By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Wednesday, September 16, US Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) delivered a speech on the floor of the Senate in which he urged the US and the Western World to develop a long-term strategy to deal with Islamic ideology.
Senator Sessions said, “We need to discuss a long term strategy, Republicans and Democrats and our Western world allies, our free world allies, how we are going to deal with, over a long period of time, the problems of extremism in the Middle East. It is clear that we are seeing a resurgence of militant Islam. This strain of Islam seeks to advance a theological and political approach to the world. It seeks to unify faith and politics and believes such advances are essential to honor Allah. This strain that has been in Islam for years that advocates conversion by the sword, in fact, finds much support in the Koran. Most Muslims are truly people of peace, are faithful people in their daily activities. But there is a sizable minority that oftentimes seeks dominance and achieves dominance, that finds a basis in the Koran for their violent Jihad against those they describe as infidels.”
Sen. Sessions said that we are, “Seeing a spasm, an eruption of aggression that has occurred before over the centuries, but it is certainly reaching a high pitch today, exacerbated by the technology of weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons, and other dangerous weapons. The nature of this eruption is quite complex. It is different in every region, country, and area and different among sects, tribes and traditions, and is shaped by economic conditions, security conditions, and tribal and human conditions in the various regions of the Middle East, spanning from Afghanistan, Pakistan on to Syria, to Yemen, to Egypt, to Morocco, and into Africa today. This crisis, occasioned by Iran’s religious determination to obtain a nuclear weapon, is just one aspect – though a huge one – that has arisen as a result of this extremism. The world is surely presented with a deep and complex problem that requires the most wise and consistent response over years. And, the surge of terrorism will not end quickly. We are most likely talking about decades.”
Sen. Sessions said, “Military actions are fraught with danger. Inaction is fraught with danger. The world is very complex. The very best minds, who know well the specific countries at risk and at turmoil, must be involved when plans are made and evaluated. Long-term – even very long-term – consequences of action and inaction must be considered at the beginning.”
Sessions said that he was concerned that, “This spasm of Islamic extremism and terrorism will be with us at least for 40 years, perhaps more. Experts have told us this. Dr. Pollack, at the Brookings Institute, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee. I asked him, ‘Dr. Pollack, you said that these problems are long in the making and will be long in solving. Just briefly, would you say, with the spasm of extremism and violence and sectarianism in the Middle East, that we have a long term policy problem — I mean 30, 50 60 years — to try to be a positive force in bringing some stability to that region, and history tells us those states of violence tend to cool off but often take decades to cool off.’ And I remember it very distinctly. I got an answer that you don’t often get. He looked up at me and he said ‘Yes. That’s what I’m saying.’”
Sen. Sessions warned, “We face a totalitarian threat to the free world. This time it’s from ideological and apocalyptic Islam. Like communism, its goals are incompatible with the laws and freedoms we see as central to our liberty and prosperity. There can be no compromise with this form of radical Islam. It just will not merge with and accommodate with the freedom that we believe is essential in the Western world. Theologically-based Sharia law fundamentally conflicts with our magnificent constitutional order that separates church and state, and that considers free debate and dissent the way to a better world. Thus, this threat must be successfully resisted.”
Sessions said, “To do so obviously means that we, and our allies, have to agree on an effective strategy—not just the tactics of Iran today, ISIS tomorrow, Egypt the next day, Yemen the next day. Seven years into his presidency, President Obama has failed in this regard. We must accept that fact. The result is instability, violence, and displaced persons.”
Sen. Sessions said, “Was the world, and the people of Syria, better off with Assad – bad as he was – in power? Was Libya doing better under Gaddafi than it is now? One European official said a million people, mostly Libyans, are on the North African shore seeking to enter Europe or the United States. Is Egypt, under the military, a more secure and a more positive force for good in Egypt and the Middle East than it was under the elected Muslim Brotherhood and other extreme parties? How would our discussions and actions have been different if our nation had established a sound, long-term policy to guide our discrete actions?” “Our involvement in each of those situations and others was, it seems to me, far too ad hoc – far too reactive to a certain event. Our actions have not been consistent and predictable. They have not advanced a unified strategy. They have not been a part of a coherent strategy designed to reduce tensions and strife, to reduce our direct involvement in the region.”
Sessions warned, “I am certain that the foreign policy of our nation is too reactive. I am certain we have not adopted, on a bi-partisan basis, a policy to confront Islamic extremism that provides direction for actions and can build confidence in our people and our allies. I am certain that this is a failure and must be remedied.”
Sen. Sessions concluded, “Let’s get together, colleagues, and commit to developing a wise and sound strategy – outside the rush of daily politics – using the great insights and talents that are available to us. This nation is fortunate to have persons of loyalty, experience, knowledge, and sound judgment who can help us. In its basic form, a good strategy must be simple and understandable to high officials and to everyday American people. This is not an impossible task. A good strategy will provide guidance and produce consistency in policy over the long run. Importantly, it will reduce the adverse impacts of politics on foreign policy.”
Senator Jeff Sessions is the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.
