Here’s an important change in the conduct of the war. For the first time, Islamist terrorists – both in Iraq, in league with Baathists and now, in Saudi Arabia – are clearly targeting Arabs and fellow Muslims. Strictly speaking, this isn’t the first time, of course. Al Qaeda and the Egyptian Brotherhood, from whose lineage they spring, have killed heretical or wayward Muslims before. But in the context of the West’s declared war on them, this strikes me as a new and fundamental error on their part. Maybe it’s because our success at knocking al Qaeda off-stride means they have no option but to hit soft targets in the Muslim world, rather than hard targets over here. Maybe the pressure on them in Iraq is now forcing them to display some kind of “success,” even if it means murdering Muslim women and children. But whatever the reason, this is a propaganda coup for the good guys:
The tactic will not only backfire on al-Qa’eda, say security officials, but will help the intelligence services gain support in a conservative society where tribal taboos prevents people from informing on other clan members. In slaughtering women and children, the terrorists broke the code that binds tribal Muslims, handing police a unique opportunity to infiltrate the dozens of terrorist cells in Saudi Arabia, where al-Qa’eda gains much financial and ideological support. Information from tribal leaders and the public on terrorist activities soared following last May’s attacks on western compounds in Riyadh, enabling police to smash a huge number of cells and arrest more than 600 suspects in the past six months.
We’re at the very beginning of change, but there’s no reason that the Arab and Muslim world cannot wrest itself free from these pathologies in time.
The Dish 