CONCLUSION

We Americans need to stare our enemies in the eyes and make an unflinching commitment to winning the war against global jihad and rooting out the terrorists next door. On a governmental level, a stronger campaign to crush al-Qaeda wherever it rears its head, particularly in the tribal regions of Pakistan—whether the Pakistanis like it or not—is paramount. So is the need not only to neutralize Iran’s nuclear weapons program, but to cultivate regime change in Tehran. Other crucial steps include curtailing Muslim immigration to the United States, fixing or eliminating deeply flawed refugee resettlement programs, securing America’s borders in a real and effective way, and continuously reducing the influence of Saudi Arabia in U.S. institutions and particularly in American Muslim communities.

Outlawing the Muslim Brotherhood on U.S. soil is another vital defensive measure. Instead of giving Brotherhood operatives an open door to the halls of power in Washington, D.C., we should use all possible legal means to marginalize and discredit them and their plans to build mega-mosques nationwide. The Muslim Brotherhood, whose own documents outline its plan to destroy America from within, is the enemy, and its American front groups should be treated as such.

That extends to the Middle East, where the Obama administration has apparently decided that it can work with the Brotherhood. How else to explain President Obama’s infamous Cairo speech in 2009, for which he requested that members of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood be present? ¹ And how else to explain his support for the ouster of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, when it was clear that Egypt’s powerful and well-organized Brotherhood faction was most likely to benefit?

Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs articulated the Obama administration’s position in the waning days of Mubarak’s regime, saying a reformed Egyptian government “has to include a whole host of important non-secular actors that give Egypt a strong chance to continue to be a stable and reliable partner.”² The “non-secular actors” Gibbs spoke of were the Muslim Brothers. In essence, the Obama administration is pushing for the participation of an Islamic jihadist group in governing the largest and most influential Arab Muslim nation. This is pure madness, and unless Egypt suddenly blooms into an oasis of democracy after thousands of years of authoritarian rule, it may go down as one of the biggest foreign policy blunders in U.S. history.

When I travel the country to talk about the threats gathering against the United States, I’m constantly asked, “What can I do to help?” While there is no magic bullet to right this ship, there is plenty the average American can do to turn back the rising tide of jihad here at home. Above all, Americans must stay informed. Take at least twenty minutes each day to turn off your iPod, flip off the game, and get up to speed on current events, no matter how depressing you might find them. You owe it to yourself and your children to be aware of the rapidly advancing events in the Muslim world that will continue to affect every American, whether through a massive increase in oil prices or, God forbid, through Islamic terrorism.

Call me an alarmist, but given that we are locked in a civilizational struggle against folks who take the Koran and hadiths literally, it’s probably a good idea that Americans be educated about them. Sadly, though, if you stop the average man on the street and ask if he’s ever heard of jihad, sharia, or the Verse of the Sword, or if he’s ever read Islam’s core texts, you’ll likely get a shrug of the shoulders and a blank stare before he buries his head back into his Blackberry to text about the results of American Idol.

Americans and all people of the West should know the names Charles Martel and Jan Sobieski. Nicknamed “The Hammer,” Martel was the grandfather of the legendary Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. In the year 732 AD, in one of the pivotal battles of world history, known as the Battle of Tours, Martel led Frankish and Burgundian forces to victory over an advancing Muslim army near the villages of Tours and Poitiers, in north-central France. That’s right: after conquering Spain, the armies of Islam advanced as far as central France, with designs on conquering all of Western Europe, until they were decisively defeated by The Hammer. Many historians believe Martel saved Europe and in the process, helped preserve Judeo-Christian, Western civilization. So why aren’t Martel and the Battle of Tours taught in middle schools, high schools, and universities in every Western nation?

The same goes for Jan Sobieski, the Polish king who led a combined force of Poles, Austrians, and Germans to victory over the Turkish-led Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. It was the second time that the Ottoman Muslims had reached the gates of Vienna before being beaten back (the first being in 1571). In the battle’s aftermath, the Ottoman Empire plunged into a long, downward spiral, while Sobieski was hailed by the Pope and others as the savior of Vienna and of Western European civilization. Again: the West is waging an existential struggle against Islamic aggression. Shouldn’t Americans know that this is far from the first time that the West has been locked in such a struggle with the forces of Islamic supremacism, and draw inspiration from the courageous Western resisters to jihad that have come before us?

Recall that Ronald Reagan, years before he became president, would devour everything he could get his hands on about Communism, Marxism, and the Soviet system. By the time he was elected president he had a profound knowledge of the Soviet bloc, ultimately helping to lead the United States to victory in the Cold War.

For many people, 9/11 came out of nowhere. This time around, Americans have no excuse. Educate yourself. You don’t need to become a news junkie or an Islamic expert, but at least get to know the basics about your enemy. Who is the Muslim Brotherhoood? What is jihad? What is sharia? What is the history of your local mosque, and have reporters uncovered jihadist sermons or jihadist literature there? What does the Koran say about non-Muslims? Learn it, commit it to memory, and tell your family, friends, and neighbors. No pressure or anything: we’re only embroiled in a long, generational conflict in which the future of Western civilization is at stake.

Secondly, stay engaged. Join local and national organizations that not only oppose the Islamization of America, but that have real influence in state capitals and on Capitol Hill. The fierce grassroots opposition to the Ground Zero mosque is a perfect example of how average Americans can raise awareness about a topic and help influence the national discourse. Pressure your state and national representatives on issues that matter to America’s security. Make your voice heard, especially at the ballot box. Today, with the rise of social media and YouTube, it has never been easier to organize with like-minded people and make a difference.

As I walk through the streets of Jerusalem, which have seen so many deadly “chip away” style attacks over the years, I can’t help but wonder whether a day is fast approaching when America’s schools, shopping malls, buses, and trains will fall victim to a similar jihadist onslaught. Islamists have made their intentions clear and provided us, through their actions, words, and writings, with their blueprint for destroying America. This information is readily available and time is short. It’s long past due for Americans to get to know the enemy as well as the enemy knows us.