« Learning Patience Part II | Main | Jews & Carburetors »
March 03, 2006
Learning Patience III
Who were these leaders of the Battle of Algiers, these men who were so willing, no anxious to spill boiling rivers of innocent blood. This is not an academic question, for as we shall see, the cast of characters is sickeningly familiar. We continue exploring Alistair Horne's, Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962.
Mohamedi Said: Born in 1912, he had grown up with early memories of a French officer slapping his grandparents. Fanatically religious, he worked during the Second World War with the Pro-Nazi Mufti of Jerusalem Hajj Amin Husaini, joining the Muslim S.S. legion formed by the Mufti. In 1943 he was parachuted into Tunisia as an Abwehr agent, was captured and sentenced to life in prison, but was paroled in 1952. Whether out of nostalgia for the good ol' days, or a whacky sense of fashion, he invariably appears in photos wearing a Wehrmacht steel helmet.
Ait Hamouda, AKA Amirouche: A skeletally tall montagnard with wide-set eyes and a thick moustache, he was also a deeply religious Muslim. Of remarkably quick and decisive intelligence, he assumed command of a small mobile unit, imposed iron discipline and made his men go on forced marches of seventy kilometers a day. Within six months he had over eight-hundred men under his command. Soon, he established a reign of terror in the Soummam region of Eastern Kabylia.
Ramdane Abane: Involved in a massacre that took place in 1945, he was jailed by the French. He studied Marx, Lenin and, surprise, Hitler's Mein Kampf. Released in 1955, he immediately made his mark as an outstanding political intellect. Something of an Algerian Robespierre, his sinister dictum was: "One corpse in a jacket is always worth more than twenty in uniform." From the spring of 1955 Ramdane Abane's philosophy was central to the Battle of Algiers, both in its external and internal operations.
Abane would tolerate no "deviationist bodies."
Which means, anybody who disagreed with his group, the FLN, died--horribly.
You would think that Abane and his group would turn their attention immediately to their prime enemy, the French.
But no, Abane realized that he had to impose iron discipline on the Algerian population. And after Phillipville, Abane and the other leaders realized, with great satisfaction, that terror worked.
Abane had no interest in bringing the masses to the movement through propaganda. Pressure and blackmail on the average poverty stricken fellah, peasant, worked much more effectively. The terror cadres "with the knife literally under his [the fellahs] throat, make him hand over 50,000 francs."
"They never sought to attach the rural populations to their cause by promising them a better life, a happier and freer future; no, it was through terror that they submitted them to their tyranny."
In 1956, a visitor was shocked at the silence he found in the typical Algerian villages, each one of them of which would be held by a local FLN thug who was responsible simply for collecting "taxes" and "food supplies."
It was also a customary initiation ritual for a new recruit to be made to kill a designated "traitor", French officer, or colonialist in the company of a "shadow" who would dispatch the recruit himself and make sure the murder took place. It was a form of terror apprenticeship.
Yes, even after Philippeville, it was fellow Muslims who bore the brunt of FLN terror. Over the first two and a half years of the Battle of Algiers 6,352 Algerians were murdered by the terrorists as opposed to 1,035 Europeans.
The FLN announced that cigarettes and liquor were unIslamic and would no longer be tolerated. It was also a way of boycotting French products.
The punishment for any Algerian caught with liquor was having their lips severed. It was called, The Algerian Grin.
The punishment for smoking was the severing of the nose.
In the Casbah the Chardor was now mandatory on all women. The repression of women had begun.
Interpolation:
I guarantee that in the Palestinian Territories you will see the exact same pattern play itself out. Hamas is no charitable organization. Do not fool yourself. It is a ruthless terrorist group that sends out homicide bombers. They will not set up sanitation services. They will not organize medical services. They will not fix pot holes. They will not build any power grids. They have no idea how to build an infrastructure, for this is an organization whose roots are solidly embedded in savage clan and tribal rivalries.
Hamas will "collect taxes," they will "eliminate traitors," repress women, and steal every penny that comes their way. Oh and kill Jews. Here, read their covenant, it tells you what their plan is. I don't know about you, but when someone tells me that they're going to slaughter me, I tend to believe them. Especially when they have such a bloody track record already.
End Interpolation:
If we look at Iraq, this all makes perfect sense through the lens of the Battle of Algiers. The daily homicide bombers against civilians is how the terrorists control the population. It's how they tell the Iraqis that they must not cooperate with the Americans.
The terrorists cannot offer a better life, this everyone knows. They cannot offer medical services, dental services, freedom of speech, nor education. They cannot offer a society where banks and stock markets function properly, where contracts are honored, a society where you are are safe to walk the streets, a society where women are not treated like cattle.
