On the front line :)

MEMRI has translated an advice column for online mujahideen. It explains the to-dos and not-to-dos in the battle to demoralise the "weak-minded" subjects of the Great Satan.

"There is no doubt, my brothers, that raiding American forums is among the most important means of obtaining victory in the fierce media war... and of influencing the views of the weak-minded American who pays his taxes so they will go to the infidel American army. This American is an idiot and does not [even] know where Iraq is... [It is therefore] mandatory for every electronic mujahid [to engage in this raiding]."

"It is better that you raid non-political forums such as music forums and trivia forums... which American people... favor... Define your target[ed forum]... and get to know it well... Post your contribution and do not get into... futile arguments..."

"Obviously, you should post your contribution... as an American... You should correspond with visitors to this forum, [bringing to their attention] the frustrating situation of their troops in Iraq... You should invent stories about American soldiers you have [allegedly] personally known (as classmates... or members in a club who played baseball and tennis with you) who were drafted to Iraq and then committed suicide while in service by hanging or shooting themselves..."

"Also, write using a sad tone, and tell them that you feel sorry for your [female] neighbor or co-worker who became addicted to alcohol or drugs... because her poor fiancé, a former soldier in Iraq, was paralyzed or [because] his legs were amputated... [Use any story] which will break their spirits, oh brave fighter for the sake of God..."

Incapable of actually making anything these people, but you can't can't doubt their attention to detail and their identification of their enemy's weaknesses. It's more or less 'Make use of their decency to demoralise and defeat them and you'll get your virgins'.

(via LGF)

Icon of Hatred - The impact of al-Dura

I have posted many times on the case of Muhamed al-Dura and the France2 footage showing his death "at the hands of the Israeli army", of the impact of the footage, and the recent trials in France. (For a quick summary of the controversy surrounding the footage, go here).

Richard Landes of Second Draft, a site dedicated to the case, produced a film analysing the al-Dura footage, which, if you haven't seen it, should be watched first: The Birth of an Icon (.wmv 13.52). First, that is, before you watch this new film Icon of Hatred (.wmv 17.39). Both are available here. Icon of Hatred focusses on the effect of the al-Dura footage, the use it has been put to by Jihadists, Islamists, the Palestinians, and usual mouths of the Western Left. It's powerful and unremitting. (Perhaps the worst clips are those with children, their eyes alight at the prospect of martyrdom.)

The weapon of choice

Why there's a wall

From a peak of 44 suicide bombings in 2002 they have fallen to just three in 2006 as Israel becomes increasingly stringent in its border control with the construction of the security wall.

Why concessions are retrograde

Rubin estimates Hamas has launched more than 2000 Qassams over the past five years, but almost half that total havebeen launched since the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Suicide bombings are out so...

"This rocket, which was previously looked upon with disdain by many, will serve as the weapon of choice in the coming period of time, as the acts of suicide martyrdom served as the weapon of choice during all the previous years."
Hamas website

... a new tactic is required

Islamic Jihad, which has claimed responsibility for the most recent Qassam attacks, says they are being fired in retaliation for raids being conducted by the IDF in the West Bank on Islamic Jihad to prevent more Qassams being manufactured. Without the raids, Qassam rockets could then be fired into the most heavily populated cities in Israel....About 70 per cent of the Israeli population lives along the densely populated coastal strip of central Israel, within firing range of the West Bank.

(via This Ongoing War)