JIHADHIS--THEY PLAY THE GAME, GIVE THEM THE NAME


                 JIHADIS--THEY PLAY THE GAME, GIVE THEM THE NAME
                            It's World War III, and we are in it.
 
     Al Qaida in Pakistan, Al Qaida in the Mahgreb, Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the Taliban, whoever, wherever, these groups and franchises operate, they're called "militants," in government lingo, in newspaper, news sites, and TV news, they're called "militants."
   
    But "militant" denotes a level of passion, dedication, and ruthlessness, not even a tactic as "terrorist" at least does, and that doesn't begin to describe what they real are.  They they call themselves "jihadhis" and proud of it and that's what they really are.        
 
 All these terrorist groups, wherever they are, whatever their tactics, have a coherent and focused ideological goal--the establishment of a New Caliphate encompassing the entire Umma, all the territories with Muslim population, and in fever dreams even the entire world, governed by an Islamic theocratic dictatorship enforcing Sharia law.

   Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and so forth, all a multiplicity of fronts in a Holy War, a Jihahd, between Islam and the more or less more or less Judeo-Christian world culture that has been going on since Mohammed became the first Caliph, Prophet, General, Ruler, and the Catholic Church began the First Crusade.

   This is World War III and we are in it.

    The denial of this, I believe, is why the Jihadhis, who don't deny it at all, are referred to as "militants."

   I wrote a novel called OSAMA THE GUN a few years ago set in a near future in which this Caliphate has been partially established, and is engaged in a proxy battle against the "Great Satan," A.K.A the United States, using air, sea, and land "drones" rather than risking human troops.

  It's a balanced view, I believe, of both sides, with a politically and tactically ruthless young jihadhi who is a villain in western terms, but an unwitting hero in politically Islamic terms, and personally appealing in psychological and ideastic religious terms.

  Published in French translation by Fayard as OUSSAMA, unsurprisingly no US publisher has summoned up the courage to touch it with a fork.  And such courage would be admittedly needed.  The novel is too hot to handle precisely for the same reason that it really needs to be read.

     I knew this was going to be a career-threatening move when I wrote it.  But I felt I had to try anyway.  Because I didn't see anyone else doing it.  And it had to be done.  Or at least I had to try.
 
  Because OSAMA THE GUN is the possible near future of World War III, and though it is generally and fearfully and ignorantly not admitted, yes, we are all already in it.

    Below is the 5-part video I made myself to explain the full historic, religious, and strategic context.  The novel it isn't, but it's at least better than silence.




    OSAMA THE GUN--part 1-THE THOUSAND YEAR HOLY WAR





OSAMA THE GUN--part 2--JIHADHI JOE VS. McWORLD



   OSAMA THE GUN--part 3---THE NEW CALIPHATE





                       OSAMA THE GUN--part 4---THE STRATEGY OF TERROR




OSAMA THE GUN--part 5--THE NOVEL









Comments

  1. Paul WeimerFebruary 22, 2013 at 5:45 PM

    Why not self-publish it in an ebook edition for US readers, Mr. Spinrad?

    The Hybrid model of authors with both traditional and self published work is a reality. You could do it, people would buy it, it would be out there.

    And, perhaps, a US Publisher would pick it up if it did do well.

    I'm sure you could get someone to make the conversion to an ebook at relatively reasonable rates, too, if it came to that. I can think of at least one person off the top of my head who could and would, and a slate of authors beyond him who could.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paul WeimerFebruary 22, 2013 at 6:13 PM

      Ah, I see you did this two years ago--although the ebook is no longer available on Amazon. Why is that?

      Delete
    2. Norman SpinradFebruary 22, 2013 at 6:33 PM

      Because in order to get it published in France by Fayard, I had to give them control of world rights, including ebook rights. And they (and I) would still like to sell it to a US publisher, and having a self-published ebook, let alone POD book, on sale would kill that, US publishers insist on ebook rights.
      But I can sell first serial rights, Fayard has no problem with that, and neither would a publisher, and that I'm in the process of doing and will announce it when it is finalized.

      Delete

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