In an article titled "Could Yemen Be the Next Surprise of the Season," Anwar Al-Awlaki discussed the state of jihad eight years after 9/11, saying that America "cannot and will not win" and that the rulers in the Arabian Peninsula, specifically the Al-Saud family, must be "removed from existence."
According to his website, Anwar Al-Awlaki, who in 2001 was chaplain at GeorgeWashingtonUniversity, [1] was born in New Mexico, and "studied the Islamic sciences of Quran, hadith, and fiqh with scholars from Yemen. [He] served as an Imam in Denver, Colorado; San Diego, California; and Falls Church, Virginia." [2] He has authored many publications on Islam, including "44 Ways of Supporting Jihad" (to read this document, visit the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor, http://www.memrijttm.org/content/en/report.htm?report=3683¶m=GJN ). Also according to his website, Al-Awlaki holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University, and a Masters in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University, and currently resides in Yemen.
Following is the article in the original English, as posted on Al-Awlaki's blog; the article also appeared on multiple jihadist websites. [3]
"Eight Years [After 9/11], the Mujahedeen Are Winning on Every Front and Are Expanding Into New Ones"
"The jihad movement around the world has witnessed a surprising growth during the past few years. After 9/11, America had succeeded in pulling together an international coalition in order to fight the mujahedeen. It invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, put pressure on governments around the world to throw anyone with association with Jihad behind bars, and to stop the flow of money into Jihad movements. All over the world the mujahedeen have suffered an international effort under the leadership of America to bring an end to Jihad. But eight years later, the mujahedeen are winning on every front and are expanding into new ones. It appeared difficult back then to imagine that the world would be the way it is today just eight years after 9/11.
"That is because Rasulullah(saaws) said: 'A group of my ummah will continue fighting in the path of Allah and they will not be harmed by those who are against them.'"
"If America Failed to Defeat the Mujahedeen When It Gave Its President Unlimited Support - How Can It Win With Obama Who Is On a Short Leash?... How Can It Win Today With a Recession - If Not a Depression - At Hand?
"The American people gave G.W. Bush unanimous backing to fight against the mujahedeen and gave him a blank check to spend as much as needed to fulfill that objective. The result? He failed, and he failed miserably. So if America failed to defeat the mujahedeen when it gave its president unlimited support, how can it win with Obama who is on a short leash? If America failed to win when it was at its pinnacle of economic strength, how can it win today with a recession - if not a depression - at hand?
"The simple answer is: America cannot and will not win. The tables have turned and there is no rolling back of the worldwide Jihad movement. The ideas of Jihad are proliferating around the world, the mujahedeen movements are gaining strength and the battlefields are expanding with the mujahedeen introducing new fronts.
In Afghanistan, the rural areas are mostly under the control of the Taliban and there is a steady improvement in the growth and strength of the mujahedeen. In Iraq, even though the U.S. claims an improvement in the security situation, one needs to ask the question at what cost that has been achieved. The amount of money America is spending on Iraq with a recession at hand is unattainable."
"The New [Jihad] Front Might Very Well Turn Out To Be Yemen"; The Al-Saud Family Must Be "Removed From Existence"
"The Jihad of this era started in Palestine, followed by Afghanistan, then Chechnya, then Iraq, then Somalia, then the Maghreb, and the new front might very well turn out to be Yemen.
"And when this new front of Jihad starts in Yemen it might become the single most important front of Jihad in the world.
"Why? First, the Arabian Peninsula has always been a land of mujahedeen even though there has been no fighting occurring on its soil. In Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, and Iraq the participation of mujahedeen from the Arabian Peninsula represented the largest block of foreign mujahedeen. When Jihad starts in the Arabian Peninsula, Jihad would be coming back to its home.
"Second, the Arabian Peninsula is home to Makkah and Madinah. To free the holy places from the rule of apostasy and tyranny is to free the heart of Islam.
"Third, the rulers in the Arabian Peninsula are playing a central role in the fight against Islam especially the Al-Saud family. The Al-Saud of today are the Abdallah bin Ubay [4] of yesterday. They have perfected the art of hypocrisy. They fight Islam in the name of Islam. They wear cloaks of sheep on hearts of wolfs. There cannot be Islamic rule and a return to khilafah [i.e. the Caliphate] without removing them from existence - and this is the responsibility of the mujahedeen of the Arabian Peninsula."
"America and its Allies in the Area Are Plotting Against the Mujahedeen; Nevertheless, Their Growth Increases By the Day"
"America and its allies in the area are plotting against the mujahedeen; nevertheless, their growth increases by the day. May Allah grant the true believers victory and grant them steadfastness on His path.
"Their intention is to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will complete His light even thought the disbelievers may detest it. (al Saff 61)"
Endnotes:
[1] The Washington Post, November 11, 2001, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/liveonline/01/nation/ramadan_awlaki1119.htm.
[2] http://www.anwar-alawlaki.com/?page_id=3
[3] http://www.anwar-alawlaki.com/?p=213, October 7, 2009. The text is lightly edited for clarity. Headings added by MEMRI.
[4] Abdallah bin Ubay was the leader of the hypocrites of Mecca, who opposed Muhammad.
