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MASTERS OF DECEPTION
Deceptive Iraqi Tactics Of War Are Based On Islamic Principles
By Abdullah Al Araby
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Unfair forms of deception are prohibited
by International laws
The Islamic basis for deception
The Quran alleges that Allah sanctions lies
and deception:
In the Hadith, Mohammed, emphasizes the same
concept.
The principle of Al-Takeyya
As the war in Iraq rages on, detailed news of Operation Iraqi
Freedom keep coming out. One piece of news particularly caught
my attention. The headline read, "Suicide attack kills 5
including 3 Coalition Troops.” Details of the incident revealed
that a pregnant woman exited a vehicle screaming in hysterical
fear as she approached a Coalition checkpoint. It was a ploy to
draw in the sympathetic soldiers from Christian nations. As they
rushed forward to aid her, the civilian vehicle exploded, killing
the pregnant woman, another woman inside the car and three coalition
force members. Two other soldiers were wounded.
Like most American citizens, it is painful for me to read that
a pregnant woman would be compelled to sacrifice herself and her
child to inflict harm on those perceived to be an enemy. Unlike
most Americans, I understand that the motivations for her deceptive
homicidal actions were not spawned purely by politics and national
allegiance. The actions of this piteous woman and her fellow deceivers
are rooted in and incited by the teachings of Islam.
Those who follow the conduct of the Iraqis in the war are learning
that these acts are not isolated incidences. Rather, they are
part of an ever-increasing pattern of unconventional deceptive
tactics employed by a disparate army on the verge of collapse.
The Iraqis claimed that they had no unconventional weapons. Yet,
it is a fact that they are using unconventional methods in what
was supposed to be a conventional war. The following are just
a few of the deceptive methods that are being utilized:
- Bullets, missiles, and grenades are fired by Iraqi troops
from the minaret prayer towers of mosques
- Schools and hospitals are used as military command posts and
bunkers.
- Soldiers, laying in wait, pose as patients in ambulances
and clinics that fly the flag of the Red Crescent (The Red Cross
of the Middle East)
- Civilians, including women and children, are coerced into
use as human shields.
- Troops disguise themselves as civilians by dressing in Bedouin
robes and women’s dresses.
- Soldiers pretend to surrender and then open fire. Others dressed
as civilians approach in friendship and then do the same.
- Civilian vehicles and persons are employed in suicide bombings.
- POWs are treated with barbarous cruelty
Unfair forms of deception are prohibited
by International laws
There are rules of war just as there are rules in competitive
sports. Regulations are established to insure fair play and to
protect those not participating in the competition from coming
into harm’s way. In war it is accepted that troops will
use most any method to defeat the enemy, including misleading
ruses. However, there are internationally accepted codes of ethics
and regulations to which all nations are obligated to comply.
These are called the rules of the Geneva Convention. It governs
the way captured troops are to be treated and prohibits methods
of deception that would endanger non-combative parties. One of
the specific rules that Iraq is defying prohibits, “feigning
surrender in order to lure the enemy into a trap”. This
is forbidden because it conditions soldiers to suspect all surrendering
combatants of being guilty of the ruse. The results are horrifying.
As planned, the media get a hold of it and interpret to the world
that the guiltless Coalition forces are murderers.
In addition, this is the manner in which the deceptive tactics
of the Iraqis are breaking the following rules of the Geneva Convention:
Rule 4: Prisoners of war must be humanely treated and protected
from violence. Prisoners cannot be beaten or used for propaganda
purposes (to try to change the way people think about something).
- They parade them before the press and torture them.
Rule 7: Killing anyone who has surrendered is prohibited. Rule
13: Attacks on civilians and undefended towns are prohibited.
– Dressing in civilian clothes and feigning surrender
predisposes opponents to fire in self-defense on civilians and
those that are legitimately surrendering.
Rule 8: Zones must be set up in fighting areas to which the
sick and injured can be taken for treatment. Rule 9: Special protection
from attack is granted to civilian hospitals marked with the Red
Cross symbol. Rule 10: The free passage of medical supplies is
allowed – Hiding troops in hospitals, carrying troops
and munitions in Red Cross marked vehicles breaks all three of
these.
Apparently there is something in the religious understanding
of the Iraqi troops that leads them to believe they are exempt
from compliance to these laws and standards. U.S. Marines spokesman,
Capt. Joseph Penzler, commented, “This just highlight the
depth to which the Iraqis will sink.” An analyst with the
Defense Intelligence Agency offered the following observation
about the Iraqi deception program. He called it, “a deliberate,
methodical, extensive and well-organized national-level, strategic
effort, which aims at deceiving not just the United States, not
just the United Nations or even the public media, but, in fact,
the entire world.”
