Al-Qaeda targets Canada

Some unsurprising news in the National Post this morning, as jihadists, furious with Canada for helping to give Afghanistan citizens the freedom to vote, for believing that Afghan women deserve the right to an education, and for killing the Taliban terrorists before they can kill us, are now targeting our country for a bloody attack:

OTTAWA - An al-Qaeda strategist has warned Canada to withdraw its troops
from Afghanistan or face terrorist attacks similar to 9/11, Madrid and the
London transit bombings.
The threat, attributed to a member of the al-Qaeda information and strategy committee, condemns Prime Minister Stephen Harper for refusing to pull out of Afghanistan.
It also refers to Canada's "fanatic adherence to Christianity" as well as its purported attempts to "damage the Muslims" and its support for the "Christian Crusade" against al-Qaeda.

"Despite the strong, increasing opposition to spread its forces in the fire of South Afghanistan, it seems that they will not learn the lesson easily," Hossam Abdul Raouf writes.
"They will either be forced to withdraw their forces or face an operation similar to New York, Madrid, London and their sisters, with the help of Allah."
The document, written in July, was obtained and translated by the SITE Institute, a U.S. non-profit group that monitors terrorist Web sites for clients, many of them in government.
It is the second reference in recent weeks to al-Qaeda singling out Canada because of its role in Afghanistan. Last month, Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman Al-Zawahiri,
referred to Canadian troops in Kandahar as "second-rate Crusaders."
…
The text of the threat suggests that al-Qaeda is aware of divisions within Canada over the mission, pointing to public opinion polls and opposition within Parliament.
It is also consistent with analysis by Canadian intelligence officials who report that al-Qaeda views Canada as a "priority target" because of the country's high-profile role in Afghanistan and its close relationship with the United States in the war on terrorism.
"Despite the differences between the Canadian foreign policy and its U.S. counterpart, and despite the hatred the Canadian people harbour towards the Americans -- their bad neighbours who cannot hold back their damage from them -- they agree with them regarding leading the Christian Crusade in Afghanistan and confronting al-Qaeda there," it says.
….
"Its fanatic adherence to Christianity makes it rush to the financial aid of any issue that will damage the Muslims and strengthen their enemies," the 66-page document claims.
…..
The threat was posted on Arabic-language jihadist Web forums commonly used to disseminate al-Qaeda-related training and propaganda materials.
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Being called a "second rate crusader" stings my pride, but honestly, the shoe fits... years of military cutbacks under the liberals have not exactly left Canada standing as a modern-day Order of the Knights Templar......

When the Roman emperor Hadrian built his Wall across England, it was not so much a fence as it was to be a dam, strung across the center of a hostile enemy's land, and not at its frontier. Meant as a military disruption of the enemy's strength, through a dismemberment of the enemy's lands, today's equivalent in Iraq and Afghanistan aims to weaken our enemy just as occured in Hadrian's time. With a significant difference: our mileforts are nascent democracies, and these eggs need nurturing now more than ever, as the enemy reveals the depth of their evil.

We must continue to keep faith in the belief that staying the course in the beleaguered nation of Afghanistan can make a difference, for the better, in their lives, but especially in ours, by crippling the jihadists future strength through dismemberment of their current nests.

Withdrawing or strengthening our presence in Afghanistan would not make one iota of difference to minds like theirs. The jihadists want to attack us no matter what we do, because it is who we are that, ultimately, bothers them so. Prosperous through our ennoblement of labor and self-sacrifice, free through our capacity for trust in our fellow citizens, and optimistic through our awareness of the existence of progress... that there will always be something better to become. These are the mysterious strengths that place us above them, and we are resented for it.

"Fanatical adherence to Christianity", indeed! I would beam with pride if we could sincerely boast that Canada even remained a mildly-interested-in-Christianity nation. At least this latest al-qaeda threat can reveal even more starkly the clear contrast between us and them: one single raindrop is the equivalent of a lake for these extremists, such is the depth of their intolerance and hatred. And envy.

Hopefully this latest noise from the enemy will ensure that our mission in Afghanistan does not degenerate into a second-rate Hadrian's Wall, one that crumbles under the weight of modern-day barbarians determined to be through our gates. Canada must come together to admit the enemy is evil, that the enemy must be challenged in his home, and must be prevented from poisoning our own.