Doctrine of War: III

The February 2008 brief, "Predictive Analysis of the Forward Movement of Islam in the West" explored the political movement of Islam using a template from the life of Muhammad. I moved through seven stages of political movement. The first stage: Pilgrimage.

Last week I noted this statement in my newest reading selection:

"Jihad could only be effected through emigration. Emigration and Jihad, in turn, could not be effected but through true belief and deep conviction. Allah says: 'Those who believe and those who emigrate and strive hard in the cause of Allah, it is these who hope for Allah's mercy, and Allah is most Forgiving, Merciful.'" (2:218)

Zad-Al-Ma'ad, Al Imam Ibn al-Qayyem al-Jawziya (Abridged and adapted by Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab), Bilal Books, 70/3 Yusuf Meherali Road, Bombay p. 59

Common sense knows that one does not raise the rebel flag in the midst of those with whom one is in accord. But to understand the above oft-quoted ayat (the word ayat means sign) it is necessary to delve into Seerah literature. This is literature which explores the biography of Muhammad.

The first wave of Muslim immigrants was a small band of men and women sent to Abyssinia. (Ethiopia). This band of approximately 16 are considered the first to migrate for the sake of Allah. So hijrah, or migration, is an important act for the Muslim community.

Hizb-ut-Tahrir has this to say within their literature:

"Muslims all over the world pay importance to the Hijrah of Muhammad. Its importance lies far beyond the hardship the Messenger endured on his journey itself. The focus on the fine details of the journey at the expense of the objective of the journey is a grave mistake we should avoid."

After moving beyond three years of social and economic boycott and through "The Year of Grief", a time when Muhammad lost both his wife and the uncle who was his strongest ally, a message of viceregency was gradually introduced. Expansionism and the Doctrine of War were being crafted slowly but surely. These things can be found securely fashioned within Hadith literature. Al-Tirmidhi has this saying recorded and attributed to Muhammad by a chain of narrators:

"If you believe, the reward will be the Garden, rulership over the Arabs and foreigners as well as kingship in Genna. (the Garden)"

In this century Muslims live scattered across the globe as testament to the concept of pilgrimage. Their understanding of their place and purpose in this world is colored by what they believe to be true regarding their laws of governance and for war. The rapidity with which ancient texts are being translated from Arabic and placed in easy access of the common man is astounding. How Muslims interpret these texts in light of some of the open societies in which they live will determine their entry into both political play and possibly Jihad in the future.

Tammy Swofford

Party Crashers: The Salahi Dynamic Duo

Tareq and Michaele Salahi could have pulled it off. If they would have merely placed a few elegant frames of photography from the White House dinner around their living area the influence by proxy might have worked. But when the photography made it to Michaele's Facebook page the story collapsed as quickly as Falcon Heene's ballon ride to nowhere. If you put up a research spine on the internet it is only a matter of time until an interested party will take that exciting journey into the boundaries of what used to be your private space.

The psychological posturing by the Salahi's show a couple who crave a life in the spotlight. It is somewhat the "lightning bug phenomenon" of my childhood. Neighborhood children would gather lightning bugs during the evening and we would smash them on our skin to give that temporary glitzy glow. It was a good way to spend an evening with friends and excite our brainless underdeveloped personalities. But we all returned to the anonymity of home life and its comfortable yet familiar surroundings. There was something very natural and beautiful growing up within my own community and socioeconomic demographic.

The world is full of the "Beautiful People". These are the influence peddlers inside political bases, the philanthropists with bottomless wells of finance and at the bottom of the heap, needy socialites such as the Salahi team. Always on the periphery and never quite making it to the center, crashing a White House dinner seemed a good choice.

For myself, it has never been an aspiration to attend a state dinner at the White House and press my palm across Joe Biden's chest as was done by Michaele. Our poor vice president! He looks like a victim of sexual harrassment at the hands of a platinum blonde who is ready for a bit of action and with the good sense to wear an easy-release Sari. Did that photo strike anyone else the same way or is my sense of humor just kicking in at this point?

We all know beautiful people. It is just that our standard for beauty is different than that of the Washington D.C. crowd. I would rather spend an evening with a male friend who spent a week bathing dying lepers in Calcutta than to dine with Katie Couric. He is a fascinating friend. I would rather to return to the steppes of Mongolia with the man who fell of his camel and got a concussion thousands of miles away from the nearest CT machine instead of having a chit-chat with Mrs. Obama. And I would rather eat a cracker with my mother - a woman who raised six rambunctious children and survived the adventure - than to share a glass of wine with any of the beautiful people who graced the White House this past week.


Who are the beautiful people in your own life?

Tammy Swofford

Because Swofford Always Gives a Damn

I waited for it. Sure enough, after Nidal Hasan violated his oath, betrayed his nation and murdered those within his own ranks it was only a matter of time before the cleric with whom he had contact would put out a bit of his own commentary.

His website disappeared fast enough. My guess is the webmaster packed his little suitcase and went into hiding. But yes, in no time at all a Jihad message board put up gloating and baiting hatred against America issued by Al-Awlaki. It was disgusting to read.

On September 10, 2009 I had already printed off one of the rants of Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki from a message board in support of a radical terror group housed in Pakistan. I am certainly familiar with this man and his particular brand of nastiness. He said in part these words:

"Democracy is un-Islamic and we are participating in elections but our intentions are to change the system from within..... deception is acceptable against the enemy if the Muslims are in a state of war with them."