No, all the jihadists offer is mutilation and death. And they count on this to frighten the homefront, and ultimately intimidate civilization into complete submission.
Second Interpolation:
It is interesting to note that every single country that has thrown off its colonial shackles is now in far worse condition than it was when the colonials were in charge. Congo, Mozambique, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Angola, Togo, Chad...
Sheesh, I'm getting tired, I just can't type all the countries that are on my list. My fingers are going numb. Okay, this is terribly un PC. But every single country in Africa that is now "free" is an economic basket case. Even South Africa, the last hope of Africa, hanging on by its fingernails, is drowning in AIDS. Algeria has just emerged from a twenty year civil war where over a million people had their throats slit.
The lesson? These violent Thirld World Revolutions invariably bring even worse goverments and even more terrible repression to their people.
End Second Interpolation:
Terror works.
But it doesn't always have to.
Not anymore.
We have learned too much about its corrupt innards. We, in the 21st Century have seen too much evil to tolerate this malignancy any longer. From the death camps of Eastern Europe to the genocidal covenant of Hamas, we can no longer allow these savages to nudge history backwards.
But we must stare terror in the eye and fight back in every way possible. That means we must fight militarily, and we must fight back softly, offering the best of what we have and who we are. And in the end, we will will prevail for we are not the French trying to colonize a foreign shore, but a free people offering other people the choice of freedom, and that is something every man and woman deserves.
***
Pearl, a good and loyal friend to Seraphic Secret since the very beginning, has just informed us that her father is gravely ill. She asks that everyone please daven, pray for "Yaakov Arieh ben Chaya Malka."
In this community of fine and wonderful people. Pearl's goodness and generosity stands out. She made the long trip from Toronto to Los Angeles for the Ariel Avrech Memorial Lecture.
Pearl's pain is our pain. We wish her father a speedy recovery.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at March 3, 2006 08:07 AM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
You hit on a key point. The fact that the terrorists/jihadists don't have a long-term plan. They play on short-term emotions: anger and frustrations. Unfortunately, for all the Western goodwill, I don't see the Middle Easterners making rational choices that would benefit them the most.
Posted by: Irina at March 3, 2006 10:21 AM
Irina:
Every "revolutionary" group that has taken power has failed in government because all they know is killing and stealing. They end up bringing war and famine and misery. It never fails. In many ways the Soviet Union was far worse than Tsarist Russia. Ditto for Castro's Cuba and the previous regimes. I guarantee that most of Africa would welcome the English and the French and the Portugese back. People like to eat.
Always good to hear from you Irina. BTW, reading this book is sooo painful, I find myself looking over at Fyodor and saying to myself, hmmm, maybe I'll give him another shot. He can't be as depressing as Algeria.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 3, 2006 10:30 AM
Robert, this series has been excellent, and sobering. This book makes the murderous modus operandi of jihadists obvious. We ignore or deny or rationalize it at our peril.
Posted by: Tamara at March 3, 2006 11:12 AM
I agree with Tamara. This has been an excellent and insightful series of postings
The best part about it is now I don't have to read the book. You have written the Cliff's Notes :)
Posted by: A Simple Jew at March 3, 2006 11:30 AM
Tamara:
Thanks for writing. Know thine enemy, you betcha.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 3, 2006 11:34 AM
Simple Jew:
The book is about 600 pages long and, though excellent, not really what I would call, um, a page-turner. Horne covers everything and at times he kind of gets sidetracked by all the splinter groups and you kind of get lost in the complicated in-fighting. And the names, gee, everybody is named, you guess it: Muhammed. He also assumes that you are familiar with Algerian geography.
Not.
So, I had to schlep out a big old atlas and kind of follow the trail of blood.
But it is the book on the Battle of Algiers and if you're a glutton for punishment, which I most certainly am--though I draw the line at Dostoyevsky--this is the book for you.
Have a lovely and meaningful Shabbos.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 3, 2006 11:42 AM
Thanks for the details, Robert. Have a wonderful Shabbos!
Posted by: A Simple Jew at March 3, 2006 11:54 AM
Simple Jew:
You too.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 3, 2006 12:31 PM
This "book report" of sorts is a good service. It would confirm my suspicion that the movie "Battle of Algiers" is an ode to the Algerian national "cause", and perhaps as insidious as today's "Munich".
