Strength." Foreign Affairs 90.2 (2011): 128-39. History Study Center. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
Gillis, Charlie. "The Future of Al-Qaeda." International: JIHADISTS: n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
Greier, Peter. "Inside the Mind of Al Qaeda." The Christian Science Monitor: n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 2 Dec. 2013.
"Hamas." StudyMode. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2014.
Peraino, Kevin. "How Hamas Wins Voters." Newsweek 18 Apr. 2005: n. pag. Print.
Zunes, Stephen. "The Rise of Hamas." Foreign Policy in Focus (2007): n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.
and different goals they are striving to reach. Better knowledge of what drives each organization will result in an end to the struggle for peace. Al- Qa’ida is the most powerful terrorist organization in the world.
The Al-Qa’ida originated in 1988. In Arabic, the word Al-Qa’ida means the base or the foundation. They believe that they are the foundation of reviving the Islamic religion. Al-Qa’ida is founded on extremist Sunni Islamic principles. When the organization started, it was headed by Osama Bin-Laden. Since the assassination of Bin-Laden in 2011, the organization has continued to thrive and carry out its mission. After the death of Bin-Laden it is believed that the Al-Qa’ida is less than finished (Gillis). In addition to upsetting the Al-Qa’ida in killing their leader, the amateur groups that the Al-Qa’ida assists also are seeking revenge for the death of …show more content…
Bin-Laden.
The power of the Al-Qa’ida directly relates to its colossal size. Today, the Al- Qa’ida are stronger today than they ever have been before (Farrall). What started as a small organization centered in Iraq has grown into a massive organization that is spread throughout many countries. The presence of Al-Qa’ida haunts many parts of the Middle East, some parts of Africa and a small area of Southern and Southeast Asia. Whispers and conspiracies lead experts to believe the Al Qa’ida operates their organization in a hierarchy: the core, a branch, a franchise and a subsidiary. Despite popular belief, they Al-Qa’ida did not form a coherent terrorist network; however they provide funds, contacts and advice to Islamic militant groups they have stationed all over the world (Burke). Dispersing the Al-Qa’ida power reinforces their presence throughout the world, as it is now nearly impossible to take down all of the organization down at once. Spreading out the organization and its power ensures that the Al-Qa’ida will remain a constant global threat. The global threat the Al-Qaida poses helps to assist them in reaching their goal. The ultimate goal of the Al- Qa’ida is to drive all non-Islamic people from the Middle East, destroy all apostate regimes and revive the Islamic religion (Greier). Under the rule of Caliphs, this Islamic nation would have no borders and it would be free of non- Muslims as well as westerners. Through who they target the Al Qa’ida has made it blatantly clear that they do not want westerners to be a part of their world. In February of 1998 the Al-Qa 'ida stated their main target is US Citizens and all of their allies in addition to Jews and Christians (Clarke). The only way to achieve what they want is through action and the more spectacular the action- the better. Their primary forms of attack include bombings, hijackings, suicide attacks and assassinations. They have been linked to the following attacks: Madrid train bombings in 2004, World Center attacks in 2001 and 1993, truck bombings in Kenya in 1998, Morocco in 2003 and an attack on the USS Cole near Yemen in 2002. The people who make up their military make these actions possible. To these people, it is an honor to die in the name of the Al-Qa’ida. Individual heroism is important because they believe they leave the world spreading their religion, therefore making it a better place. Similar to the Al-Qa’ida, HAMAs was also founded in the name of the Islamic religion.
