But once again they are exercised about acts of jihad violence against Muslims. When non-Muslims are targeted they don't seem to have a problem. "Arab Columnists Criticize the Justification of Terrorism," from MEMRI, with thanks to Daryl:
The Bombings in Jordan Have Nothing to Do With Iraq and PalestineIn a column titled "The Link between Terrorism and the Palestinian and Iraqi [Issues] is a Lie," Dr. Mamoun Fandy wrote in the London Arabic-language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat: "The Jordan bombings are resounding proof that justifying terrorism by linking it to the Palestinian issue is a fraud, and that justifying terrorism by linking it to the American occupation in Iraq is a big lie. To those who say that terrorism in our Arab region is the result of the American occupation in Iraq, I say: we are no [foreigners]. We [didn't come from] Sweden - we know the region [well]. And terrorism existed and was [deeply] rooted in our region [even] before the Americans came to Iraq.
Note that in the litany of terrorist acts that follows he includes none of the many attacks on non-Muslims -- not Madrid 3/11, or London 7/7, or even 9/11. Not a word about the innumerable attacks in Israel:
"The terrorism of the Islamist groups in Egypt and the assassination of [Egyptian president Anwar] Al-Sadat occurred before [the war] in Iraq; the massacre of the children in Algeria began before the occupation of Iraq; Juhaiman [Al-'Utaibi's] terrorism in the mosque in Mecca took place before [the war in] Iraq; [1] and the bombings in Al-'Uliya and Al-Khobar also took place before the war in Iraq. [2] Terrorism existed in our region before the [U.S.] occupation, and it will continue to exist after the Americans withdraw from Iraq. [It will continue] until some of us, especially in the media, are [finally] able to say that the justifications of terrorism are false, and that the bombings in Jordan... had nothing to do with the fact that Jordan shares a border with Iraq... If mere proximity to Iraq causes terrorism to spread [into a country], why aren't we witnessing bombings in Syria, which has extensive borders with Iraq? Why aren't we witnessing terrorism in Iran, which also shares a border with Iraq? Why are we witnessing terrorism [only] in Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia?...
[...]
Dr. Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari makes the same conspicuous omission:
Qatari Reformist: "When Will We Launch an Ideological, Cultural, Educational, Informational, and Religious Campaign to Eradicate Terrorism?"The former dean of the Faculty of Islamic Law at the University of Qatar, Dr. Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari, wrote in the Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyassa that the time has come for the Arabs to assume responsibility for their actions and stop justifying terrorist acts:
"Is there any explanation for the actions of these devils, who came from Iraq to Jordan in order to blow themselves up [in] the capital's three largest hotels? Is there any justification for the act of that suicide [bomber] who chose to blow himself up among ordinary people eating their breakfast at a restaurant in central Baghdad? Is there any logical motivation [that leads] those who call themselves 'the national resistance' to target [people at] bus stops, restaurants, markets, and mosques?! Is there any convincing reason to harm people sitting in a mourners' tent, in Shi'ite mosques, or in hospitals?...
"When will we initiate a significant change [leading] towards a national program for combating terrorism? When will we launch an ideological, cultural, educational, informational, and religious campaign to eradicate terrorism?
Sounds great, but then he makes it clear that he is still concerned only with Muslim-on-Muslim violence -- arising from the practice of takfir, or the declaring of other Muslims to be unbelievers and thus legitimately killed (a favored tactic of the Wahhabis). But where does that leave the other unbelievers?
The king of Jordan said: 'We will not be lenient towards the ideology of takfir [accusing others of heresy] and towards those who justify and support terrorism.' Previously, the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf [states] made similar statements. But what do we do about the general public which accepts extremist fundamental notions? [About] the public which constitutes fertile ground for the development of extremism and cultivation of terrorist cells? How do we translate the declarations of the kings and leaders into operational plans to bring about the eradication of violent thinking?"Countering [terrorism] on the security front [alone] is not enough, [since] many imams bless the terrorists. The security agreements are to no avail [when] columnists, writers, journalists, and satellite channels praise the terrorists' actions in Iraq and refer to them as 'resistance' and 'jihad'...
"The 'culture of justification [of terrorism]' is still [well] rooted in the Arab world, and there are writers, columnists, and satellite channels who make their living off it." [6]
Somebody needs to fill in Dr. Al-Ansari: the culture of justification for terrorism isn't deeply rooted. Rather, it is the product of a Tiny Minority of Extremists who have Hijacked The Religion, and it is condemned by the Vast Majority of Peaceful Muslims. Doc, somebody forgot to issue you a script.
When non-Muslims are targeted there is no problem--exactly! Who wants to live among such people or have them, even as a small minority, living among you, knowing that at any minute they would not hestitate to wreak havac, commit violenc, or create a society that would descriminate against you simply for being non-Muslim.
I feel that the journalists are not being honest and are just playing to the camera.
They know by now that many non-arabs or muslims are reading their stuff and they continue with trying to pull the wool over the West's eyes.
They cried wolf one too many times so now it is extra hard to believe them.
I suppose though that there still many gullible fools around for even this:
Report: Hamas hires PR man to improve movement's image
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/672984.html
Hamas has hired a media consultant to persuade Europeans and Americans that it is not a group of religious fanatics who relish suicide bombings and hate Jews, The Guardian reported on Friday.
According to the British newspaper, the movement is paying Nashat Aqtash $180,000 to improve its image at home and abroad because it expects to emerge from next week's Palestinian general election as a major political force, and wants recognition and acceptance by the U.S. and EU.
"Hamas has an image problem. The Israelis were able to create a very bad image of the Palestinians in general and particularly Muslims and Hamas. My contract is to project the right image," the paper quoted Aqtash as saying.
One must hold them to their actions, but then the period of hudna (10 years?) is neither here nor there.
Why are they letting this windbag drone on? Find the facts, convict, and execute him.
Whoops. Can't do that in the UK, not yet, at least.
We lived in the western provinces of Saudi Arabia for some four years in the early 80s. My law degree is based on the common law, but I tried my best in those four years to make intelligent inquiry into the basis of the Sharia. My attempts to do off campus work on Islamic Law from the U. of Medina were thwarted not by the locals, but by my corporate employers. Regardless, I found the folk of the country warm, hospitable, and always willing to discuss our different cultures. Many nights were spent "sniffing the wind" in the desert wastelands. I do not accept that Islam would destroy all unbelievers.
Beezer my friend, I hope you don't find out the hard way about the warm, hopitable folks of the country. Trust me, your employers did you a favor.
The "folks of the country were your friend/s then. But when you begin to question Islam, it changes. They're willing to discuss cultural differences when dealing with "your" culture. But it's totally different when it comes to Islam.
Islam is not to be put down by anyone, especially by non Muslims. Muslims believe that Islam is superior to any lifestyle and/or religion. Islamic Muslims are a idealogical bottomless pit when it comes to Islam. You'll win the cultural discussion, but it'll cost you your life!!! Islam isn't just a religion to these people, It's their way of life. Their culture, It's in their government. Don't allow yourself to be fooled. To attack Islam, is to attack them. And they don't take too kindly to that. You should thank your employer for saving you life. Most of the kidnapped and beheaded victims were the friends of Muslims. But the Muslims weren't their friends!!! Thank your employer, BIG TIME!!!