If all you knew about that war was from watching BofA, then
a) only the French killed Arabs,
b) French soldiers (the grunts, not the paras) are at best gullible kids oblivious to the "great national awakening" (or whatever quasi-Marxist-Third-World-nationalist-demagogue's phrase you'd like to insert),
c) only an Algerian Arab is capable of tragic heroic stature. Compare, from a very early scene, a scraggly Algerian guy 'reduced' to becoming an informer, with in a very late scene swarthy hero Ali la Pointe's fatal refusal to surrender to the paras.
Then there's d) compare the bombmaker in BofA with the bombmaker in "Munich". Both sport chic period glasses and 3-day old stubble. But the BofA bombmaker is a lean, mean, silent killing machine, and the the other is a soft, almost pudgy toymaker who becomes the mouthpiece for Kushner's "I'm losin' my Jewish righteousness"-speech.
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 3, 2006 01:15 PM
Jeremiah:
You know, it's been several years since I saw the film and when I did see it I was tremendously impressed with its visual power. I mean, just floored.
Now, I will admit that its political message, especially in today's world is probably insidious, but again, I'm a sucker for a very well made film. And "Battle of Algiers" is a formal masterpiece.
In short: I'm stuck. Maybe the film should really only be screened with proper discussion afterwards. i.e. with people who can put it in proper context. i.e. not leftist/Marxist/Jihadist/whackjobs.
Oh Gosh, pass the Dostoyevsky.
Randi, babke, please!
Jeremiah, you exhaust me. And that's a compliment.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 3, 2006 01:23 PM
I think I would add one point here about economics. The Nazi regime in Germany and the Imperial/Military junta than ran Japan both used terror and genocide, etc. But they "reformed" so to speak and became key members of the civilized world. Why?
Well, one reason is they were utterly defeated. We dropped two a-bombs on Japan and firebombed much of Germany back to the stone age. But I believe the relatively sophisticated nature of both their economies pre-World War II also gave their people something to go back to. The fact that no Arab country, save the tiny quasi-democracies of Bahrain and Qatar, have any kind of a real modern democracy or economy is very troubling. I think it makes death and terror that much more appealing to these people. That leaves us with the "utterly defeating them" option and not much else. In short, it means we have to be the bad guys and don't get to do good things later like a Marshall Plan. I feel like a doctor who has to amputate... there's no other option, but it feels bad.
Posted by: Jake at March 3, 2006 01:30 PM
Sorry, Robert, no time for babka...I'm preparing for the academy awards. Cutting my dress on the bias and stringing a pearl necklace.
Posted by: Randi(cruisin-mom) at March 3, 2006 01:35 PM
Jake:
Thanks so much for a fine and articulate point. I have written about this apocalypse/military option several times now, specifically in the context of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
My theory being that at some point in the future, the Palis might commit an act of terror so horrendous that Israel will be forced to retaliate with overwhelming force and essentially turn the PA territories into post fire-bombed Dresden.
With all their kvetching, the Pali civilians have never truly suffered at the hands of the Israelis, outside of standing on lines--which I do at Ralphs. (And our friend Jack Be Nimble has blogged about wonderfully.)
In fact, as this post makes clear, the Pali's major suffering comes at the hands of whomever is their current master, be it the PA or Hamas. For you can be sure that the terrorist who terrorizes Israel is no kinder to his own people. Remember, Hamas is sending homicide bombers--murdering his own people, often just children, in their lust to murder Jews. Now, Hollywood might find this fashionable/artistic, their leftie cause of the moment, but decent and moral people should be sickened.
Total and complete surrender to Israel might be the best thing that ever happens to the Palis for it will force them to confront reality and to truly reform their essential economic structures. And that will be done by the Israelis and I assume the Americans.
Not the UN, who are utterly corrupt; that building should be burned to the ground, the earth salted.
In short, Jake, my friend, you might very well be right, but in the meantime, since we are a decent and honorable people, since we are not genocidal by nature or inclination, we will try everything at our disposal before resorting to a Carthaginian Peace.
Have a lovely and meaningful Shabbos and please do not forget to daven for Pearl's father.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 3, 2006 01:53 PM
I am so sorry to hear about Pearl's father. Pearl is such a wonderful & caring person and I would be happy to daven for her dad. May he have a refuah shelaymah!!
Good Shabbos,
Rachel
Posted by: Rachel at March 3, 2006 03:20 PM
Randi:
I am powerless in the face of life without your incomparable Babke.
And now: The Babke Serenity Prayer
Ha-Shem grant me the serenity to accept kugel, when I cannot change it for babke,
The courage to change to potato Kugel when I have to.
And the wisdom to forget the difference.
