writing project 3

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The War on Terror
Gregory Carman
Professor Meredith
ENGL 1302: Sec. 2224

11 May 2017

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Table of Contents
Writing Project 3 Proposal………………………………………………………………………2
Original Image…………………………………………………………………………………...3
Annotated Bibliography………………………………………………………………………....4
Visual Argument………………………………………………………………………………..10
America and The War on Terror………………………………………………………………..11
Works Cited…………………………………………………………………………………….16

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Writing Project 3 Topic
My project will discuss American efforts concerning the War on Terrorism in the Middle
East. I will be employing the use of a picture displaying the effects of the 9/11 attack on the
World Trade Centers to claim that US involvement in the War on Terror is justified. Additionally
I will use the visual argument to claim that if the United States does not eradicate deadly terrorist
groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaida, another attack similar in scale to 9/11 is imminent.

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Original Image

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Annotated Bibliography
Al-Manteeqi, Immanuel. “A Woman Under Sharia: 8 Reasons Why Islamic Law Endangers

Women.” Counterjihad.com. 6 September 2016. Web. 18 April 2017.
In this article, author Immanuel al-Manteeqi portrays how women are allowed to be treated
under Sharia Law. Manteeqi begins the article by describing how women are generally treated
equally to men under traditional Western—European and North American—customs. After
listing the rights females enjoy in the West, Manteeqi then delves into his eight reasons for why
Sharia harms women. The first of these listed grievances is that under Sharia Law, beating
disobedient wives, sisters, and daughters is permissible. Al-Manteeqi quotes the Muslim holy
book, the Koran, to prove his claim. Section Four of the Koran states that “’those you fear may
be rebellious admonish; banish them to their couches, and beat them.’” The second reason al-
Manteeqi lists concerns the civil rights that Islamic women do not possess. For example, the
second section of the Koran requires that when a testimony is to be given in court by females,
two must deliver it because a woman’s claim as a witness is worth half of a male’s testimony.
Additionally, when an Islamic man dies and his wife is not a Muslim, then she is disqualified
from inheriting her husband’s estate. Another atrocity that Sharia condones is the allowance of
Islamic men to take pre-pubescent girls as wives. Al-Manteeqi explains that a number of
prominent Islamic theologians such as Sayyid Qutb, Ibn Rushd, and al-Tabari have interpreted
the Koran’s teachings in a way that allows what is considered rape in Western culture. A fourth
grievance that the author lists concerns the divorce process in Islamic culture. For example, an
Islamic male does not have to state his reasons for why he seeks a divorce. Additionally, he can
cause a divorce simply by saying three times that he is divorced from his wife. Meanwhile, a
woman has no right to seek out a divorce. The fifth item al-Manteeqi lists is that having female

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rulers and politicians are tremendously discouraged. While this is not found in the Koran, this
belief is taken directly from a hadith, which is a quote from Muhammed. However, al-Manteeqi
does note that countries that take a liberal approach in interpreting the Koran have elected
women to ruling political positions. Another oppressive practice towards women under Sharia
Law is that women are forced to be totally subservient to their fathers, brothers, or husbands.
This belief is found from both the Koran and hadiths. Women cannot pray unless they are
allowed to, and they cannot travel outside their home without a male figure accompanying them.
Additionally, in Section Four of the Koran, men are encouraged to take multiple wives, but not
exceeding four. The seventh grievance addressed by al-Manteeqi concerns how women are
viewed as intellectually and morally deficient. In a hadith, Muhammed claims “’I have not seen
anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be
led astray by some of you.’” The final reason the author discusses concerns slavery. Throughout
the Koran there are passages that encourage Muslim men to take female slaves and sexually
torture them. Al-Manteeqi then reinforces this claim by providing a massive list of these
occurrences historically.
Bergen, Peter, et al. “In Depth Terrorism in America After 9/11. New America.org. International

Security Program, 25 April 2017. Web. 18 April 2017.
In this project from the International Security Program, compositors Peter Bergen, Albert Ford,
Alyssa Sims, and David Sterman discuss a number of aspects concerning the actions of
terrorists against the United States since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The first of these aspects is the
number of attacks. According to a chart composed by the authors of this project, almost three
hundred seventy acts of terrorism have occurred in the US since the attacks on the World Trade
Centers. These span from Zacharias Moussaoui’s plot in December of 2001 to some of the more

