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Here
is something I thought some of my readers could chew on
over the week.
 From
yesterday’s Wall Street Journal,
Bernard Lewis
in his commentary,
August 22: Does Iran have
something in store?
In Islam, as in Judaism and Christianity,
there are certain beliefs concerning the cosmic struggle
at the end of time—Gog and Magog, anti-Christ, Armageddon,
and for Shiite Muslims, the long awaited return of the
Hidden Imam, ending in the final victory of the forces of
good over evil, however these may be defined. Mr.
Ahmadinejad and his followers clearly believe that this
time is now, and that the terminal struggle has already
begun and is indeed well advanced. It may even have a
date, indicated by several references by the Iranian
president to giving his final answer to the
U.S. about nuclear development
by Aug. 22. This was at first reported as “by the end of
August,” but Mr. Ahmadinejad’s statement was more precise.
What is the significance of Aug. 22? This
year, Aug. 22 corresponds, in the Islamic calendar, to the
27th day of the month of Rajab of the year 1427. This, by
tradition, is the night when many Muslims commemorate the
night flight of the prophet Muhammad on the winged horse
Buraq, first to “the farthest mosque,” usually identified
with Jerusalem, and then to heaven and back (c.f., Koran
XVII.1). This might well be
deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic ending of
Israel and if necessary of the world. It is far from
certain that Mr. Ahmadinejad plans any such cataclysmic
events precisely for Aug. 22. But it would be wise to bear
the possibility in mind.
A passage from the Ayatollah Khomeini,
quoted in an 11th-grade Iranian schoolbook, is revealing.
“I am decisively announcing to the whole world that if the
world-devourers [i.e., the infidel powers] wish to stand
against our religion, we will stand against their whole
world and will not cease until the annihilation of all
them. Either we all become free, or we will go to the
greater freedom which is martyrdom. Either we shake one
another’s hands in joy at the victory of Islam in the
world, or all of us will turn to eternal life and
martyrdom. In both cases, victory and success are ours.”
In this context, mutual assured
destruction, the deterrent that worked so well during the
Cold War, would have no meaning. At the end of time, there
will be general destruction anyway. What will matter will
be the final destination of the dead—hell for the
infidels, and heaven for the believers. For people with
this mindset, MAD is not a
constraint; it is an inducement.
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