AR - ABSURDA REVOLUCIN

SEVEN THESIS ON
TODAYS TERRORISM
27 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2004 - 19:28 - TERRORISMO

Lecture by Jos Mara Aznar

Georgetown University, 21st September 2004
I am an optimist. I do believe terrorism can be defeated.
In 95 ETA ordered my murder, fortunately, I survived
this car bomb attack. And though I have seen many
friends from my own party, the Popular Party (and other
non-nationalist parties), fall under the bombs and
bullets of the Basque nationalist terrorists, I fought
them with all the instruments a democracy has, and I
have seen them shrinking, and becoming progressively
weaker. Believe me, I know what Im talking about. And

thats precisely what makes me more confident an

optimistic. Victory is possible over our enemies.
In 79 the King of Morocco was planning an official
visit to the US. When asked by a journalist about his
intentions, he answered: Im going to teach them a
History lesson. Please, dont worry. I am not here to give
you a lecture on history. King Asma trip was cancelled
and I dont want my stay here among you to be
cancelled so soon. What I would like to do today is to
share with you a few ideas I have developed through
the years fighting against terrorism. Im not a
futurologist, but I can assure you, by direct or indirect
involvement, I know a few things about terror, how to
fight it, and above all, how to defeat it. There are only
seven points:
1.- Firstly, victory is possible if we understand, above
of all, what we are up against. This is the classical
maxim of the great Chinese thinker, Sunt Zu: know thy
enemy.
It is understandable and human not to want to see
problems that exist. However, it is also irresponsible
and dangerous when what we are dealing with
represents the worst threat to freedom today. I believe
the Bi-Partisan Commission on the tragics events of
September 11th has played an extraordinary role in
clearly defining the terrorism which, up until that dark
day, we had been euphemistically calling terrorism of
global reach, international terrorism or mega-terrorism.
All ambiguity has been removed as to what we must do,

in our capacity as democratic societies, to combat our

main enemy: the Islamic terrorism. Nothing more and
nothing less. Are there any other forms of terrorism? Of
course. When I voluntarily retried from government,
half a a year ago, I left ETA prostrate, but not finished;
and there are armed groups sowing terror throughout
half the world, stretching from Colombia to the
Philippines.
The great difference between all these groups and
Islamic terrorism is that the latter does not seek to win
power or supplant us in government; its ambitions are
to destroy our societies per se and eliminate our
governments and ways of life at the same time. What is
more, its ideology is not content with expelling the
infidels from its holy realms (that is to say, Saudi
Arabia or the Gulf). The establishment of its Caliphate
involves enslaving us all, in all respects.
Bin Laden share a common characteristic with Adolf
Hitler: he writes and says what he intends to do. And
his vision and plans are crystal clear. He talks about the
land of Islam stretching from Al-Andalus (the name the
Muslims used many centuries ago to refer to Spain) to
the Philippines. He talks about a kind of government
inspired by a literal reading of the Quran. He wants his
religion to rule our lives. And if or when we can not be
ruled or converted, we must be deadly punished and
eradicated. Some say Islam is a tolerant faith. But not
Bin Ladens Islam, thats for sure.
2.- Secondly, in order to achieve our victory we must

accept and understand that we are at War. Obviously,

not a conventional or traditional War, but a new form of
conflict. A war that we never looked for, but a War that
has fallen upon us just because of the implacable logic
of our enemy. Bin Laden declared War on us, on
democratic, prosperous, free and basically secular
Western society. And he declared a total War where,
according to his view, there is neither room for
negotiations or peace agreements.
When faced with an enemy in total war, one that is
relentless and shows no mercy, appeasing its multiple
manifestations is not feasible. It is simply not an option.
Many people in Spain and Europe believe that the
atrocities of 11th March occurred because we supported
intervention to defeat Saddam Hussein in Iraq. In their
opinion, the significance of the most serious terrorist
attack in our entire history can be reduced to the level
of a simple punishment for walking hand-in-hand with
the United States in its policy towards Iraq. In this
respect, the removal of the international Coalition is
interpreted as a means of returning to normality and
peace. If Iraq was the cause, then us leaving Iraq would
mean that the terrorists would have no reason to attack
us again. This argument is as simple as it is mistaken.
This is because, to begin with, as we learned later on,
the atrocities of 11th March in Madrid began to be
plotted back in October 2001 (two thousand and one),
long before the campaign in Iraq was initiated or even
prepared. However, there is more. If you take the
trouble to focus on what Bin Laden has written and