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recent plots in early 2017. The second part of the project discusses the characteristics of the
terrorists who have attacked the US. One of the surprising commonalities the composers note is
that the vast majority of these terrorists were actually American citizens, regardless of their
ethnicity. Of the three hundred sixty-seven cases, more than eighty-five percent of the terrorists
were American citizens at some level, and only eight of those who were not have been identified
as illegal immigrants. Ultimately, the composers prove that Trump’s Muslim ban will actually be
ineffective because zero of the major terrorist plots involved citizens from the seven countries
affected by the ban. Additionally, they note that in other terrorist attacks, only three of the
perpetrators originated from countries Trump’s ban includes. After this, the composers discuss
the religious demographics concerning the terrorists. For example, in a chart listing nearly four
hundred attacks, ninety-three percent were perpetrated by Muslims. Also, nearly one third of
these individuals had been converted to Islam in their adult lives. The composers then discuss
statistics concerning age and gender. According to another chart, the average age of these
individuals nears thirty years, and close to forty percent were actually married. And although
only seven percent of terrorist attacks have been committed by women, a recent spike has
occurred since 2014, with seventeen. The third aspect the composers discuss concerns the
motivations behind committing acts of terrorism. Although Peter Bergen and the additional
composers note that most of the terrorists’ motivational factors are not straightforward, they
manage to reference several sources that are responsible for the process of their radicalization.
The first of these are Islamic recruitment blogs on social media. Since 2001, one hundred
seventy-four terrorists have been recruited online, and since 2014 more than three quarters of
radical terrorists were recruited online. The second factor concerns Samir Khan and Anwar al-
Awlaki, two American-born Muslims who became major leaders within al-Qaida. Both were

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killed in 2011; however, their influence has tremendously affected individuals worldwide. Since
2007, one hundred eleven terrorist attacks included individuals who had ties to al-Awlaki. In
2017, terrorist Edward Schimenti confessed his ties to the deceased jihadist. The fourth aspect
that the composers discuss concerns the current threat that Americans face. These threats require
sufficient defenses. According to a table, half of the attempted terrorists plots that were foiled
was because of government informants monitors the activities of the jihadists.
Cockburn, Patrick. “Life Under Isis: The Everyday Reality of Living Within the Islamic

‘Caliphate’ With its 7th Century Laws, Very Modern Methods and Merciless Violence.
Independent.co.uk. 15 March 2015. Web. 25 April 2017.
In this article, Patrick Cockburn discusses the tremendously harsh living conditions in ISIS
territory. For example, he describes how under ISIS rule, women are possessions, ‘infidels’ are
enslaved or killed, and punishments for violating Sharia are excessive. Cockburn then discusses
the process of how ISIS came to be, and how it managed to spread so quickly. Additionally,
Cockburn describes the current situation that ISIS is in, and then he proceeds to delineate the
accounts of two men who previously experienced life under ISIS. The first of these individuals is
Abu Mohammed, a man who had lived in Fallujah, Iraq. According to Mohammed’s account,
ISIS had initially been a source of joy for those it had seemingly liberated. However, shortly
thereafter, ISIS had begun to deal with its subjects ruthlessly. In Fallujah, the citizens were
forced to attend the mosques administrated by ISIS or they would experience severe floggings.
Also, Mohammed had been forced to flee the city because his teenage sons were going to be
recruited to fight for ISIS, and his daughters were experiencing sexual harassment from ISIS
soldiers. The second account comes from Omar Abu Ali, who had lived in Al-Kharmah. In his
account, he claims that the cost of living had become tremendously high despite the poor living

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conditions. Also, Ali noted that the citizens of his town had been used as living shields to protect
ISIS members from facing deadly American airstrikes and Iraqi artillery.
Malik, Faris. “Islam and Homosexuality.” The Well.com. Queer Jihad, 1 November 2004. Web. 1

May 2017.
In this article, author Faris Malik discusses the atrocities Islamic fundamentalists have incurred
upon practicing homosexuals. At the beginning of the article, Malik compares homosexuals who
have been affected by Islamic persecution to Fantine from the play Les Miserables. Fantine was
treated as though she was the scum of the earth. Likewise, homosexuals are considered
abominations under Sharia, and many are brutally tortured. Malik’s foremost example is the
Taliban’s treatment of homosexuals in Afghanistan. According to Malik, homosexuals are
punished via walls being dropped on top of them. Many are killed as a result of this brutal
punishment, and the Taliban hold these executions as public spectacles. Additionally,
homosexuals hold no judicial rights. Malik then provides examples of oppression against
homosexuals within Islamic countries. One example took place in 1994, when a gay Pakistani
took refuge in the US. He revealed that homosexuals who live there suffer two years in a federal
prison and one hundred whip lashes. Another example is Iran. Between 1980 and 2004, the
government of Iran murdered four thousand homosexuals because of their orientation. Also,
Malik notes that homosexuality is outlawed in the vast majority of Muslim-majority countries. A
Significant of other examples against individuals are also recorded in Malik’s article.
Immediately thereafter, Malik proceeds to describe several of the groups who are protesting
Islamic brutality towards homosexuals. One of the groups is OutRage!, which has organized
protests since the 1990s, and they are based out of the United Kingdom. A second organization is
War on Want, is also based out of the United Kingdom, and its followers have been protesting

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Libya’s mistreatment of homosexuals since 1981. A third group is Homan, which operates in
Iran and attempts to raise awareness the atrocities committed against homosexuals in Iran.