Now while aware that this man does not speak for all Muslims, he certainly has his audience. Yes, I know we have Muslim military officers in our branches of service. That is not the point.

Nidal Hasan had email contact with a man who is a known threat to American security. Where was the level of concern to take this officer out of play without apology, and based on what to me appears to be sufficient evidence that there was a need for some level of action? If your own child appears friendly with a rattlesnake, do you ignore the rattle?

The message boards are still blazing along with their messages of hatred. It is interesting that while President Obama now declares Afghanistan a "war of necessity", Mr. Bush took a complete bashing in the press for mounting the same "war of necessity" after 9/11 in view of a rising tide of terroristic threat against our people. But Swofford has always given a damn. And coming home from a lovely Thanksgiving meal with relatives was the distinct awareness that more than a dozen families across America were spending a Thanksgiving without a familiar face at their table because of the dishonorable actions of a military officer who took an oath to protect and defend America and then turned on his own community. This thing is damn troubling.

Below, a "tribute" of sorts to an American officer who fell under the sway of a terrorist cleric from Yemen. We don't take things into our own hands, because we are Americans. But we should demand accountability from those who were in positions of authority to take Nidal Hasan out of play and yet chose to do nothing. Give a damn. Really.



Tammy Swofford

I AM THANKFUL

For..... Emmanuel.


Have a blessed Thanksgiving. And may God continue to Bless America.

Tammy

Book Review: Following the Water - a hydromancer's notebook

The Dr. Kevorkian of plants is alive and well. C'est moi. The last time I carefully observed wildlife was at the zoo in Washington, D.C. So it was a strange sensation to actually reach for a book on the shelf written by a naturalist. David M. Carroll has gained a fan.

"Following the Water" chronicles the yearly pilgrimmage of a noted naturalist. Mr. Carroll ventures out of his home and moves into the wetlands as soon as winter has choked back her last cough. His observations continue in seasonal manner until the ice begins to reappear across the waterways near his home.

My husband is a man who loves to get his hands into the soil. But Mr. Carroll loves anything and everything associated with the water and the ecosystem which is nurtured by its path. He is particularly fond of wood turtles and has carefully chronicled their migratory journey from birth to nesting and to predatory decline in the wild. His rare physical interface usually involves the small notches which he places on the carapace to chronicle his sightings.

His love and sense of stewardship for the earth is something which was energized by the childhood wanderings within these watery spaces. But his manner of writing shows a man who probably had the genetic predisposition in place for this life's work even prior to his birth. Tucked within the pages of his journal, the artistic depictions of what he has observed. It is a high compliment to Mr. Carroll that I read a portion of his book at a park while watching the ducks and the turtles within a man-made pond. It seems I saw everything through childlike eyes and with a new sense of wonder. At the end of the reading I placed the leaf from a red maple tree into the pages as a bookmark. This is a delightful book and recommended to the readership.

Following the Water

Tammy Swofford

Doctrine of War: II

Emerging from the confines of a narrow valley east of Makkah the beleagured followers of Muhammad had spent three years in seclusion secondary to the economic and social boycott instituted at Wadi Al-Muhassab. A decade had passed since Muhammad had burst onto the stage with command to recite and to warn:

"Recite in the name of your Lord..."
Al-Alaq 1

"Oh you (Muhammad) enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn! And your Lord (Allah) magnify! And your garments purify! And keep away from Ar-Rujz!" (idols)
Al-Muddaththir 1-5

Muhammad had honed his diplomatic skills at an earlier age as a member of The League of the Virtuous. His original vanguard of four - Khadijah, Ali bin Abi Talib and Abu Bakr and Zaid bin Harithah - had grown substantially.

Continued verbal engagement against an arch enemy, Abu Jahl, had proven ineffective. When challenged as to the leadership in Makkah this response was given:

"Then, let him call (for help) to his council (of comrades)."
Al-Alaq 17

The Makki revelation which admonished tying of the hands in adversity would undergo abrogation. As Muhammad and his followers moved back into play on the political stage a new posture was soon to be assumed.

"Permission to take up arms is given to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged, and Allah, indeed, has power to help them." Hajj 39

The Doctrine of War was now being established. The Sahabah, or Companions of the Prophet, would begin to move into stronger play alongside Muhammad as he finished out approximately
three additional years in Makkah and then moved into the decade known as the Madinese era.


Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Doctrine of War: I

The Qur'an and various attached sciences cast the shadow for the battles engaged by Muhammad and his early cadre of Believers. Collapsed into the literature is both the telling and the strategy, the debriefs and after-action reports, recommendations and moderations of plan.

Historic remembrance of the battles and events which did not end up in the win column for the Muslim army are presented in Tafseer in the "lessons-learned" column. Nothing is cast as stunning defeat rather as an evolutionary move forward in the Islamic Doctrine of War. The forward progression in a doctrine for both defense and aggression is found in abrogation of Qur'anic text and Sunnah. And while there is not a book on the shelf which looks like the newest U.S. Army Doctrine it is a compendium of books which must be culled to harvest the principles and rules of engagement for conflict.