stated in recent years - and let me point out again that

Bin Laden writes about what he aims to do with striking
clarity - you will realize that the problem Spain has
with Al Qaeda and Islamic terrorism did not begin with
the Iraq Crisis. In fact, it has nothing to do with
government decisions. You must go back no less than
1,300 (one thousand three hundred) years, to the early
8th century, when a Spain recently invaded by the
Moors refused to become just another piece in the
Islamic world and began a long battle to recover its
identity. This Reconquista process was very long,
lasting some 800 years.
However, it ended successfully. There are many radical
Muslims who continue to recall that defeat, many more
than any rational Western mind might suspect. Osama
Bin Laden is one of them. His first statement after 11th
September - I repeat, the 11th September - did not begin
by referring to New York or Iraq. His first words were
to lament the loss of Al Andalus - Moorish Medieval
Spain - and compare it to the occupation of Jerusalem
by the Israelis.
I know that it may sound like an exaggeration,
accustomed as we are to very much shorter horizons
and political cycles that last four, or at the most, eight
years in total. However, there are his texts and
proclamations. Bin Laden is dealing with time-scales
and cycles that are very different from our own, and his
perspective guarantees an enormous sense of patience.
And what is even worse when it comes to fighting him,
he has a capacity for endurance that is worthy of being

taken into account.

We are not in an optional war, a war of our own
choosing. Its terms have not been defined so far by
ourselves, but by our enemy. In this respect, it is
essential to spread the message that there is no possible
form of escape, and that hiding one's head in the ground
or pursing individualistic and unsupportive policies are
options that will inevitably lead to disaster. We are all in
the same boat, although it is true that some, such as
America, are especially targeted for what the country is,
the world's greatest power and possibly the only nation
capable of defeating terror on its own. Eliminating
Islamic terrorism will be to the benefit of all and
especially those who are most threatened by it.
3.- Thirdly, the fact that we are in an all-out war - them
or us - means that we must pursue an active policy, one
that seeks to ensure a victory, rather than simply
cobbling together a provisional solution to the problem.
In other words, a policy of containment, which was
applied to the former USSR, is not viable. Whether
good or bad, Moscow accepted the game of spheres of
influence, whilst the geo-strategic frontiers were always
very clear. Islamic fundamentalists do not recognize or
respect any frontiers at all. They attack us on our own
ground because that is their favorite theatre of war. And
they will continue to do so however much we attempt to
hold back the tide in the Middle East. Who can feel free
from threats when Saudi Arabia, the Arab Emirates,
Kuwait and Iraq, to name but a few, have set up
fundamentalist-style republics with clear links to Al

Qaeda? Who can claim that we are capable of fencing

them in within that region?
Furthermore, let us not forget either that this region, the
Gulf, also has the largest oil reserves in the world.
Quite frankly, I do not find these options either
plausible or reassuring. Terrorists would never have
more resources at their disposal to carry out their
sinister plans against all of us.
Containment is not feasible, and appeasement is not
only impossible, but suicidal in the medium term. So
we must devise an effective strategy to roll back
fundamentalism and its terrorist elements if we want to
prevail.
4.- Fourthly, to do so we must know that we are fighting
against not only a group or terrorist movement, but
against an ideology. So, going over and chasing the
terrorists is not the end of the problem. We have also to
fight their cause. The War against terror can only
succeed if we are finally able to eliminate the deeper
root of its existence: hate of modernity and Western
values, a feeling that circulates throughout the Middle
East with particular virulence. Along with intelligence,
the police and the armed forces, we must also fight the
battle to win hearts and minds. And this inevitably
means transforming the living conditions that exist
throughout the Arab world. Theocracy and corruption
are guardians of nothing more than hate and
resentment.

