Article's Weakness
Reader comment on item: Obama CIA Nominee John Brennan Wrong for the Job

Your not going into any more detail about how the concept of offensive, not just defensive jihad does exist in the accepted and authorized texts of Islam, weakens this article. Your only, really, referencing people like al Qaeda and Qutb, etc., as saying jihad is a term that can mean more than the inner struggle to be a better person, etc., allows people like Mr. Brennan to say, "yes, and they have it wrong." That's all a Brennan has to do in response to such an approach as this article takes. Cite accepted texts from Islam refering to jihad as also offensive war and the kind of narrative the Brennans of the world try to persuade people of will be shown for what it is. Of course, people who are aware of the complete definition of jihad in Islam and who are either embarassed about it or who are interested in reviving it will be critical or try to obfuscate. If you do not over reach and remain totally factual this can be answered. In response to criticism that, even if what you are presenting is true, it helps terrorists gain legitimacy there are 2 points to be made. One is that although offensive and defensive jihad exist in Islam, terrorists are still outside of what Islam allows in the way of acceptable military action. Second, by being forthright about the existence of offensive jihad within the tradition of Islam, something that has never been rejected bythe faith, explicitly, this would make it more likely that such an explicit rejection would, someday, take place. It is understandable why you wouldn't be more honest about offensive jihad, though. You will face a lot of criticism. Until this happens, though, in serious, responsible and influential media like IPT, the Brennans are being given an out and shouldn't be expected to change.

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