Ghazwa. It is the word for battle in Arabic. Most scholars recognize nine major battles in which Muhammad physically took part. Eighteen minor skirmishes in which he was not an active combatant are designated as "Sarayas Ghazwat". Approximately sixty other raiding parties were sent out under the command of leaders designated by Muhammad. These particular raids are merely classified as "Saraya" and fall under a distinct set of rules which guide single-raid amirates configured for a single task, led by a single "amir" and later dissolved after mission completion. The stories involving the raiding parties provide for a particularly enjoyable level of reading as the warriors and their personalities take center stage. As for the battles and skirmishes themselves the majority receive their designation by geographic locale or tribal entity.

The battles of Muhammad are housed in volumes known as "Maghazi". Ibn Ishaq is recognized as possibly the earliest Arab historian and biographer of Muhammad to record the battles of the early Muslims. The work by Al- Waqidi, "Kitab, al-Maghazi" is also a comprehensive work and available in modern print. Within jurisprudential texts abbreviated Maghazi literature is also conveniently fox-holed. This allows for expanding the stage regarding the thoughts the jurist wishes to express. The interface of commentary regarding military campaigns whilst discussing other issues of importance to Islamic governance lie within the manuscripts and bound volumes of libraries from Cairo to Istanbul, Lebanon to Iran, etc.

A distinct domain of literature also exists and must be examined when researching the Doctrine of War. This literature unfolds the life of Muhammad in flowery verse and poetic language. Many a warrior in Islam faced off with the enemy by issuing a challenge with a bit of poetry. The challenger would also send back poetic response. These poems are diligently recorded within different classifications of Islamic text. But there are also solitary volumes dedicated to this type of literature. In Arabic it is known as "Madah al Nabi" and in Persian and Urdu it is recognized by the title "Na'at-e-Nabvi". Pakistani poet Jalandhari wrote a complete biography of Muhammad in the form of Na'at. At some point in time I will place some of these poetic enunciations on the page. These eloquent challenges to the enemy were meant both to rouse the troops and also to intimidate the opposing force.

As far as what is available online, it is a hodgepodge which must be tracked, sorted and comparative analysis done with what is available in print literature. My first introduction to a contemporary field guide was Book of a Mujahiddeen, which I purchased from the Chechnya rebel site. Last time I checked, it is now available online for free. Albeit sketchy in some regards and rather simplistic it is a good beginning point for the new researcher. The use of Hadith matches some of the Hadith used in other online Maghazi offerings.



Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Islamic Governance: The Doctrine of War

I am not uncomfortable with a belief that within the envelope of Islamic governance is a doctrine of war. But I am immensely uncomfortable with the lack of ability to move past Jihad 101 by many of our political pundits. They know the baker's dozen of Qur'anic ayat regarding war. They do not know that the Qur'an has seven layers of meaning. They understand that literature exists in abundance but are unable to identify the Sufi masters and historic jurists who write in the strongest terms regarding the Islamic doctrine of war. Continuance to scratch the same post again and again is beginning to annoy me. I am ready to put the cat in a bag and drown it in the nearest lake.

All nations retain a doctrine for war. Within the scaffolding of our own governance each military branch also defines their mission. Whether our nation is at peace or in need of immediate defense plans exist and are also constantly updated to cover the "what-if" scenarios across the world.

Our inability to recognize Islam as a form of governance and to unwittingly cast Islam as merely a religion which cannot be touched in any form or fashion because of religious rights has rendered us incapable of formulating policy changes and new standards for negotiation. Several years ago I sought to write on national scale regarding The Government of Allah. These attempts were soundly rejected, including the Council on Foreign Affairs which sent a response to a query to submit an article stating they "....hoped I would understand."

I don't understand. Believing that truth is a despised commodity, I now turn my thoughts to the blog audience. Weigh what I say. Respond to what I write. But let us not continue along a path which refuses to recognize Islam as a form of governance, one which has been faithfully carried along through the generations by various means and with cultural implications.

Islam does retain within its governance branches doctrine for public order (Hisbah). I have a professional friendship with a man who has a 300 page volume for Hisbah from the time of the Ottoman Sultanate. Islamic governance contains guidance for domestic and foreign policy. Doctrine of war can also be found within the reading. In coming weeks you will see a steady building of a "field guide" for Islamic doctrine of war on this page. These thoughts will not necessarily come as salvos of two or three blogs in sequence. But each will present the implements of war based on literature which determines issues such as troop configurations and considerations, treatment of POW's, dividing up the booty, treaty implementation, etc. The meta tags will read "Doctrine of War"

*Should any wish for a peek into my personal library and guidance regarding your own reading selection, feel free to write me: tammyswofford@yahoo.com



R/Tammy

Sarah Palin: Pygmalion

Newsweek engaged foul play in an attempt to sensationalize their cover and exposed the underbelly of their editorial bias this past week. But it is impossible to fault them entirely for their photo of Sarah Palin in running shorts. Ms. Palin still lacks adequate political grooming and it will be her downfall. It was a mistake when she did not decline the photo shoot for a runners magazine which also shows a troubling trend of other political calamities for a patriotic and ambitious woman.

Professional women desirous of upward mobility understand some basic rules:

*Don't show up for an interview in a knit top. The asset on display is talent and not curves.

*Upgrade the professional look to reflect the position and title desired.

When viewing the Newsweek cover this person came to mind. She looks like Mary Ann. I wish she looked like the next president of the United States.

Equally of concern is the cavalier use of the American flag as a prop. It shows lack of respect and basic understanding of flag etiquette. If you are not familiar with proper handling and display of Old Glory please take an educational moment to research the traditions surrounding this symbolic cloth.

