Terrorists hit hard

[Henny]

Perhaps because their intelligence sucks? A weak spot in worldwide security with plenty of tourists?

Perhaps India has it's own version of PNAC. Perhaps India's Prime Minister has an agenda they want enacted that would require a Pearl Harbor type event  to get the people behind it.

Or perhaps the opposition party wanted to hamstring the current administration by casting blame on them foralllowing this to happen on their watch.

Interesting consideration. And certainly it bears thinking about, because the lack of ANY intelligence "chatter" beforehand, as they are claiming, seems nearly impossible given how well the attacks were organized.

[Xavier_Onassis]

If one wants to scare Americans, bombing Oklahoma City won't do. You need to bomb NYC.

The same applies to Mumbai in Indla.

[Plane]

If one wants to scare Americans, bombing Oklahoma City won't do. You need to bomb NYC.

The same applies to Mumbai in Indla.

If you want to unite and galvanise the population of a country against you , I suppose.

Isn't this Al Quieda proveing that it has learned little from its mistakes?

[Xavier_Onassis]

Al Qaeda is very much like Juniorbush when he invaded Iraq. Neither had definable, achievable goals. Saying that "we are going to create a modern, democratic Iraq" is about the same as saying "we are going to restore the Islamic Caliphate".  Vague and difficult to define.

It is perceivable that Iraq may someday become a modern democracy. It is not really perceivable that a single medieval Caliphate will ever reign over even the Islamic part of the world.

On the other hand, if Al Qaeda wants to create martyrs in a series of attempts to punish infidels, then that is clearly attainable. The problem is that it is eventually useless.

[Cynthia]

Al Qaeda is very much like Juniorbush when he invaded Iraq. Neither had definable, achievable goals. Saying that "we are going to create a modern, democratic Iraq" is about the same as saying "we are going to restore the Islamic Caliphate".  Vague and difficult to define.


The difference being; One group was much more of an aggressor while the other was a defender of a particular "ideology".

The lack of a well defined "goal" takes a backseat to the original "intent" of the two.

[The_Professor]

When I travel, I avoid tourist hotels and anything in a tall building.
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What the point is of staying in a large lookalike hotel with American prices and nothing typical of the place one is visiting beats Hell outta me.

Like the people who go on cruise ships mostly to go shopping and overeat and then come back with great pretensions of being world travelers. I suppose it's what they like, and they can have it.

I would postulate that having Americans travel abroad in any form is an advancement over Americans who do not. Americans need to travel abroad in order to obtain a better perception of how it really is overseas. Even staying "Americanized" is better than them staying at home and advising their politicians on international affairs without it.

[The_Professor]

Is it to anyone's advantage to have India and Pakistan in the midst of a flare up?


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Al Qaeda's main focus is in instigating chaos. In what two countries could chaos get moe people's bowels in an uproar?

Of course, since Hindus and other non-Muslims control India, and they greatly outnumber Muslims there, it is unlikely to be an eventual advantage of Muslims.

80% of the population in India is Hindu with around 11% Muslim and others including Christians.

[Plane]

 It is not really perceivable that a single medieval Caliphate will ever reign over even the Islamic part of the world.

Oh! Why not?

On the other hand, if Al Qaeda wants to create martyrs in a series of attempts to punish infidels, then that is clearly attainable. The problem is that it is eventually useless.

I totally agree with that, but what is keeping the people with the potential to make that choice from perceiving this? What makes it seem so easy to convince young guys that they are serving Islam and advancing their nation by dieing with blood on their hands? What excuse does their leadership have for being so obtuse?

[The_Professor]

Is there a "weakness" in the theology undergirdnig Islam that so many in that religious realm today perform these acts?

[Plane]

Is there a "weakness" in the theology undergirdnig Islam that so many in that religious realm today perform these acts?

My opinion is not an expert opinion on this , but I think that it is hard for an Islamic person to criticise an attempt to spread Islam by force of arms because Mohammed himself did so.

[BSB]

>>Is there a "weakness" in the theology undergirdnig Islam that so many in that religious realm today perform these acts?<<

There's a weakness in the educational systems in the countries where Islam is practiced.

[Cynthia]

Is there a "weakness" in the theology undergirdnig Islam that so many in that religious realm today perform these acts?

“The understanding of the issue of Jihad of the current days Islamic scholars who are called Maulvi, and their method of presentation of this issue to the common people is definitely wrong. Its only outcome is that they, with their passionate speeches, turn barbaric natured human beings into beastly people, and strip them off all the noble qualities of human beings. This is exactly what has happened. I know for certain that the sin of all the unjustified killings by these unwise and selfish men, who are unaware of the hidden reasons for the need of wars by Islam in its early age, is on the neck of these Maulvies who secretly teach them the matters that lead to painful carnages.”

http://www.alislam.org/library/articles/Religious_Terrorism_Causes_and_Remedies-20081006MN.html

[Henny]

The difference being; One group was much more of an aggressor while the other was a defender of a particular "ideology".

When you put it this way, I'm not seeing a difference. Both are aggressors, both are defending a particular ideology.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Islam, like Christianity, speaks of a Messiah (who, however, is human, not an offspring of Allah), and the eventual conversion of everyone to Islam.  

The Messiah (Mahdi) has apparently not yet come, though there have been impositers. The conversion of everyone to Islam, like the conversion to Christianity, will almost certainly never happen. There is too much conflicting cultural baggage for this to occur.

[Xavier_Onassis]

My opinion is not an expert opinion on this , but I think that it is hard for an Islamic person to criticise an attempt to spread Islam by force of arms because Mohammed himself did so.


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Mohammad was the final and most important Prophet. That gave him  special permission.