The Islamic basis for deception
Islam is more than a religion; it is a comprehensive way of
life. It demands adherence in social, political, military and
economical matters, as well as in things pertaining to religion.
To understand how Muslims react in any situation in life, one
must look into the religious influences that govern their behavior
for that particular situation. Lying and deception are the issues
at hand. It is important to know that Islam sanctions both.
Like most religions, Islam in general, forbids lying. The Quran
says, “Truly, Allah does not guide one who transgresses
and lies.” Surah 40:28. In another authoritative book, called
the Hadith, Mohammed was also quoted as saying the following:
“Be honest because honesty leads to goodness, and goodness
leads to Paradise. Beware of falsehood because it leads to immorality,
and immorality leads to Hell.”
However, unlike most religions, within Islam there are certain
provisions under which lying and deceiving is not simply tolerated,
but actually encouraged. In his book “The spirit of Islam,”
Afif A. Tabbarah writes in page 247, “Lying is not always
bad, to be sure; there are times when telling a lie is more profitable
and better for the general welfare, and for the settlement of
conciliation among people, than telling the truth. “
This point is proven by numerous incidences in the life of Mohammed.
He often lied and instructed his followers to do the same. He
rationalized that the prospect of success in missions to extend
Islam’s influence overrode Allah’s initial prohibitions
against lying. A good example of sanctioned lying is the account
of the assassinations of Kaab Ibn al-Ashrf, and Shaaban Ibn Khalid
al-Hazly. Mohammed reportedly allowed his assassins lie to them
in order to lure them into a place where they could easily butcher
them.
The Quran alleges that Allah
sanctions lies and deception:
“Allah will not call you to account for what is futile
in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate
oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of
the average for the food of your families; or clothe them; or
give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for
three days. That is the expiation for the oaths ye have sworn.
But keep to your oaths. Thus doth Allah make clear to you His
signs, that ye may be grateful.” Surah 5:89
“Any one who, after accepting faith in Allah, utters
Unbelief, except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in
Faith - but such as open their breast to Unbelief, on them is
Wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty.”
Surah 16: 106
The noted Islamic commentator, Al-Tabary, explained Surah 16:106
as a verse that had been revealed to Mohammed after he learned
that Ammar Ibn Yasser was forced to deny his faith in Mohammed
when kidnapped by the Banu Moghera tribe. Mohammed consoled Ammar
by telling him, “If they turned, you turn.” (Meaning:
if they again capture you, you are allowed to deny me again.)
In the Hadith, Mohammed, emphasizes
the same concept.
According to Imam Al- Ghazali “One of Mohammed’s
daughters, Umm Kalthoum, testified that she had never heard the
Apostle of Allah condone lying, except in these three situations:
1- For reconciliation among people. 2- In war. 3-Amongst spouses,
to keep peace in the family”
The principle of Al-Takeyya
The Arabic word, “Takeyya”, means, “to guard
against.” The principle of Al Takeyya conveys the understanding
that Muslims are permitted to lie as a preventive measure against
anticipated harm to one’s self or fellow Muslims. They can
even deny the faith, if they do not mean it in their hearts. Al-Takeyya
is based on the following Quranic verse:
“Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers
Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing
will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution, that
ye may Guard yourselves from them. But Allah cautions you (To
remember) Himself; for the final goal is to Allah.”
Surah 3: 28
According to this verse it is acceptable for Muslims to use
deceptive tactics. In violation to the teachings of Islam, they
can pretend to befriend infidels. In situations where real or
imagined harm is perceived they are permitted to display adherence
with the ideals of those considered as infidels.
It is important to understand that Muslims take great liberty
in expanding the perimeters of circumstances under which they
are permitted to lie and to use deceptive tactics. When dealing
with Muslim leaders it is essential to keep in mind that they
can say or do anything that will get them out of trouble. All
the while, they are apt to have just the opposite agenda in their
hearts. With this in mind, in matters pertaining to war and international
politics, there is a question that we need to ask ourselves. Can
Muslim countries be trusted to play it fair and keep their end
of the agreements that they sign with non-Muslim nations?
It is imperative that our leaders not be naïve. They
must understand that Muslims can use this loophole in their religion
to absolve them from any accountability when they revert to deceptive
tactics. They can unashamedly do so, as they adhere to Mohammed,
the prophet of Islam, who was quoted as saying “War is a
deception.” The Allah of Islam is described in the Quran
as “the best of deceivers.” Surah 8:30.
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