ticking down the wish list

blogs for bush's recent post "Terrorists for Kerry" is another example of the fine level of logic and discourse one can find at that site.

the post links to an opinion column by dick morris. the morris article, from the start, conflates al-qaeda and the secular ba'athist party. indeed, the entire morris piece is littered with the phrase "al Qaeda/Ba'ath Party strategy" and seems to be premised almost entirely on the idea that al-qaeda and the ba'ath party (presumably of iraq, not the rival one in syria) are the same.

in fact they're political opposites. the ba'ath party's main ideological objectives are:

secularism, socialism, and pan-Arab unionism, expressed by the party motto; "Wahdah, Hurriyah, Ishtirrakiyah" (Unity, Freedom, Socialism). By 'Unity,' pan-Arab unity is understood, and by 'Freedom,' freedom from Western interests.

al-qaeda, however, has quite different goals:

The principal stated aims of al-Qaeda are to drive Americans and American influence out of all Muslim nations, especially Saudi Arabia; destroy Israel; and topple pro-Western dictatorships around the Middle East. Bin Laden has also said that he wishes to unite all Muslims and establish, by force if necessary, an Islamic nation adhering to the rule of the first Caliphs.

so while the ba'athist party is secular, al-qaeda is islamists. while the ba'ath party seeks to unit all arabs (regardless of religion), al-qaeda seeks to unit all muslims (regardless of ethnicity). while the ba-ath party seeks to establish a secular socialist government, al-qaeda seeks to create a government that recreates the rule of the first caliph.

in short, morris does not know what he is talking about. while morris repeatedly refers to what al-qaeda/the ba'ath party wants, he never cites a source. it looks to me, like he doesn't have one. if he looked at the sources that are out there, we actually have a pretty good idea of what osama bin laden wants. he's issued fatwas which are available to anyone who cares to look (like this one, for example) which state rather clearly what bin laden's goals are. in short, bin laden has called for:

1. the removal of u.s. forces from saudi arabia

2. the overthrow of secular governments in dar al-islaam (the lands where muslims live)

3. the restoration of the original muslim caliphate that ruled immediately after mohammed's death

4. the destruction of the state of israel (and presumably its lands incorporated into the caliphate)

president bush has already complied with #1 when he ordered u.s. forces to pull out of saudi arabia last year. he's also overthrown one secular government in the muslim world (iraq). and the next government will almost certainly be more islamist than the first, thus helping out with bin laden's second goal. (mission accomplished indeed!). and with the bush administration occasionally threatening to take further action against syria (which isn't just ba'athist but is also ruled by a leader who isn't considered to be a real muslim by wahabbis like bin laden), the bush administration shows some promise of even further advancing al-qaeda's goals.

unlike mr. morris, i admit that i have no idea what bin laden is thinking about the american election, or even if he's paying much attention. but if he is, he surely has noticed that bush is ticking off the items on his wish list rather nicely. that's the only "obvious fact" i am seeing on this issue.