The New Republic:
Politics
05/02/11
Relentless: The Symbolism of Osama bin Laden's Death in the History of American Democracy Peter Bergen
Relentlessness is good. Relentlessness has a
philosophical resonance, which everyone intuitively understands. The war between
Al Qaeda and the United States has always rested on a dispute over the meaning
of history. Al Qaeda has always believed that God wishes the resurrection of the
ancient Islamic caliphate. And Al Qaeda has always regarded America, as the
product of Christian civilization, as the ultimate obstacle to the resurrection
of the caliphate. Al Qaeda’s militants have always believed that, as the
representative of God’s will, they will ultimately win. Al Qaeda has therefore
been engaged in a long-term and even eternal struggle—the kind of struggle that
might lead earnest and idealistic people to agree to commit suicide on Al
Qaeda’s behalf.
Ten years, compared to eternity, is nothing. Still, relative to the actual lifetime of an ordinary human being, ten years is not, in fact, nothing. It is good that, over a span of ten years, the United States has never relented, and good that, after ten years of effort, the United States can boast of its achievement.
Continue reading "Relentless: The Symbolism of Osama bin Laden's Death in the History of American Democracy" |
05/02/11
Relentless: The Symbolism of Osama bin Laden's Death in the History of American Democracy Peter Bergen
Relentlessness is good. Relentlessness has a
philosophical resonance, which everyone intuitively understands. The war between
Al Qaeda and the United States has always rested on a dispute over the meaning
of history. Al Qaeda has always believed that God wishes the resurrection of the
ancient Islamic caliphate. And Al Qaeda has always regarded America, as the
product of Christian civilization, as the ultimate obstacle to the resurrection
of the caliphate. Al Qaeda’s militants have always believed that, as the
representative of God’s will, they will ultimately win. Al Qaeda has therefore
been engaged in a long-term and even eternal struggle—the kind of struggle that
might lead earnest and idealistic people to agree to commit suicide on Al
Qaeda’s behalf.Ten years, compared to eternity, is nothing. Still, relative to the actual lifetime of an ordinary human being, ten years is not, in fact, nothing. It is good that, over a span of ten years, the United States has never relented, and good that, after ten years of effort, the United States can boast of its achievement.
Continue reading "Relentless: The Symbolism of Osama bin Laden's Death in the History of American Democracy" |