Islam is the main factor that connect HAMAs and its counterparts. Arabic words that mean Islamic Resistance movement form the acronym HAMAs. In 1987 HAMAs was founded by Ahmed Yassin, Abdel Aziz al- Rantissi and Mohammad Taha. The start of this organization was sparked by the First Intifada, a Palestinian and Israeli uprising over control of the Palestinian territories. Israel has failed to keep HAMAs out of the country and its politics (Peraino). Twenty years later, the HAMAs organization has come into power in the Palestinian parliament. In 2007, the HAMAs had seventy-six members voted into the house, putting them in power (Zunes). With this win over Fatah, a rival political party, HAMAs proved themselves to be more than a terrorist organization. Despite their position in the Palestinian government HAMAs is still considered a terrorist organization by Canada, Japan, Israel, the European Union and the United
States. HAMAs was founded in the Islamic religion, and religion remains central in everything they do. HAMAs uses politics and violence to reach their goal of establishing an Islamic-Palestinian state located in Israel (Clarke). The ideology believes that the Palestinian territory should be occupied by only Muslims. HAMAs advocated and engages in violence and terror in order to destroy the state of Israel and replace it with an Islamic state (StudyMode). The attacks are not random and neither are the victims. They frequently attack on religious holidays, knowing that where they attack will have more people so more lives are ended. They want to cause the most damage possible and be responsible for the most loss. Israel has remained the main target of the HAMAs since the organization started. They target rivals from the political group Fatah and Palestinian collaborators. In addition to political figures, HAMAs targets families vacationing as well as children in schools. They have never threatened the US, but due to their massive army and potential to attack, they remain a listed threat. HAMAs attack methods are brutally violent, as they use their massive and powerful military to their fuel their attacks. The majority of their attacks have been suicide bombings. Although they still have not established their Palestinian state, but their attacks have disturbed peace and caused the death of hundreds of people. Unlike HAMAs and Al-Qa’ida, FARC is not a religious based organization. FARC is an acronym for Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia. FARC as the main obstacle to national progress in Columbia and has converted Columbia into one of the most violent countries in Latin America. The original purpose of FARC was to serve as the military wing of the Columbian communist party. Today, FARC is a member of the Marxist party. The organization’s ultimate goal is to overthrow the Columbian government and establish a Marxist state. The organization was founded on May 27, 1964 by peasants who wanted to be represented in the Columbian government. Columbia has one of the world’s largest gaps between the rich and the poor and the second most internally displaced population (Banjak). FARC claims to be representing the poor of rural Columbia in the fight to earn them a voice in the Columbian government. However, the conflict has been a class struggle distorted by the drug trade where the principal victims have been civilians (Brittain). The defining point of FARC is their heavy involvement in drug trafficking. Trafficking started as a way to fund their attacks but has grown to be the center of the organization. In addition to drug trafficking, they also participate in bombings, murder, mortar attacks, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, guerilla, warfare, taxation, and cultivation (Clarke). These attacks are targeted at Columbian officials as well as foreign citizens. The most shocking target of FARC is civilians, who make more than two thirds of their death toll. Their criminal action accounts for over eight billion dollars of damage yearly. Despite peace talks with the Columbian government, the group has yet to stop their horribly violent attacks. However, in the past decade FARC has considerably downsized cutting its number of rebels nearly in half (Agence). This dramatic decrease in rebels has come from the government enforcing more a more aggressive military policy on the organization. Al-Qa’ida, HAMAs, and FARC all pose a serious threat to the little peace that is left in the world. However, HAMAs and FARC pose little threat to the Unites States. Despite the massive military power of HAMAs, they have never attacked, threatened, or stated the United States as a target. FARC is centered on overthrowing the Columbian government and is not interested in terrorizing other nations. This leaves Al-Qa’ida as the biggest threat to safety in the United States. Their previous attacks serve as proof that they are determined to take down the United States. A better understanding of the organization will lead to an opportunity to relieve the hostility and tension between the Al-Qa’ida and the United States. As a nation, coming together to better understand the Al-Qa’ida is the only way peacefully end this struggle for peace.
Works Cited
Bajak, Frank, and Paul Haven. "Talks set for Colombia; Government, FARC rebels will begin peace negotiations next month in Norway, trying to bring conclusion to half-century conflict." St. Louis Post Dispatch [St. Louis] 5 Sept. 2012: n. pag. Print.
Blanche, Ed. "The Al Qaeda Enigma." Middle East 1 Nov. 2008: n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
Brittain, James J. "The FARC-EP in Colombia: A Revolutionary Exception in an Age of Imperialist Expansion." Monthly Review 57.4 (2005): n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.
Burke, Jason. "Al Qaeda." Foreign Policy: n. pag. eLibrary Academic/Public Library. Web. 2 Dec. 2013.
Clark, Elizabeth A., et al. Volume. N.p.: The Center for Learning, 2005. Print. Vol. 4 of World History. Al-Qa 'ida.
- - -. Volume. N.p.: The Center for Learning, 2005. Print. Vol. 4 of World History. HAMAs (Islamic Resistance Movement).
- - -. Volume. N.p.: The Center for Learning, 2005. Print. Vol. 4 of World History. FARC Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia.
- - -. Volume. N.p.: The Center for Learning, 2005. Print. Vol. 4 of World History. Basque Fatherland and Liberty.
FARC. Prod. Agence France Presse. eLibrary. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
Farrall, Leah. "How al Qaeda Works: What the Organization 's Subsidiaries Say About Its Strength." Foreign Affairs 90.2 (2011): 128-39. History Study Center. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
Gillis, Charlie. "The Future of Al-Qaeda." International: JIHADISTS: n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
Greier, Peter. "Inside the Mind of Al Qaeda." The Christian Science Monitor: n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 2 Dec. 2013.
"Hamas." StudyMode. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2014.
Peraino, Kevin. "How Hamas Wins Voters." Newsweek 18 Apr. 2005: n. pag. Print.
Zunes, Stephen. "The Rise of Hamas." Foreign Policy in Focus (2007): n. pag. eLibrary. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.