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Visual Argument

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America and The War on Terror
On September 21, 2001, a deadly terrorist organization known as al-Qaida hijacked four
American aircraft laden with passengers. Two of these planes were piloted into the World Trade
Centers in New York City. Subsequently, both towers collapsed, killing nearly three thousand
people. In response, President George Bush deployed American forces into Afghanistan and
Iraq, sparking what is known as The War on Terror. This war still rages today, and it has claimed
the lives of several thousand American soldiers. Many in America feel that the war is
unwinnable; despite American military and political efforts, al-Qaida remains a powerful threat.
Additionally, groups such as ISIS—the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria—have risen and become
threats to global society. Since 2013, terrorist attacks against the United States have spiked in
number, and ISIS and al-Qaida are responsible for these atrocities (Bergen, et al). Regardless of
the demands made to withdraw from The War on Terror, the US must remain obligated to stay
involved, both militarily and politically. Therefore, in this paper, I will argue that the US should
heighten its military involvement in this war because it is a target of ISIS and al-Qaida, it has a
moral right to put an end to human rights violations committed by jihadists, and it is condemned
through the terrorists’ fundamental interpretation of Sharia Law.
The War on Terror has been a serious issue in American society. Since the 9/11 attacks,
well over four hundred terrorists linked to al-Qaida, ISIS, and other Islamic terrorist groups have
attacked American citizens on American soil. For example, on 4 July 2002, terrorist Hesham
Mohamed Hadayet shot six individuals at a Los Angeles airport, killing two (Bergen et al).
Additionally, in 2009, Major Nidal Hasan murdered thirteen US Army personnel at Fort Hood in
a blatant terrorist action. (Bergen et al). As recently as 2016, Omar Saddiqui Mateen entered a
night club in Orlando and killed forty-nine people. However, The War on Terror is not solely an

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American problem; terrorism is global. In 2015, ISIS claimed responsibility for the massacres in
Paris and Nice. Additionally, in December of 2016, ISIS proudly declared itself responsible for
the Berlin Christmas Market attack, in which twelve were killed. Israel has been the target of
missiles from Hamas and Hezbollah for decades, and conflicts in that region have persisted since
Israel’s conception in 1948. However, Islamic terrorism originates in the Middle East, where al-
Qaida and its affiliates, ISIS, Hezbollah, and Hamas are headquartered.

Surrounding The War on Terror, a major controversy remains. Individuals who claim that
the United States has an obligation to stay involved militarily support their argument by pointing
to the countless acts of terrorism perpetrated on American territory. Also, supporters provide
evidence of the atrocities these terrorists have committed on their own lands. For example,
former Fallujah resident Abu Mohammed provided his description of these brutalities in Patrick
Cockburn’s article “Life Under ISIS.” Mohammed claimed that under ISIS rule no religious
freedom existed, and no attempt was made to improve the conditions of those who dwelt in their
theocracy (Cockburn). Only ISIS-administrated mosques could be attended, according to
Mohammed, and Sharia Law violations were met with merciless discipline (Cockburn). Other
egregious violations against intrinsic human rights have also been observed. Militant Islamic
organizations such as ISIS, al-Qaida, and even the Taliban commit horrible acts of
discrimination against women and homosexuals. Their holy book, the Koran, clearly encourages
these acts of discrimination. For example, writer Immanuel al-Manteeqi provides passages from
the Koran and hadiths from Muhammed concerning the treatment of women. In his article “A
Woman Under Sharia,” al-Manteeqi states that based on these groups’ interpretation of the
Koran, actions such as polygamy, marrying prepubescent girls, and taking female sex slaves are
permissible (al-Manteeqi). Additionally, beating disobedient wives is allowable, and women are

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unable to attain political positions. “’Those you fear may be rebellious admonish; banish them to
their couches, and beat them,’” al-Manteeqi writes, quoting the Koran (al-Manteeqi). Women are
also considered to be inferior to men in morality and intelligence. “’I have not seen anyone more
deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by
some of you,’” stated al-Manteeqi, quoting one of Muhammed’s hadiths (al-Manteeqi). The
Taliban implemented these methods during their brutal rule of Afghanistan, and ISIS commits
these atrocities today. Faris Malik’s article “Islam and Homosexuality” reveals how the
fundamentalist terrorists treat homosexuals. According to Malik, the Taliban and the al-Qaida in
Afghanistan would collapse walls onto individuals caught practicing sodomy (Malik).
Additionally, Malik notes that in Iran, a fervent supporter of terrorists and their actions, more
than four thousand homosexuals have been executed for their orientation (Malik).