Have a lovely Shabbos even as you know I'm entering severe withdrawal.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 3, 2006 03:23 PM
Rachel:
Pearl wrote me a note a short while ago expressing how deeply moved she is by all the support and all the prayers offered on behalf of her father by Seraphic Secret readers and commenters.
Pearl is profoundly grateful.
I am sure she will see your note and murmur a private thanks.
Have a lovely Shabbos.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 3, 2006 03:57 PM
a Carthaginian Peace.
I fear that this might be the only way. I am with Jake. It might very well take something exceptionally horrific to end it all.
I shudder at that thought because I wonder about the cost of it. Amputation is a good analogy.
Sometimes you have to cut off the leg to save the body, but you have to hope like hell that you don't bleed to death afterwards.
It is a scary thought.
Posted by: Jack at March 3, 2006 04:00 PM
Jake:
Scary, indeed. However at some point, the alternative to a Carthaginian Peace might be even more frightening.
Might I remind everyone that the world has had very little trouble from Carthage since it was destroyed by Rome in 146 BCE.
Have a lovely Shabbos Jack and please don't forget to daven for Pearl's father.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 3, 2006 04:03 PM
Pearl:
Gentle thoughts and some kind of prayer for your father, you, and your family will mark this Shabbos.
Robert:
Your hands move across the keyboard but your finger is on the pulse of what this and the next generations must brave down.
Pearl, ASJ, Rc-m, T, R, I, J: blessed Shabbos.
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 3, 2006 04:13 PM
Jeremiah:
I know that Pearl will read Seraphic Secret after Shabbos in Toronto. She will be touched. Thank you.
And my fingers thank you too, numb though they be :)
Have a lovely and meaningful Shabbos.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 3, 2006 04:17 PM
Robert, stand up and say it..."I am Robert, and I'm a BABKA-holic." Now, don't you feel better?
Enjoy your kugel.
Good shabbos.
Posted by: Randi(cruisin-mom) at March 3, 2006 04:27 PM
Randi:
But... but I'm soooo ashamed.... Maybe if I can just have one more shtickl babke, maybe thne I can say it, y'know, please, pleeeeeeese!
Time to light Shabbos candles. I'm off.
Totally tortured :)
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 3, 2006 04:58 PM
"I know that Pearl will read Seraphic Secret after Shabbos in Toronto. She will be touched."
Shavuah Tov.
Ah...how well you know me! You're so right -- checking in after Shabbos, and touched beyond words for all the mental and emotional support I have received from Seraphic Secret readers and Cruisin' Mom readers and Pearlies of Wisdom readers...and many others in the blogosphere. (too numerous to mention)
I am primarily coping fine -- until I read the warm sentiments and heartfelt messages that people offer; that's when I become teary. Or having been in shul today and having the personal need to make a mesheberach (prayer for the sick) for my loving father was also a touch difficult.
Again, I thank you. And I know my family does too.
Posted by: Pearl at March 4, 2006 05:04 PM
Pearl, it's good to hear your voice (or see your words, I should say). You deserve every good thought, prayer, wish and word you receive.
Posted by: Randi(cruisin-mom) at March 4, 2006 05:53 PM
Pearl:
So glad to hear your voice, so to speak. The blogoshphere is alive with thoughts and prayers for your father and of course for you and your entire family. And here at Seraphic Secret, the outpouring of concern and affection has been just overwhelming.
Thanks so much for staying in touch. As I have often written in Seraphic Secret: silence is just torture.
But from Pearl we always receive pearls of wisdom –– and poetry, no matter how difficult the circumstances.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 4, 2006 07:22 PM
It is obvious that the more serious problem of the 2, Saddam and Iran, is #2.
Either the Iraq war has made them stronger, in their influence of the Shiites there, or it would have happened anyway, I think the former.
This once again proves my view that bush and his team, some say Cheney is really the Pres. are a Katrina like disaster for the USA and the world.
What is being done about Iran?
Can we actually start a more important war now? I doubt it.
The right wing supporters for some reason hold on to their love of this admin, and will not join the smart people who were opposed to this sick war of bushes. Be big and human enough to admit that you are wrong.
Watch out for Iran.
Posted by: JObber at March 7, 2006 06:33 AM
Katherine Graham, former CEO of the Washington Post, published an insightful piece *twenty years ago* about an Islamic terrorist incident in Washington DC, against a Jewish organization no less (and not surprisingly):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A4577-2001Jul16?language=printer
(via Kesher Talk, March 14, 2006)
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 14, 2006 05:29 PM
Jeremiah:
Amazing piece. Thanks so much.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 15, 2006 08:47 AM