Download the Book - Islam and Science Fiction
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Following our graduation, Zeid <strong>and</strong> I began our formal training<br />
as Defenders of <strong>the</strong> Revolution, or what <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> world calls<br />
terrorists. Initially, we studied doctrine. Pavlov would have<br />
recognized <strong>the</strong> study methods. Like one of his dogs trained to salivate<br />
at <strong>the</strong> sound of a bell, we were conditioned to spout rhetoric in<br />
response to any number of stimuli. Our reward was lavish praise from<br />
our instructors for each correct response.<br />
We moved on to tactical exercises, which consisted primarily of<br />
training in skills needed for assassinations <strong>and</strong> gaining control of<br />
ships <strong>and</strong> aircraft. We spent a considerable amount of time learning<br />
<strong>the</strong> methods of intimidation that allow a small b<strong>and</strong> to control a large<br />
number of people. It became easy once we realized what cowards<br />
most infidels are, <strong>and</strong> how affected <strong>the</strong>y are by death or <strong>the</strong> threat of<br />
it. A typical exercise might start with a number of melon-headed<br />
mannequins seated in rows of folding chairs: it was great fun to blast<br />
<strong>the</strong> heads off of a few to start <strong>the</strong> exercise, sending a shower of<br />
melon-rind, flesh, <strong>and</strong> seeds through <strong>the</strong> air. One could just imagine<br />
<strong>the</strong> cooperation such persuasion could foster.<br />
Then came <strong>the</strong> counter-revolution, which washed over <strong>the</strong><br />
country like a tidal wave. We were powerless to stop it. Deluded by<br />
promises of an easy life, <strong>and</strong> a return of <strong>the</strong> "benefits" of outside<br />
culture, <strong>the</strong> population was seduced into backing <strong>the</strong> son of <strong>the</strong> former<br />
Shah. These were desperate times, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y called for strong action.<br />
Our first assignment was a simple one, <strong>and</strong> not too far outside of<br />
our experience: we took control of a bus in <strong>the</strong> bastard state of Israel-<br />
Palestine. In exchange for <strong>the</strong> lives of <strong>the</strong> Palestinian workers on <strong>the</strong><br />
bus, whom we considered to be collaborators of <strong>the</strong> worst sort, we<br />
took <strong>the</strong> mayor, a noted figure in <strong>the</strong> reconciliation of Palestinians <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> Zionists. What we left of him wasn't a pretty sight.<br />
Following that, we took an Italian airliner. After l<strong>and</strong>ing it in <strong>the</strong><br />
desert of Libya, we destroyed it <strong>and</strong> most of <strong>the</strong> two hundred <strong>and</strong><br />
seventy occupants with a bomb. In that one attack, we managed to<br />
retaliate against Italy for assisting <strong>the</strong> Shah, embarrass <strong>the</strong> Secretary<br />
General (a Libyan), <strong>and</strong> instigate a reprisal by <strong>the</strong> European Defense<br />
Alliance against Syria, who had not had any role at all in it. The mess<br />
that stirred up served to deepen <strong>the</strong> schism between Muslims <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
west for years.<br />
Zeid <strong>and</strong> I were honored by Shia Ali for our role in <strong>the</strong> hijacking<br />
of <strong>the</strong> airliner. I basked in <strong>the</strong> glory, but Zeid was deeply troubled by<br />
it. He retired to his home for a month, where he immersed himself in<br />
<strong>the</strong> Koran. I tried to make him underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> justice in what we had<br />
done, but for every bit of rhetoric I offered, he would counter with a<br />
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