I retain admiration for the aspirations of this unique and dedicated American woman. But Ms. Palin continues to violate some of the basic rules which allow for a smooth political ascent. She has allowed for market saturation too soon. There is little mystery left when asking, "Who is Sarah Palin?" She has put too generous a chunk of her private life out for public view. It shows lack of discretion. And while she has a lovely set of legs they should not be her selling point.

Unless she is capable of reining in the rogue impulses for media attention and submit to a rigorous educational process regarding presidential etiquette, domestic and foreign policies, issues of state, she will be ill-suited for a presidential candidate. Increasingly, she casts herself in the role of Eliza Doolittle.

Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Keep the Death Penalty: Justice for Shaniya

It is the worst kind of news and contemplating it should cause a bit of nausea. Do take a moment and imagine the intense and terrifying suffering of a little girl after being trafficked to a pedophile bent on sadistic pleasure. It is pure sadism which allows a human to sexually violate a small child.

Let me place a bet with you. Mainstream media will not use the death of Shaniya Davis as a tool to strengthen the societal backbone. The focus will be trafficking of women, a mother as bright as an ostrich and perhaps for the brave, the nature of evil.

Although Texans take quite a few hits from their more enlightened cousins on the east coast, I prefer to keep my roots in this state if for no other reason than that of support for the death penalty. Rick Halperin may disagree with me, but that is o.k. My conviction remains steadfast: some crimes are so hideous that anything less than the death penalty is a muted societal response. Below, what I wrote for the Dallas Morning News several years ago.

Tammy Swofford: Dallas Morning News Commentary

Jeff Crouere and Walter Williams: Weighing in on Healthcare Legislation

Enjoy reading the links below. I am in the research tank today. While it sounds cerebral it merely means I have had way too much caffeine while organizing my research notes which are on scraps of paper all over the house. In my previous life, I was probably a rat.

Anyway, Crouere and Williams will be great for the page.

How Now Lone Cao?

Williams whacks Pelosi

Best Regards,

Tammy

The Ugly Specter over the Recession: Christianity

*This was just too fun an article to ignore. Hence, a quick run through my immediate thoughts whilst reading it.

Our minister once said the following: "Christians say they don't study the Bible because they can't read Hebrew or Greek. They really don't read the Bible because they can't read in English." I further extrapolate that Americans in general, read the populist magazines because they are incapable of clarity of thought.

The Atlantic put out an article which was absolutely fun to read and deconstruct a bit:

"Did Christianity Cause the Crash?

"Wow! Who woulda thunk it? It was my own inbred species, the Palinski crowd, which caused all of the economic madness. Sackcloth and ashes..... here I come.

But let's look at the crime blotter for a moment:

Joel Osteen: If I see one more picture of him and wife Victoria (with her Barbie's mother look) leering out at me from a book or magazine I will need to take up drinking. The man looks like he needs to have his teeth filed down a bit but other than that little thought, it is doubtful his mega church has caused the economic crash.

Rick Warren: Mr. Purpose-Driven went to Syria, declared the Syrian government a "friendly", prayed in the name of everything but the kitchen pot during the presidential inauguration festivities and is probably a nice enough guy. His megachurch is busy feeding thousands of hungry souls in Africa as opposed to inciting economic collapse.

Pastor Garay of Casa del Padre: He will keep his car keys and the church pews will continue to be packed. As soon as the last parishioner is out the door his wife is probably busily calculating the winnings. Could HE have caused the economic crash? Further investigation required....

The article is biased. The journalist noted immigrant Latino Christians sporting "expensive cell phones" as opposed to cheaper models. She needs to visit my local hospital emergency room. I will point out people making up a rainbow of colors showing up in taxis for free care. They are wearing an arsenal of modern technology on their belts, feet clad in 150 dollar tennis shoes, tattoo parlors in motion with colorized art, and screaming for care. They buy their wants and beg their needs. I don't know if they are Christians. I do know that they are self pay and we will suck up the loss. The journalist also shows bias with this statement,"..... some of the most socially conservative churches also have extremely high teenage pregnancies, out of wedlock births, and divorce." 'Tis the reason Christians embrace the need for a Savior, Ms. Rosin.

But I do wonder if Bernie Madoff is a closet Christian. Hmmmm.

Anyway, the article was a lot of fun to read. Hats off to Ms. Rosin for brightening my day.

Did Christianity Cause the Crash?


What many Christians really believe

Tammy Swofford

Pakistan: Occupation by the Ephemeroptera

"We live among the walking dead here Tammy, potential victims of a suicide bomber lurking somewhere amongst us."

The above words came into my email today after a discussion with a professional friend from Pakistan regarding the concept of occupation forces.

While many journalists opine regarding American military forces on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan there is a distinct intellectual negation that other means of occupation exist within volatile regions of the world. It is an occupation brought about by politico-cultural milieu and the aspirations of those who concurrently wield the ability to trigger the imaginations of their followers.

In regard to Pakistan, the government is suffering under the occupation of those who embrace a world where a "day of wings" exists in which death ushers in eternal life. A promise of Paradise springs up as surely as the mayfly larvae make their way from streams of water to a world of brief flight.

The military boot does irrevocably effect the landscape where it is placed; sometimes for tremendous good, other times with mixed results. There is no disagreement on my part with my friend. This remains inescapable fact.

