Fighting ‘the good fight’

During a television interview with CBS television in New York on Sunday, His Majesty King Abdullah said the US and its allies are late in waging war against the Islamic State, that they should have acted much earlier, when they would have had a better chance to win.

The campaign against IS, the King said, should have started when IS was still in its infancy in Syria and acting against it would have been much easier.

“I think we could have done a better job in making sure that earlier on it was identified who the bad people were and action by the international community was taken not to allow that to happen,” said the Monarch.

IS can produce almost $1 billion a year from oil derivatives, money it can use to purchase foreign fighters and weapons.

In other words, IS has become self-sustaining and cutting off funding to it cannot now do the job.

This money can only strengthen this group that perpetrates crimes in the name of Islam, although nothing would be more un-Islamic, as most Muslims would attest.

As the Monarch put it, that IS’ head should speak in the name of Islam “is so horrendous and so shocking”.

Due to violence — be it perpetrated by IS or by various governments in the region — the Kingdom bears the tremendous burden of refugees. 

Now it hosts no less than 1.4 million Syrians, many refugees settled in camps, which stretches the country’s resources beyond the limits.

But, as the King said, “where else would the Syrians go” if Jordan would not allow them in?

Displaying compassion and solidarity with the suffering Syrians, Jordan received them, hoping that the international community would chip in and help ease the burden, but that aid is slow to come.

Now with the coalition willing to fight IS, it is hoped that once this evil group is taken care of, the situation in Syria will also normalise and refugees will be able to go back home.

As for those fearing IS’ effect on Jordan, the Monarch has reassuring words: “Our borders are extremely secure.”

Only a few days ago, Jordan Armed Forces thwarted two attempts to penetrate our borders, and scores of people suspected of being affiliated with IS were arrested.

Jordan saw the danger much earlier than others and has taken effective measures to combat it.

It is just hoped other nations will realise that if action is not taken against IS now, it will be much harder and costlier later.

There is hope, however, that this will not be the case, for, as the King said, “ISIS, I think, has triggered an understanding that it’s time for all of us to make up our minds on the fight of good against evil. And this brings all of us together from all religions on different sides of the divide… to fight the good fight.”