Let's hope that the handwritting is on the wall for Al Qaeda.
Civilian guards from Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) are to help secure churches in the country during Christmas and New Year's celebrations. The move is a goodwill gesture towards the country's Christian minority, after recent threats of terror attacks by the al-Qaeda linked Jemaah Islamiya (JI) militant group against a range of targets in Indonesia and other Asian nations.The NU guards, called Banser - from the organisation's youth wing - have agreed to back the police in ensuring the peaceful celebration of Christmas and New Year. Baser has also contact groups from other religions like the Hindhus and Buddhists and they have responded positively, the group's national coordinator Tatang Hidayat said. The volunteers will collaborate closely with Indonesian police, he said.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) on security cooperation was recently signed by the Indonesian Bishops Council (KWI) and Banser, KWI spokesman Alex S. Wijoyo said on Thursday.
"The MOU is about cooperation, including in security during Christmas and New Year," he said after a meeting between the 2005 Christmas celebration committee and Indonesia's president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Under the agreement, the guards will assist in securing churches during Christmas. However, on New Year's Eve, they will stand guard at entertainment venues and shopping centers.
The objective in our war in Afghanistan and Iraq is to bring freedom and stability to two nation who's governments were once looking to destroy us. The larger effect has been a new confidence throughout the world to stand up to Al Qaeda. All the more reason to be sure about our commitment in Iraq. As after the fall of Vietnam because of congress's betrayal of our ally, our premature pullout of Iraq would plunge the region into a similar nightmare as occurred in Cambodia and Laos.
The people of the Moslem nations of the world who have had the sword of Damocles hanging over them for a generation need to know that we are there for the long haul. If we were to show weakness or exhaustion in the face of the fight with Al Qaeda they would soon abandon hope altogether.
Posted by Xyba at December 11, 2005 08:07 AM | TrackBack