However, there are individuals who believe that the US should withdraw entirely from
fighting the terrorists on the global front. These individuals feel that it is the US’s fault that
radical Islamic terrorists are attacking. American aggression overseas has angered these groups,
claim critics, and they are merely retaliating to those actions. For example, many believe that
9/11 was the result of the Iran/Contra scandal in the 1980s and American involvement in Iraq
during the Gulf War. These people claim that if America slackens its foreign policy, then the
terrorists will, in turn, leave them alone.

In a Business Insider photograph of the 9/11 attacks, I have made two rhetorical
decisions. These decisions will reinforce my argument that if the US does not destroy ISIS, then
it will perpetrate a strike as hideous as 9/11 in magnitude. In the first rhetorical decision, I
replaced the Twin Towers with the United States. Instead of the World Trade Centers collapsing,
the US experiences a massive devastating explosion. Evidence that points to ISIS’s capability of

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launching such a strike comes from the horrendous strikes against Paris, Nice, and Berlin. Their
strikes against Europe are intensifying; America has been a major participant in The War on
Terror, and it is logical to assume that ISIS will attempt to land a terrible blow against the US.
Additionally, American culture completely contradicts the terrorists’ interpretation of Sharia. In
traditional Western culture, genders are treated equally and homosexuality is tolerated. For these
reasons the terrorists target the United States.

The second rhetorical decision I made regarded the addition of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-
Bagdhadi. Standing off to the east, al-Bagdhadi directs the planes as they are undertaking their
suicide mission. This decision serves to give the terrorists a face. They are an organized force
that is committed to destroying Western culture. Furthermore, Bagdhadi frequently refers to the
US as “The Great Satan,” and threatens it with massive terror strikes. Despite ISIS’s recent
waning, they still have the resources to unleash terrible destruction. In fact, ISIS has claimed
responsibility for ten accomplished or attempted terrorist plots in the US since the beginning of
2017 (Bergen, et al).

The War on Terror is an important issue to me personally for several reasons. For
example, this is a matter concerning human rights. ISIS, al-Qaida, Taliban, and other terrorist
organizations persecute women, homosexuals, and other religions. In “Life Under ISIS,”
Cockburn noted that “Christians, Yazidis, Shabak, and Shia, persecuted by ISIS as heretics or
idolaters, fled or were killed” (Cockburn). The second reason America must continue to fight
terrorists is patriotism. Americans do not desire another jihadist strike as deadly as 9/11 to occur
on their homeland. For this reason, the United States has an obligation to prevent the genocide
that the terrorists covet.

After observing the atrocities committed by Islamic terrorists since 2001, one can

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ascertain that the US must not withdraw from The War on Terror. ISIS has increased its attacks
on the US and its allies as time has passed. Moreover, ISIS continues to plot the downfall of the
US, and the radical Muslim organization must be destroyed before it can commit such a
genocidal act. ISIS abuses its alleged “citizens,” and forces them to submit to a brutal form of
Sharia. Women, homosexuals, and members of other religions are not granted freedoms that
those in Western cultures possess. Therefore, the US must employ its military might to liberate
those who experience oppression under the likes of ISIS and al-Qaida.

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Works Cited
Al Manteeqi, Immanuel. “A Woman Under Sharia: 8 Reasons Why Islamic Law Endangers

Women.” Counterjihad.com. 6 September 2016. Web. 18 April 2017.
Bergen, Peter, et al. “In Depth Terrorism in America After 9/11. New America.org. International

Security Program, 25 April 2017. Web. 18 April 2017.
Cockburn, Patrick. “Life Under Isis: The Everyday Reality of Living Within the Islamic

‘Caliphate’ With its 7th Century Laws, Very Modern Methods and Merciless Violence.
Independent.co.uk. 15 March 2015. Web. 25 April 2017.
Malik, Faris. “Islam and Homosexuality.” The Well.com. Queer Jihad, 1 November 2004. Web. 1
May 2017.
Schwittek, Sara K. What Happened on 9/11. Photograph. 2001, Business Insider, New York.