Terror Strikes in Turkey, Again
 

At least 15 deaths, already.

In his tapes, Osama named two enemies of the Muslim world: Israel and the US. Israel - because it occupies Arab lands, and America - because it occupies Saudi Arabia and supports Israel (more or less).

Five days ago Al Quaeda attacked Jewish synagogues in Turkey. The attack was on Jews - not Israelis. Thus, their claim that Israel is their enemy is false. Today they attacked the Brits. Maybe the British are getting it for invading Iraq (I mean, they weren't involved in Saudi Arabia or Israel)... but something tells me that it's not occupations and sanctions that are bothering Osama. Maybe, just maybe, his enemies are religions (Atheists, Jews, and Christians), rather than political entities, as he claims.

What do you think?

My assumptions about Osama is that he doesn't separate political entities and religious entities. If they are an enemy to Islam in any way, shape, or form, they are an enemy, whether they are Christians, Jews, Atheists, Nations or otherwise. This is the feeling I get from his speeches and ideas.

Even though the terror attacks against Jewish sites last weekend were aimed at Jews, they killed mainly Muslims. The bombings against "the UK" today will probably be the same. In other words, no matter what the goal, it's mainly innocent Muslims that suffer.

I just wonder what this will do to Islamic support for Al-Qaida and the like. Surely even radical Muslims will realize that terror is evil, no matter who the target is?

Doubtful Dragon, all radical's would think is that the victims were martyrs, or perhaps they'd attempt to spin the attack as a jewish conspiracy. Also OBL and all other groups really don't care who they kill. They have no problem killing civilians in Saudi Arabia because the regime isn't true. Funny thing about the attacks in Saudi Arabia, I was reading somewhere that Al Qaida claims that they didn't kill 20 +/- muslim civilians, but it was a media spin and that several hundred (something ridiculous like 700) America and W. European nationals had died. But I digress, point is Al Qaida's support probably doesn't waiver to much, except for they may in time alienate more moderate sympathy.

Re: Terror Strikes in Turkey, Again
 

Well they attack the Western Philosophy and those who support it.Hardly a coincidence George Bush is in England while the brits are targeted.

Re: Re: Terror Strikes in Turkey, Again
 

never thought of that.


but, i think this is a coincidence. remember the italian base in iraq?


i really like and agree w/ Conclamo Ludus

This happens while Bush & Blair are meeting to discuss the situation in the mid east. What are the chances of it's timing being coincidence? I wouldn't put it past Cheney to have orchestrated the whole thing to make more aggressions by the west accepable in the eyes of the blind.

If the insurgents can muscle out the brits and the turks from iraq, that'd be a serious victory, and an even more dangerous isolation of the americans there. So yeah, I don't really see coincidence in these attacks.

We don't explode bombs in civilian areas to make political points. That's what terrorists do.

I hope this doesn't turn into a Hiroshima-killed-civilians-so-we-are-terrorists-too thread, but I'm just going to cross my fingers.

Turkey, more than anything else, represents the antithesis of what Al-Qaeda stands for. Secular, liberal, democratic, an ally of the United States, an aspiring member of the EU and provider of a massive force to NATO. Turkey's government is composed of reformed Islamists, people whom could have chosen the path of OBL but instead took the road less travelled and have become one of the most progressive governments in Turkish history. That's why they're hitting Turkey, and in particular Turkey's legitimacy and ties to the West. They're trying to radicalize Ankara, which will serve their purpose well. I believe that they will fail, and that they have just earned the hatred of the vast majority of the Turkish people.

I think we should kick their asses.