America has been completely thrashed up one side and down the other for her theaters of operation in a post 9/11 environment. Sadly, what has not received equal thrashing is the political and educational milieu within nations such as Pakistan which have allowed for the rise of the Ephemeroptera. Physical occupation is one thing. But psychological occupation leaves the footprint of a different animal, one which is much harder to remove. It is the mole in the ground, the blind animal which gains mimicry through the blinding of the God-given senses of Pakistani nationals who believe that rapid flight is attained on the wings of a well-executed suicide bombing.

(The blog will be dormant for 3-4 days while I organize a bit of research.)

Tammy Swofford

Afghanistan: Options with Limited Warranty

Life teaches many lessons. When faced with limited options it remains important to still make a choice, not wavering after the decision-making process is complete. Choose and move forward. Such is the task of my Commander-in-Chief as he considers the request for additional troops in Aghanistan.

In this case two options exist: increase troop strength or draw down the troops and bring them home. Maintaining the current level of operations shows indecisive leadership. Honor the request or refuse the request. But the request must be addressed.

Yes, we need an exit strategy for Afghanistan. President Barack Obama may mandate force augmentation. Even so it is possible to set in motion an exit strategy as additional forces are moved into the region. But the American people are deserving of a clear voice on this issue.

Folk wisdom requires that prior to a guest moving into the home a date of departure be established. "Aunt Suzy" cannot occupy the guest bedroom until she affirms that she will vacate the space on a subsequent agreed upon date.

The government of Afghanistan also needs to be able to mark the date at this point in time. Plans exist in a vacuum until coupled with a time element. Choose the option, set the date for goal completion, keep the foot in motion.

Troop augmentation or troop draw down? These are the options which exist within a limited time warranty.

Tammy Swofford

Stand up and Shout!

Business Week ran an article titled, "The Accidental Hero". The frame for the picture was wrong. The decision of Stuart Frankel, a Subway franchise owner to knock a dollar off the price of a sandwich to generate weekend sales was a calculated business decision. I would have titled the piece, "The Power of Ideas". This success story is one which is now being heralded and the reverberation is being felt across the marketplace. A decision to engage a malleable price structure to attract a larger consumer base paid off. It has allowed for economic growth within the food industry with a trickle down effect into other markets.

Government intrusion into the private sector is taking the testicles off the bull. Bureaucratic meddling brings castration. And once the kahunas are off the bull we can forget about the next generation of viable growth. When you read about President Barack Obama's appointment of "czars" to oversee industry repeat the word "Burdizzo" three times and then check your pulse.

It is good to remember that market surges can be born on the crest of the wave of just one damn good idea. May Stuart Frankel receive a huge bonus.... which the current administration will then Burdizzo away for the "greater good".

The Czar's Favorite Economic Tool

Business Week Article


Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Veteran's Day

One of my dearest personal friends is James McEachin. I also consider him a national treasure. His talent and advocacy for the American veteran community is well-known.

Old Glory

Voices


Have a blessed Veteran's Day!

Tammy Swofford

State of Mourning: Aftermath of Attack on Fort Hood

A morning headline greeted me as I powered up the laptop. The "Healer-in-Chief" was to visit Fort Hood.

President Barack Obama is the Commander-in-Chief. It is not his job to "heal" anymore than it is to serve as a community activist involving himself in petty police matters. But he is the Commander-in-Chief of a large active duty military with a vibrant reserve military backbone. Justice is the salve for the wound here. We will receive platitudes.

Healing will be hard for many in my community. A terror act visited upon a large Texas army base was the tactical end of the journey for a seed germinated within an ideological stream. That seed, germinated to produce a destructive murderous force against fellow American officers. Our ranks have been violated.

I remember the thrill of flying to Fort Hood in a Chinook, hearing the thunder of the tanks, and on another occasion a cold weather training evolution. Each training evolution increased my understanding of the need for a national shield.

I stop and reflect. In the Navy I am promised a response in three business days if a fellow officer slaps me on the rear, requests sexual favors or behaves in a manner unbecoming an officer. Apparently, protecting my female derriere is of great importance. The same mechanism was not in place to report through the chain of command complaints and concerns regarding a Muslim officer who justified suicide bombings and made seditious statements against his oath and his government.

I will leave you to reflect on the intelligence failure of the F.B.I. and the investigative branch of the Army. Dots connected. Dots ignored.

Tomorrow my spouse and I will attend a MOAA dinner. It will be little comfort to spend the evening with fellow officers. Families and friends, will be putting their soldiers into the ground.

LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC

Gestalt. Islam!

Nidal Malik Hasan: The oath

"Allahu Akbar! Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa-Allah. Ash-Hadu anna Muhammadan Rasul-ullah."

Allah is the Most Great.
I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Gestalt. Islam!

"There is no other God but Allah. This beautiful phrase is the bedrock of Islam."
Abul a'la Mawdudi

The Qur'an has two dominant and dynamic algorithms: governance and war.

The algorithm for war is outpacing that of governance in certain regions. A farrago of "scholars" with romanticized thoughts lead the way. Jihad of the pen. And now, jihad of the internet. Message boards exhibit revolutionary zeal against the West. Cross worshippers. The "enemy" has been identified.

There exists a vibrant global Islamic ideological front. Thoughts precede action. These thoughts, vetted through an algorithm for war, provided for a terrible fratricidal assault on Fort Hood soldiers last week.

Gestalt. Islam!

Renegade pollination for the seeds of war are moving globally at rapid rate via an indoctrination process aided by 21st century communications applications.

