War on Terrorism

On December 2, 14 people were massacred in San Bernardino,

California, by a Muslim couple who were US citizens.  The duo was killed subsequently after a police chase. The FBI suspected that the couple had ISIL links and were radicalised. ISIL probably knew nothing about the attack, but when it learnt about FBI's suspicions, it released a statement claiming that the couple was ISIL followers.

The US has relaxed gun laws. In a country of 320 million, there are 310 million lethal weapons. According to CBS Los Angeles, as of December 2, there have been at least 355 mass shootings in the US during 2015. What is different about the San Bernardino incident is that the perpetrators were Muslims. That has changed the whole complexion of the perception of non-Muslim Americans towards Muslims.

President Barack Obama, in his address to the nation on December 6, has linked the shooting to the influence of ISIL. In his impassioned speech, Obama declared a war on ISIL saying, "We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us. . . Our military will continue to hunt down terrorist plotters in any country where it is necessary."  

He was, however, careful not to alienate American Muslims when he said, "We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam . . . they (ISIL) are thugs and killers, part of a cult of death . . . Majority of terrorist victims around the world are Muslim. If we're to succeed in defeating terrorism, we must enlist Muslim communities as some of our strongest allies – rather than push them away through suspicion and hate." Obama also said there was no evidence that the San Bernardino assault was directed by a militant group overseas or was part of a broader conspiracy at home.

Republicans criticised Obama's speech for lacking any dramatic innovation. House Speaker Paul Ryan said, "No new plan, just a half-hearted attempt to defend and distract."

What is not surprising is that the incident has created uproar all over the world. The US goes for presidential elections in November 2016, and currently several Republican candidates are campaigning in the run-up for the final party nomination. Among the hopefuls is billionaire Donald Trump, who is a frontrunner.

Addressing a rally on December 7 in South Carolina, Trump dropped a bombshell when he called for a "total and complete shutdown" of the entry of Muslims to the United States. Speaking to cheering supporters, he further added that he would support heavy surveillance of mosques and would consider establishing a database to track all Muslims in the country if he were elected. Trump has also called for a ban on the internet, claiming that it is being used to "radicalise young people".

This is not the first time Trump has made deeply provocative remarks against Muslims and other communities. In another speech, he called for building a fence separating the US from Mexico and wanted to evict all Latinos from the US.

Trump, in his arrogance, has refused to withdraw his remarks. Interestingly, surveys show that 42 percent of the Republicans back Trump, while 36 percent oppose him; Trump continues his lead in the GOP presidential race. However, we should note that surveys also assert that 57 percent of the American voters oppose Trump's plan.

Rival Republican candidates have denounced Trump's statement. If Trump continues to preach his anti-Muslim rhetoric, it may be difficult for the Republican party to nominate him as their presidential candidate. A Brookings Institution study shows that perceptions about Muslims among American public are grossly divided.

Condemning Trump's remarks as "totally contrary" to American values, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that Trump "disqualifies" himself from serving as president. After what Trump said, he cannot be the president of the country, as he would have to take an oath to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution. Secretary of State John Kerry also rebuked Trump, saying, "Anything that bolsters ISIL's narrative and pits the United States against Muslim faith is certainly not only contrary to our values but contrary to our national security".

Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton has said, "Declaring war on Islam or demonising Muslim Americans is not only counter to our values – it plays right into the hands of terrorists". Speaking to NBC she said, "I no longer think he is funny . . . And what he is saying now is not only shameful and wrong, it is dangerous." Nihad Awad, Executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations added, "Donald Trump sounds more like a leader of a lynch mob than a great nation like ours". Some have even compared him to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Meanwhile, the international alliance to fight IS has clearly become a Western undertaking with Britain and Germany entering the fray. Prime Minister David Cameron sent warplanes to Syria on December 3 to fight ISIL and "keep the British people safe". Germany, on French's request, has also decided to send 1,200 troops to Syria. President Obama, departing from his promise to not put "boots on the ground", has ordered 50 special operation troops to Syria to advise moderate forces opposed to Assad.

Interestingly, regional partners don't seem to be interested in this fight. Saudi Arabia and UAE warplanes are busy in Yemen while Jordan and Bahrain are not so active and Turkey is focused on hitting Kurdish targets.

After the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers by Al Qaeda and the recent attacks on Paris, the discourse on the war on terrorism has become even sharper in the media. Sensationalism of this issue in media gives the impression that the West has declared a crusade against the terrorist group. Major news channels in the West bring in so-called experts everyday to speak about the terrorist threats posed by ISIL. These simplistic and motivated discussions clearly show that the West is thoroughly confused about the difference between terrorist, jihadist, ISIL, Muslims and Islam.

Donald Trump's demagoguery has trumped up a toxic atmosphere of Islamophobia in the US. A vigorous debate that has reshaped the political discourse in the US has ensued, and it will continue to dominate the presidential election campaign in the months ahead. 

The writer is a former Ambassador and Secretary.