By Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld and Alyssa A. Lappen
FrontPageMagazine.com | September 13, 2005

The failure of governments to assist the disenfranchised citizens in Egypt, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories should be a lesson to the U.S. during the fallout from the disastrous hurricane Katrina. The Muslim Brotherhood in

Egypt, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in Gaza, succeeded mainly because they provided the social, medical and educational services that the local governments failed to deliver.

In countries where governments do not provide adequate infrastructure or social services, not only Muslim countries, but in nations worldwide—terrorist organizations such as FARC in Columbia, Hamas in the Palestinian territories and al Qaeda in Pakistan take advantage of this void to supply those services to people who could not otherwise access them. In return, the people offer allegiance to those terrorist organizations.

Unfortunately, alongside genuinely worthy causes, such as building hospitals, schools and supplying food, money and medical treatment, these groups also pursue their own agenda. Their dual role serves to legitimize and glorify their activities. In Africa, for example, not only do hospitals supported by Islamist organizations serve the needy population (thus enhancing their image in the eyes of the locals) but they also provide an apparently legitimate way to obtain visas and work permits that make it easier for terrorists to infiltrate other countries.

As mighty as the Democrats try to portray George W. Bush, he is not responsible for natural disasters, including hurricane Katrina. In fact, it was under Jimmy Carter’s administration that the Democrats preempted the construction of stronger levees and dams that would have prevented much of the current disaster. It was the responsibility of the state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans to safeguard their infrastructure, lives and assets. They utterly failed. Continue reading “Katrina and the War on Terrorism” →

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