Nidal Malik Hasan was not a "lone wolf" in the truest sense of the word. He is part of a greater passionate melange.

I detest the term "homegrown terrorist." The term supports a convenient political lie. American culture is not rapacious and we remain largely peaceful amongst ourselves. Our culture does not support suicide bombings or 9/11 events. Look elsewhere.

What grows in the mind may be "homegrown" but don't slap me around with concepts supportive of proxy victimization or guilt to be shouldered by the innocent for the accountability which squarely belongs on the shoulders of the perpetrator of acts such as the one at Fort Hood. I am too smart to swallow the pill.

I was at work when news of the attack broke. Friday night I waited.... I waited for an hour to meet with a Sunni lawyer, a man trained in Damascus. He was late. He had attended prayers at the area mosque. Seeking dialogue regarding the attack at Fort Hood, he was dismissive. "The man was probably a Shi'a Muslim."

Truth: Lack of moral clarity, rampant corruption and ineffective leadership in Muslim majority nations must be acknowledged and failures of Islam must be addressed. But the algorithm of war? Ask the soldiers at Fort Hood.

"Islam. It will be the most potent ideological geopolitical system of belief moving forward in powerful manner in the 21st century.... Caliphate. We scoff at the word. It is a term birthed in antiquity and discounted as distinct impossibility. Yet the concept of a world dominant government of Allah is something which has been swaddled through the centures in a neonate state. Islam has waited for a time such as this 21st century. The confines of a radical political ideology which has been nourished in secret observance and carried along since the seventh century has now been stripped of its bindings. America is walking into a historical timeline which will shake to the core our diplomats, top strategy analysts and leaders of government...."


Predictive Analysis of the Forward Movement of Islam in the West

(Based on the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad)

LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC

10 February 2008

Gestalt

DEFINITIONS:

Intellectual Battlespace: A term which I coined several years ago upon realization that I was functioning within a vibrant corridor of thought, previously unfamiliar to my Western mind.

ge·stalt or Ge·stalt (gə-shtält', -shtôlt', -stält', -stôlt') n. pl. ge·stalts or Ge·stalts or ge·stalt·en or Ge·stalt·en (-shtält'n, -shtôlt'n, -stält'n, -stôlt'n) A physical, biological, psychological, or symbolic configuration or pattern of elements so unified as a whole that its properties cannot be derived from a simple summation of its parts.

Islam. There are approximately 1.3 billion Muslims across the globe. Before 9/11 I did not know they existed. Securing mentorship with a well-recognized Muslim scholar opened the door to me for additional relationships within the Muslim community. I have functioned within the Intellectual Battlespace for many years now. This is not a collateral duty in the Navy, nor is it research performed under any chain of command structure or for monetary reimbursement. I entered the ring, when women jumped from windows to their deaths on 9/11.

My work within the Intellectual Battlespace is contained within four briefs which examine different aspects of Islam and its impact on the West and a fifth brief, newly released, into the Occidental stream of thought. It was with quite a sense of urgency and working within a highly compressed time environment for both research and writing that the fifth brief was released in September. It resides within the hands of many influential Muslims, as well as within IB circles in the West. The briefs, in chronological order:

*Domestic Policy and Islam:
2006

*Tactical Islam: Crafting American Policy in the Middle East
2007

*Predictive Analysis of the Forward Movement of Islam in the West
(Based on the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad)
2008

*Rise as One Man: Islam in the 21st Century
2009

Al-Qai'da: Deconstruction of the Deen.
2009

These works represent my thoughts and personal opinion culled from hundreds of hours of reading and countless hours of mentorship and also personal dialogue with top Islamic scholars and lawyers.

Gestalt. Islam. How little is understood and tremendous lack of perception exists. I will allow you to tinker with the edges of my thoughts on Monday.

Soldiers are being prepared for burial and others are recovering from the wounds of an attack perpetrated by a American Muslim military officer who invoked the same oath of office which passed my own lips years ago.

Gestalt. Islam. Let's talk.

Tammy Swofford

Pick Your Cup of Tea

Jason Sigger

Anwaar Hussain

The Scholars of Deoband


Sites where I have posted comments this week.

Tammy Swofford

Attack on Fort Hood

Yes, I have trained at Fort Hood.

Yesterday, I was at NAS Fort Worth.

This hits me hard.

Suspect: Nidal Malik Hasan

*I refuse to honor him with his rank.

Some already proclaim this was not a "terror attack".

Tell that to the families of the 12 dead and 31 wounded.

News organizations are talking about "deployment stress".

No one cares to be straightforward with their thoughts.

The Jihad message boards are buzzing tonight.

My stomach is queasy.

A Muslim who drives a produce truck in America is posting this tonight:

"Attack on American base in U.S. - Allahu Akbar!"

We have a Muslim high school student doing a clinical rotation in my hospital unit. I spoke with him before he left for home tonight. I had waited for the release of the name of the suspect. Somehow the gut knew.

"Brace yourself, Hisham, it was a Muslim."

I remember an appeal I made on a Muslim message board months ago after Muslim men were apprehended for planning an attack on soldiers at Fort Dix.

I don't use the term "homegrown terrorist". The word is an invention.

What else I am reading on message boards tonight is better left off the blog.

My stomach is queasy.


LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC

Tammy Hacks up a Hairball Against Home Depot

Confession is good for the soul. I admit it. I engaged deceptive journalism. A friend sent along her letter to Home Depot chiding them for firing Trevor Keezer for wearing a pin which stated, "One Nation, Under God, Indivisible". I decided to sing with the choir as she had forwarded her note to all the addresses in her contact list. I again forwarded her email to Home Depot and hacked up a hairball. It was gut-wrenching drama. Naturally, I received what I wanted in return: their response to the public regarding this issue.

Here is one of several interview videos of Trevor Keezer.

I have apologized to Home Depot for my journalistic deception and wish to address this issue one more time in an additional blog post. Let me share my personal conviction on society and human liberty. But for now, take a moment and read the response from Home Depot.

"Thank you for your email regarding the associate we terminated for wearing an unapproved button. We want to clarify a few things. His lawyer has alleged, and some parts of the media have reported, that we fired this associate for being patriotic and religious.

So to set the record straight: We don’t fire people for being religious or patriotic.

This particular associate was given multiple opportunities to find an alternate way of expressing his religious and patriotic beliefs consistent with our company policy. He chose not to. And it is not true that he wore his button for over a year and only encountered an issue when he brought his Bible to work.

We have a long-standing policy that only company-provided pins and badges can be worn on our aprons. With 300,000 associates, we have to have consistent rules rather than getting into store-by-store debates about what is appropriate.

Again, we appreciate your input. We take comments like yours seriously and we thank you for taking the time to read our note back to you."

Customer Care Department: Home Depot

Restrained Liberty

Benchmarks of civilization are flourishing arts and sciences, mathematics and literature. But survival of any given civilization is dependent on social cohesion. It is an intangible yet necessary element for societal integrity. A nation is best guarded by an understanding of the merits of restrained liberty. Without this mechanism in play, a Balkanization occurs.

I love liberty. But I cherish restrained liberty the most. Liberty without restraint is anarchy. Our forefathers understood this concept. While we are guaranteed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, a Constitution is also set into place and provision for balance of power within the three branches of government has been made. It is a government built upon a concept of restrained liberty.

Within the family, the smallest representative unit of society, restrained liberty is exemplified. As a man and woman enter the marriage covenant it is with an acknowledgement that the marital bond allows them a restrained liberty: human sexuality. Marital cohesion whether enjoyed or endured (smile) is meant to curb rampant sexual promiscuity.

Children enter the picture. They also enjoy restrained liberty. As parental boundaries and training ensue throughout the formative years it is hoped the generation which is coming of age will in turn produce the next generation to sustain society.

Education employs use of restrained liberty. I am most appreciative for the restraints on my liberty while I pursued a university education. These years allowed for a maturation process as I spent endless hours with my nose buried within the books of the university library.

As young adults enter the job market they encounter a new level of restrained liberty. The relationship between employer and employee, and coworkers is a restrained environment. If each chooses to do what is right in his own eyes surely no two of us will agree with each other. Hence, the need for those dreaded rules and policies.

Having not been present when Trevor Keezer took his stand to wear his religio/patriotic pin on his Home Depot apron, I cannot be certain regarding the sequence of events. Had he worn it for months without a complaint? Did he feel that his new routine of bringing a Bible to work had something to do with being asked to remove his pin? I don't know. Was there a new manager who wished to bring employees into compliance with company policy or was Trevor being too zealous about his faith during work hours?

But for society to work properly there are times where we all just grit our teeth and fall in line with a "Yes, Sir!" and a smile on our face. I have done it before. It is because I cherish restrained liberty. And it is because I love America.

Tammy Swofford


tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Victorious Karzai Vows to Tackle Himself

Yeah, yeah. The headline was really this:

"Victorious Karzai vows to Tackle Corruption"

What came to mind immediately when I read the headline was the comment by a former boss when an employee put us in a cluster. She stated, "There is immediate responsibility and there is ultimate responsibility. I will deal with the immediate responsibility of the employee action, but I take the ultimate responsibility for the mistake because I am the boss." My respect went up tremendously for this particular nurse manager as she explained her role in rectifying a wrong.

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Let me take a moment and familiarize you with a passage from one of my favorite books, "The Yacoubian Building":

El Fouli asked his helpers for pen and paper. Then he started to draw and for a few moments was so absorbed in his task that Hagg Azzam thought that something was wrong. El Fouli soon finished, however, and turned the piece of paper toward Azzam, who was astonished to see that the drawing represented a large rabbit. He said nothing for a moment, and then asked in an amicable way, "I don't understand what you mean, Your Excellency."

El Fouli answered quickly, "You want to guarantee your success in the elections, and you're asking what's needed."

"A whole 'rabbit'? A million pounds, Kamal Bey? That's a huge amount!"

Azzam had been expecting the amount but preferred to bargain, just in case. El Fouli said, "Listen, Hagg, as God is my witness.... (Here all present repeated, "There is no god but God.")

".... in constituencies smaller than Kasr el Nil I take a million and a half, two million, and my son Yasser is standing here in front of you and he can tell you. But I love you, I swear to God, Hagg, and I really want you with us in the assembly. Plus I don't take all that for myself. I'm just the postman- I take from you and deliver to others, and a nod's as good as a wink."

Hagg Azzam put on a show of uneasiness for a moment, then asked, "You mean, if I pay that sum, Kamal Bey, I'll be sure of winning the elections, God willing?"

"Shame on you, Hagg! Your talking to Kamal el Fouli! Thirty years experience in parliament! There's not a candidate in Egypt can win without our say-so, God willing!"

