We should defeat terrorists before they wipe us out

This week, terrorism to states, according to David Kilcullen in his book entitled Counter Insurgency.He  states: “Insurgencies are social systems energetically open but organisationally closed, self-organising, non-equilibrium, dissipative and have adaptational, evolutionary dynamics.

While the word terrorism can be derived from a Latin verb “terreo” or French word “terroisme” – which means “I frighten”. Though there is no standard definition of terrorism, all we know is that it manifests itself in various forms.

We have learnt over the years that from the time these groups came to light, it has become a reality that the human being is the most explosive device because, in keeping with the principle, he/she must die in the execution of his/her mission of terrorism, and they willingly do.

When Osama Bin Laden, the founder of the world Islamic front declared war on the West on February 23,1998, nobody took him seriously. Later, other terrorists like Ayman Al Zawahiri who was the former leader of the organisation called the Egyptian Islamic Jihad repeated the call for war. This was confirmed by Hussein Massawi Hezbollah in 2003 who said: “We are not fighting so that you will offer us something. We are fighting to eliminate you.”

This has since put USA, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Venezuela, Israel, Egypt, Tanzania, Uganda, Tunisia as the front line states to these groups as the terrorists prepare and hide in countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen.

The just-concluded NATO summit in Wales in Great Britain came with a resolution and support from countries that are ready and willing to form a coalition to fight these groups. These are; the USA, Germany, Canada, UK, Turkey (though an Islamic country), France, Australia, Italy and Poland.

Though at risk, Russia, North Korea and China are non-committal at this stage.

In Africa, we have since seen the emergence of these groups in Nigeria, Mali, South Sudan, with the activities of Boko Haram, the Tuarag in Mali, Janjaweed militias in Darfur and Kony (Lords Resistance Army) in South Sudan and Northern Uganda, and the ADF in the Rwenzori.

The world is slowly becoming a battle ground of fundamentalists. Many have heard speeches and promises from all leaders and their resolve to fight and follow these groups “up to the gate of hell”, as said by the USA Vice President Joe Biden.

All we need is courage and action.  In the book of 2nd Peter 2:1-6, the Scripture declares:”Courage was at the centre of God’s rewards to Noah and Lot. He sent floods but rescued Noah who was courageous; He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and protected Lot.”

There are leaders who stand for what is easy, what is popular, what is comfortable, what is convenient, what is beneficial or even what is wrong, but very few stand courageously for what is right.

We salute President Yoweri Museveni for standing firm against the ideologically bankrupt forces of terrorism. We also salute other leaders around the globe who are striving hard to fight these fundamentalists.

We need to stand up and fight before the world is made unsafe by these groups.

bwengo[at]gmail.com

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