Only economic liberalization and political openness can

offer a ray of hope to millions of souls who are only
able to find solace today in religious intolerance.
Thats why the Broader Middle East Initiative put
forward by President Bush must be a success. It is the
only alternative we have to agony frustration and anger
spread throughout the arab countries. Only change, not
the maintenance of the current status quo in the Middle
East and the Muslim world, will bring the conditions
for a better and more secure environment.
5.- Fifth, Every war has its Central Front. In the Cold
War it was Germany; today, in the war against Islamic
terror, it is Iraq. This we must understand and accept.
Those who have chosen a political and strategic agenda
made of antiamericanism or against the US hegemony,
are blind to the many perils of failing in Iraq. These
people are blind to the interpretation fundamentalist
terrorists will make in such an scenario, are blind to
feeling of success the fundamentalist terrorists will
experience, and the new impetus they will gain.
We can not forget that Bin Laden is not only fully
convinced that his mujaheddins were the main elements
of the defeat of the USSR in Afganistan in the 80s, but
also that in achieving such a blow to the soviet infidels
he was the one behind the Soviet implosion and the end
of the Soviet empire. He believes that he can replicate
the same success against the US if he could win over
Iraq. Thats why breaking his evil logic is required in
order to defeat him now and those loyal to Saddam, and

other terrorist forces in present- in Iraq. A democratic

and secure Iraq will mean a fatal blow against the
predicament of Al Qaeda.
6.- Sixth, with Islamic terrorism being a global
phenomenon, international cooperation is an
indisputable necessity. However, we should not
overestimate or delude ourselves as to its possible
results. International collaboration is always difficult,
and this is even more the case within the field of
counter-terrorism. It is enough to tell you, for example,
that only following the 11th September atrocities did
the European Union accept a shared definition of
terrorism, on the initiative of my Government, and that
up until that time various EU Member States had not
even included terrorism in their penal codes as a
specific crime. There are also diverse definitions of
what terrorism is here, depending on whether you are
dealing with the State Department, the Pentagon or the
FBI.
Nevertheless, we have made great strides in recent
years. The EU now has a list of terrorist organizations
and individuals, as you do here, and in the same way as
the United Nations does. However, we have still not
managed to bring all these lists together. I am
convinced of the need to move towards a single world
list, not only for operational reasons, but also because
of the de-legitimizing effect of placing an organization
on a list. We must avoid a situation in which terrorists
are considered as such by some and as freedom fighters
by others. A terrorist is a terrorist, both here and

everywhere else. There are no exceptions.

Whatever the case may be, and whether it may be
complicated or not, joint measures with regard to
intelligence, the police and judicial investigation are
essential in order to achieve victory. This is especially
the case in relation to the dismantling of terrorist
support networks.
However, we must also be aware that this will not
always be enough and that it will be necessary to resort
to the use of force. Afghanistan was not an act of
vengeance on America's part, but an important measure
in the battle against Al Qaeda. And, as I said before, I
am deeply convinced that the Iraq campaign is also an
important step forward in the war on terror. If we view
the situation through our enemies' eyes, there is no
doubt about it: everything al-Zarqawi and company are
doing in Iraq is based on the fact that they do not want
to see a prosperous and democratic Iraq. And this
should be enough to convince us that, if Iraq were to
turn out badly, the winners would be the terrorists.
Having said that, I also believe that international
cooperation must transcend the operational field and
express itself at the highest political level. If we aspire
to win this War then is no other option than to forge and
present an image of union, coherence, and consistency.
And we must project it. The radical Islam have to see
clearly that we are all united in the same combat.
For that reason I do believe that today is not enough to

repeat in every summit the old lethany that we,

Americans and Europeans, share a community of values
and common interests. We should move forward. We
should transform ourselves from a community of values
into a community of common actions. It is possible that
the great institutions created after 1945, that did an
excellent job in preserving our freedom and prosperity
for many decades, must be transcended now.
I am really convinced that the victory against terror will
require at some point in the near future the creation of
an Alliance for Peace, Security and Prosperity, putting
together all liberal democracies willing and able to act
against and fight terrorism.
7.- Finally, I have to remind you that the new terrorism
does not put an end to the old forms of terror.
Unfortunately we know that in Spain, having suffered
ETA attacks for more that 30 years now. But there is
something we must understand and be clear about:
Violence and terror must be condemned in all
circumstances. There are no, and can be no, good and
bad forms of terrorism.
Many times I have read and heard in the American
media how ETA terrorists have been described as young
rebels and pro-independence militants. I would like you
to know that these individuals murder, kidnap, torture
and bully free citizens in a democratic country. They
are terrorists, and nothing more. It is easy to look with
some sympathy or simple condescension upon those
who commit their crimes thousands of miles away.