Alaa Al Aswany, The Yacoubian Building, The American University in Cairo Press, English translation copyright 2004 by Humphrey Davies, pp. 83,84

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The Yacoubian Building is an excellent reading selection, and I also recommend the film version. And may President-for-Life Karzai not spend too much time drawing rabbits.



Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Employee Conduct

The whirlwind days of the industrial revolution required workplace modifications and brought cognizance of the need for standards of practice and certain employee rights. It was good that children were removed from the workforce. It was good to see the evolution of safe practice standards in hazardous workplace environments. But somewhere along the way the pendulum took a wild swing to the left and worker's rights began to trump the rights of the employer. Take just a moment to read what I consider the basic, minimum rules of employee conduct. I was the manager of a busy hospital outpatient area and have also functioned as a Department Head within my detachment in the Navy, in times past. But it has been the military experience which has solidified my belief that good order and discipline allow for greater productivity.

*Your job is to work in a manner which creates an environment of success for your boss.

*Your job is to perform all assigned tasks to the best of your ability.

*Your job is to request the tools and training needed to complete your tasks if you find them lacking.

*Your job is to seek guidance and redirection if you are not completely clear regarding an imperative command.

*Your job is to present the public face of your organization in such manner that people will speak well of your place of employment.

*Your job is to move all concerns through the appropriate chain of command and use proper appeal etiquette. Braying like a donkey, is not an appeal.

*Your job is to share in private any complaint you have regarding your duties. The man or woman with integrity will also end the conversation by commending the superior for something which they are doing "right". This maneuver, will also keep you humble. smile

*Your job is to behave in the same manner when the boss is looking and when the boss is gone.

Finally, never be the senior with a secret. If something is amiss, report it to your immediate superior. This action relieves you of both the liability and burden of your knowledge.

Tammy Swofford

Swofford Unleashed: Nancy Drew Goes to Washington

"Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld that's Conspiring to Islamize America."

The day prior to release of the aforementioned book I had actually been on line with Dave Gaubatz and we had briefly sparred over a minor issue. He seems intelligent enough. No mention was made of "Muslim Mafia" but then again, I am not within his circle of influence. I somewhat stumbled onto this newly unveiled piece of political journalism while constructing a quick research spine on him with a Google search the next day. (Two minutes, max. My interest wanes after two minutes.)

Was that the sound of a cash register ringing? When I saw the book release being trumpeted across blogland and the pre-emptive review accolades my fingers took me to Amazon and a quick reading of the first few pages.

The title is a winner: Muslim Mafia. Sensationalistic titles are known to open the wallet a bit faster. But then researching a few of the press releases I noted the usual players.

Andy Whitehead is a known factor. He heads Anti-Cair, and I have also had the pleasure of a few emails back and forth with him. Dedicated and with a single focus, I appreciate such people for their personal convictions . Andy has been lighting up Ibrahim Hooper's tail for quite some time now. His backing for and promotion of this book may possibly put CAIR in line for a taxidermy consult. As far as CAIR, I can only say, "Good riddance." Their money trail is murky and their political alliances suspect. Muslims in America are deserving of an organization without a spotty history to represent their concerns.

P. David Gaubatz is best know for his project, Mapping Shari'ah. You may go to his site and read further regarding his personal and professional accomplishments. Other names, familiar to me. So what axe do I wish to grind? Here we go.

Dave's son Chris goes undercover for six months at the CAIR headquarters in Washington, D.C. Reviews in support of the newly minted book telling of his adventures laud his bravery and dedication; it is declared a "daring undercover probe", and as one reviewer even crowed, HumInt.

Possibly I am just a simpleton. I see a 26 year old intern who is a common document thief. He spent six months loading 12,000 pages of documents into his trunk with which he had been entrusted to destroy. Simply stated, day in and day out document theft does not a HumInt officer make. O.K. Good to have that one off my chest. Let's move on to intrigue.

*Ismail Royer: I know a man who helped Ismail on his way to jihadville prior to his arrest, people who support him today and retain an article written by him when he worked for CAIR. I have had contact with Ray Royer, his father. Daddy Royer informed me that the Justice Department reads his email. Good. They probably read mine too, was my response. (May they die of boredom.) So if CAIR is helping Ismail, the appropriate authorities are aware of it.

*CAIR and inflated membership numbers: old news for those of us who follow these things. 9/11 substantially impacted their numbers and efficacy.

CAIR and Hamas connections: already documented on decent scale.

CAIR money trails and Muslim Brotherhood bunny trails: I trust our government to sort it out.

So what is the point? I guess what has me off the leash a bit is the vibrant cottage industry which makes a buck by constantly stirring the pot. Robert Spencer over at Jihad Watch proclaimed he would rather drown himself in the Hudson River than read anything I wrote. Fine. I am not enamoured with his site. The guy maintains a glorified police blotter. That is his schtick. I have better things to do with my time. But his is what I term a service/disservice organization. You would have to read my briefs to understand....

Are Gaubatz and Sperry cashing in on lil' Chris' big undercover adventure with CAIR? I don't know. But I do know there is a ready-made audience for this genre of political journalism. But it does seem that Nancy Drew went to Washington. The whole thing was just too easy for Chris. I can't quite bring myself to use the word "sacrifice" for what he has done. I reserve that word for our men and women in uniform. And for some reason I just can't bring myself to buy the book.

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Tammy Swofford