Jerusalem Center: Islamic Issues in the Middle East Today - Interview with Dr. Harold Rhode

Dr. Harold Rhode studied in Iran at Ferdowsi University in Mashhad in 1978 during the early and middle stages of the Islamic Revolution. In 1979, he received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in Islamic history. He joined the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense in 1982 as an advisor on Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. Since then he has served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and as advisor on Islamic affairs on the Pentagon’s policy planning staff. He is currently a Senior Advisor at the Hudson Institute, New York.

Part One: The nature of radical Islamic warfare and the Western response.

What is “Islamic Warfare?”

(0:23) We in the West are in a war with Islam. It’s not a religion; it’s a civilization; it’s a culture. The religion is part of the civilization.(2:27) The goal of Islamic warfare is to terrorize the other side, that they become afraid and run away.

Why don’t Western leaders see that?

(2:56) Because they refuse to.(4:17) The American government … won’t even use the word “Islamic terrorism” … If you don’t identify your enemy you cannot defeat him.

Part Two: How the West Can Win.

Why are the millions of Muslim refugees from Syria, Libya, and Yemen trying to get to Europe?

(2:28) A significant portion of refugees are young males – the high testosterone age, imbued with a spirit for making Europe into the world of Islam.(3:40) The Muslims were stopped twice in their advancement on Europe. They got to Vienna twice (last time 1683) and they were stopped in Spain at the Pyrenees Mountains. Now the Muslims are taking the airplane around Vienna and they’re skipping Spain. It is the resumption of the Islamic attempt to Islamify Europe.

https://jcpa.org/islamic-issues-middle-east-today/