007 – John Thompson: President of The Mackenzie Institute

 

In this edition of Just Right, we explore the stark realities of the global jihad movement with John Thompson, president of the Mackenzie Institute and a leading expert on terrorism and political extremism.

We begin by addressing Canadian attitudes toward the missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many Canadians view these conflicts as separate and mistaken endeavors, with polls indicating growing fatigue and a belief that continued involvement heightens vulnerability to terrorism. Yet Thompson clarifies that these are not isolated wars but manifestations of a singular worldwide phenomenon: the international jihad, encompassing Wahhabi, Salafist, Deobandist, and Khomeinist strands united by shared ideology, funding, training, and objectives.

This is no mere opinion but the jihadists’ own perspective, as they shift resources across theaters—from Iraq to Afghanistan, importing fighters from distant nations. Absent a central figure like Hitler or Stalin, the movement persists as a decades-long ideological brew, rendering quick withdrawal impossible.

We examine terrorism’s psychological underpinnings: beyond grand ideological promises of triumph, terrorists derive subconscious satisfaction from destruction and chaos. Thompson contrasts this with past Marxist terrorism, limited in lethality, against today’s far more sinister threats, including cults like Aum Shinrikyo.

In Iraq, failures stem from ignoring tribalism, debaathification errors that dismantled institutions, and external interference fueling sectarian violence. We discuss whether involvement concerns oil—Thompson asserts no, emphasizing the region’s strategic crossroads status. American imperialism proves inept at cloning democratic institutions abroad, rooted in cultural differences.

Freedom emerges as the West’s ultimate weapon against fundamentalism, though Arab elites fear its implications. Media polarization and manipulated controversies, like the Danish cartoons, divert and inflame.

Ultimately, muddling through offers the least catastrophic path, hoping moderate Muslims reclaim their faith—yet victory for jihadists would unleash unimaginable horrors.

Recognizing this global struggle for what it is remains just right.