On March 1, 2016 the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released 113 items of declassified material obtained during the raid that subsequently killed Usama Bin Laden. The declassified material highlights letters to family, friends, the American people, tackles the topic of custody of children, and many other subjects.
In an article titled “Dear Muslim Brothers and Sisters,” Bin Laden begins by stating “[The mujahidin have been accused] of killing Muslims and they have been portrayed as killers who are only interested in spilling blood, looting, and pilfering money, and of having no dignified goal, honorable purpose, political strategy, or anything similar to this. However, they lie…”
He then goes to say “We are bound by Almighty God’s Shari’a that forbids us from killing anyone, except for the requirements of justice. It doesn’t matter how oppressive or arrogant the enemy is, or how much revenge and hatred has accumulated from wars. Winning the approval of God and His generosity is a more cherished and noble goal to us than anything. Therefore, we are innocent from any such actions. It doesn’t matter who perpetrates it or where, whether by criminal gangs affiliated to the enemy, or by those infidel security mercenary- companies, May God take them all, even if they belong to the Muslims or Mujahidin but have slackened or become neglectful.”
Let’s focus on the last sentence of that paragraph. The key of this is “even if they belong to the Muslims or Mujahidin but have slackened or become neglectful.”
Anybody who’s tracked the history of AQI has recognized three to six different versions of AQI. Devin Nunes, U.S. Representative for California, told CBS “ISIS is Al-Qaeda 6.0.” An article by Al-Monitor entitled “New Al-Qaeda Generation May be the Deadliest One” calls ISIS “Al-Qaeda 3.0.” Whichever version we attribute to ISIS, one thing is for certain. The literal founder of Al-Qaeda has denounced what ISIS is doing, says they have “no dignified goal, honorable purpose, political strategy,” and wishes for their deaths.
There is undisputable proof of hundreds, if not thousands, of ISIS members beheading, raping, looting, torturing, and pillaging nations, museums, cities, town, families, people, sects, and other Muslims. Bin Laden again condemns this type of action, saying “First: I call them to issue orders to all battalions and companies fighting in the field to prevent explosions and using methods that kill generally and indiscriminately in Muslim mosques or similar, general gathering places, such as markets, streets, playgrounds, or whatever the target it may be, so as to control the situation, as a precaution, and to avoid mistakes and [collateral] damage.”
While ISIS is asserting Bin Laden to be a revolutionary leader as Ho Chi Minh was to the Vietcong and fighting in his honor, he’s denouncing everything they’ve been doing since his death. The organization is imploding as we speak.
“We must not get overwhelmed by the war, its atmosphere, conditions, hatreds, and revenge that might mislead us from adhering to God’s Almighty Shari’a in this matter or any other matter.”
Since 2003 and the invasion of Iraq we’ve been saying it’s impossible to cut the head off the snake of Al-Qaeda without it growing another head. And while it’s true Al-Qaeda has grown a new head every time we kill their “Ace of Spades,” it’s undeniable the influence, expertise, knowledge, and level-headedness Bin-Laden brought to the organization. It seems AQI has lost sight of the focus of their global Jihad campaign. And while President Obama calling ISIS junior varsity seemed by all appearances as ignorant, (his statement was political and clearly deceitful) that’s essentially what they are. On the tactical level of operations, they’re just as effective as any other terrorist organization. However, their strategic and operational levels of war are lacking. As a whole ISIS is a JV fighting force without a leader such as Bin Laden who has the insight from decades or warfare with a clear end state with objectives.
Yes, they’ve had undeniable success in recruiting foreign fighters and sparking attacks such as Charlie Hebdo and other coordinated Paris attacks. But the foundation of all their success is their massive propaganda campaign. Propaganda has gotten them more Jihadists, more weapons, and more funds. It’s about time the United States engages in a more decisive propaganda campaign against ISIS using their biggest ally, their revolutionary leader himself, Usama Bin Laden.