No it's not. If it were, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan would be "treated as terrorists". They are not, by any sense. Ireland would be "treated as terrorists". They are not.
Terror Alert From Yellow To Orange. Whew! I Feel Safer. by Michael in New York - 7/07/2005 12:10:00 PM http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/07/terror-alert-from-yellow-to-orange.html Just watched the press conference with Homeland Security head Michael Chertoff who spoke smoothly and reassuringly. He took questions for about three minutes, which seems rather abrupt given the situation and that he can't be too pressed for time, since the attack took place in another country. The most foolish moment: Chertoff said the terror alert for transportation only was raised from yellow to orange. Then he claimed that since we've been on heightened alert yellow for years, that this had provided us an added level of comfort and security. No, being on heightened alert yellow for years is a joke that makes us look foolish. You can't be on heightened alert for years at a time; if that's the level of security we will need forever than that isn't a heightened alert level, it's the standard level of security and keeping the threat level raised for years is ridiculous. It's like saying putting on your seat belt while driving is heightened security when driving. No, that's standard operating procedure. The debasement of security alerts: no one has addressed the fact that the color coded levels of threat have become a joke or that Tom Ridge admitted the White House often raised the security threat for political purposes over his objections. When the codes have been abused for years, don't they lose their effectiveness. The missing question: we're worried about our transportation and security. Homeland Security oversees the Coast Guard. And not one question about the front page story in USA Today about the crumbling equipment they use and Bush's plan to delay upgrading that equipment fully from 2025 to 2030. How can Chertoff justify taking 25 years to upgrade the Coast Guard when we are at war? How can that possibly make us safer?
Could you perhaps come up with some RECENT examples? I'm tired of the whole abortion clinic bombing example. Yeah idiots who do that deserve to die (especially if they claim to be doing it for Christianity). But when was the last time this happened?
Yes, sure, my religion does tell me to be a terrorist and be a suicide bomber. well apparently your prayerbook is interpreted that way by MANY in your religion Like it or not, no one will apologize for being a Muslim, despite your wishes I never said you should....I was just a tad surprised that VC felt sorry for his "brothers and sisters" when it was his "brothers and sisters" who caused this
the problem is that they think so. there are islamic leaders who support them. also, if you say that most middle eastern govts. are secularists that doesn't divorce them from the fact that they are socio-politically muslim. muslim's should be ashamed of these bastards and decry the heresy of there acts over and over and over again. i'm with you for the most part, but to excuse those who turn their cheek rather than seek out and punish those who perpetrate such heinous acts in the name of allah does not help matters. the west is not a perfect constellation of societies but our assaults against islam pale in comparison to the acts of these blasphemors.
Note the date... Authorities investigate abortion clinic fire in Florida Tue, Jul. 05, 2005 BY LEON FOOKSMAN AND PETER FRANCESCHINA South Florida Sun-Sentinel FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - (KRT) - One year after a Lake Worth, Fla., abortion clinic was set on fire, a West Palm Beach women's health and abortion clinic was partially in ashes Tuesday following a blaze that police called suspicious and forced the clinic to shut down. Federal agents sifted through the charred debris at Presidential Women's Center to determine whether it was connected to a deliberately set fire at a Lake Worth abortion clinic on July 2, 2004. Both businesses have been magnets for regular anti-abortion protests. http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/12061074.htm
point taken. I still think there's a slight difference between this and a suicide bomber who aims to kill as many civillians as possible (although both are below the bacteria on a fly's arse to me). But yes, I stand corrected on the "recent" part of my post.
My main question / concern is, "Why does this garner so much attention, but the constant violence and similar destruction in other countries not garner as much recognition and sympathy?" I'm including myself in this because when I initially heard this I was like "WOW ... that's crazy!" and 2ndly I thought "And London too!". Are we as Americans just hypocritical and biased or is there some justification for being as shocked and surprised by this, when we pretty much ignore the other violence where bombings like this happen on a regular basis?
Many? Do you realize that Islam has over a billion followers? If many interpreted it, which it isn't misinterpreting but a cult started by Qutb, the way you describe, there would be blood flowing from all corners of the earth and Islam as a faith would've died out hundred of years ago.
you're looking for consistency, which is not the same thing. saudi arabia and pakistan did not have official policies of supporting terrorists. i agree, they have much to answer for, particularly the saudis, and i wish we'd take a much tougher (public?) stance with them, but they are much different cases than iraq.
Do not get me wrong, it is growing, but it is not a force. It's just a loud minority that wants to overthrow the governments in the Middle East. And it has extended into the West because they had no results (except Iran which is a whole other story). See Egypt when they assisnated Sadat and nothing happened. The followers involved truly believed that there were many like them in hiding, but alas, there were none.
halfbreed, Bro, my whole point was this: individuals who proclaim to follow every religious faith, philosophy, or even athiests have committed offenses against humanity. Yes, terrorism today was committed by Muslim individuals, that doesn't prove anything beyond the fact that there are Muslim criminals (Wow! How shocking!) My point is -- and frankly I thought it was clear, but may be it wasn't -- that individuals commit crimes, religious philosophies (or political philosophies for that matter) don't. Or look at it this way: Just as "Guns don't kill people, people do", also "Religions don't kill people, people do". They are crimes carried out by individuals, regardless of their beliefs. If they attempt to justify their crimes by using their religion as a tool, you would figure that it would be transparent enough that they are full of **** and people would dismiss them. But it's funny that while people dismiss anything the terrorists do as possibly having any sense of rationale behind it (or any just cause), they nevertheless give credence to what the terrorists claim is their religious calling to carry out wholesale slaughter of innocent civilians. So apparently people give the terrorists credibility when they say this is their "Islamic duty" to do what they do, while at the same time dismissing the terrorists as "irrational" people who should never be listened to; unless of course they claim that their actions are Islamic, then they are telling the truth and should be commended for it.
To be fair, we are all guilty to some degree of "numbness" or "immunity" to violence and destruction occurring virtually daily around the world. The "shocking" feeling here is all due to the effect of "surprise". Nevertheless, you raised an excellent yet poignant question about the dark side of the human nature.
is this considered official? beware of pop-ups if you click on this link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1141650.cms
