Assad Takes A Clear-Eyed Approach To Fighting Terrorism, Saying "We Should Fight The Thought" That Creates Groups Like ISIS

"President Assad: These terrorist organizations, whether ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra or al- Qaeda are mere manifestations of a long and deep perversion in our region and our society. This perversion is at least five decades old; but it practically started two centuries ago with perverse interpretation of Islam. The main manifestation of this perversion is the Wahhabi movement which interpreted Islam in a perverted and, in most cases, contradictory manner with the import of Islam itself. So, these are mere manifestations.

Dealing with this short term damage, which is related to the terrorist acts, the destruction and killing they are carrying out, is not easy, but certainly possible. Dealing with it will constitute a victory for society, an important victory because it protects it against a disease and a real epidemic.

The big danger is for this treatment to take a long time and for these organizations to become entrenched within society. In that case you will be dealing with a very dangerous, cultural and intellectual situation. You will be before a new generation of ideological terrorists who believe in killing, takfir and discrimination as a basic method for building an Islamic State, as they believe. Then, the whole region will face a huge dilemma. This type of thought has no boundaries. It does not recognize political borders. It spreads, through contagion, very quickly in our region, and even in Europe, as we see today. That is why these organizations are extremely dangerous, but it is not enough to fight them as organizations. More importantly, we should fight the thought which led to the creation of these organizations, the states which promoted this type of thought and the institutions which provide funds for this thought through religious schools and foundations which promote extremism in the Islamic world." (Source).

There is no question that the governments of the U.S. and Europe have contributed to the growth of the ISIS cancer and other variations of Islamic terrorism by allowing the Saudi government and other Arab monarchies to build radical mosques and religious schools in their societies.

Do these governments ask what type of teachings will be taught in these places before permitting them to be built? Do they know that immigrant Muslims are being radicalized in these places? Do they know that these Wahhabi mosques and religious schools are having an effect on the spread of terrorism? Do they care?

Assad made lots of good points in the interview posted above. In one part, he said that most of the leaders of terrorist organizations like ISIS come from northern Europe, whereas the rank and file come from Arab countries and other Muslim nations. This speaks to the fact that Wahhabi mosques that are funded by Saudi Arabia and other Arab monarchies have played a fundamental role in the growth of ISIS.

These Western-supported monarchies, whose support since 1979 has been increasingly dependent on the backward Wahhabi clergy, have penetrated the immigrant Muslim communities in Europe, and other regions as well.

What is the response from Western governments and politicians to this reality? Silence.