However, easy as it may be, it is seriously immoral and

extremely detrimental, because every phrase and every
gesture of tolerance signifies new encouragement for
them to commit further crimes. In other words, calling
ETA a separatist organization, or the FARC in
Colombia a liberation organization, would be like
calling Al Qaeda a religious or spiritual organization.
That would be simply unacceptable.
If we want to win, the terrorists must be made to feel
our hostility everywhere. For this reason, when I
assumed the reins of government in 1996 I set up an
offensive on various fronts, aimed at fighting against
terror in all its aspects: ETA militants, their financial
milieu, their propaganda apparatus and the political
replica they used as a cover. I believe the campaign was
a success and that after our eight-year offensive ETA
was weaker than ever. Of course, the road was not all
downhill. ETA, well aware of what lay in store for it
and the only end that awaited it, that is defeat, subjected
us to a veritable ordeal. The liberation of a prison
official, Ortega Lara, after 538 days' captivity in a
narrow hole which was destined to become his tomb,
was a moment of great personal satisfaction for me.
However, a few days later, ETA kidnapped a young
Partido Popular councilor in Ermua, a small town in the
Basque Country.
As a condition for his possible release, the terrorists
established the condition that all ETA prisoners should
be brought together within the Basque Country within a
period of 72 hours. I knew from the very beginning that

I could not give in to the terrorists' blackmail, however

insignificant their conditions, which they certainly were
not. However, if they had managed to score a victory at
the Government's expense, then we would have lost the
psychological battle and they would have taken heart
and become even more daring. Those were very
difficult moments, because it was the life of a young
man that was at stake. The credibility of our political
measures were also called into question. They murdered
him with two shots in the neck. And then came a dozen
more councilors of non-nationalist parties who were
murdered in cold blood over the months that followed.
When I attended a dinner for Partido Popular supporters
in 1998 in the Basque Country, you can be sure that
feelings were running high. We were well aware that at
the next meeting some of us would no longer be there,
that someone would have fallen victim to terrorism.
I am telling you all this in order to give you an example
of the endurance that is required in certain situations.
Endurance is not only important, it is vital. Otherwise,
when your strength is seen to be flagging, it is the
terrorists who win. And I do not only say this thinking
of Spain, but of the battle against Islamic terrorism in
which we are immersed. When President Bush warned
us that this would be a long war, one that would last
many years, he was not resorting to rhetoric. This is
something you should all know.
Ladies and gentlemen, dear American friends,

Let me conclude by saying again that despite all, I am

an optimist. I have managed to apply some successful
policies to fight against terrorism in my country. And I
know terrorism can be defeated. I am not saying that it
will be easy. I have already mentioned several
extremely painful incidents in my own life. However,
we must stick to the conviction that they cannot beat us.
It is true that the yardstick for victory is different in the
case of ETA when compared to that of Al Qaeda.
However, a yardstick for victory does exist.
Bin Laden was forced to flee Afghanistan, and although
he remains alive and has not yet been captured, his
movements and capacity for directing operations have
been severely diminished. This is not only in our eyes,
but even more importantly, in the eyes of his own
followers. In Iraq, following the downfall of Saddam
and the bleak prospects for his cause presented by the
reconstruction process that is taking place in the
country, the terrorists achieved a clear victory after the
11th March atrocities in Madrid and the subsequent
withdrawal of the Spanish contingent in the region.
However, this was only a partial victory, in spite of the
boost in morale it gave them. I do not know what they
will attempt to do now. However, the pressure to
demonstrate that they are not losing the war is very
intense. It is so intense that they may be tempted to
carry out an attack here in order to influence the
electoral process, as they did in Spain.
I do not wish to sound alarmist. It is not my place to
warn you of the degree of threat that hangs over the

United States. I would simply state that I believe the

terrorists would wish to be present at the November
elections, either through direct action here if they can,
or indirectly by making Iraq an inferno for our political
leaders.
But whatever happens, let us be sure not to let the
terrorists believe that they are getting away with it.
Thank you very much.

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