Date Posted:14:57:48 11/01/04 Mon Author: Shane Subject: Re: Poverty and terrorism In reply to:
Tony Lang
's message, "Re: Poverty and terrorism" on 10:46:44 10/31/04 Sun
Although there are poor and rich muslim countries, I don't think poverty is the root cause of terrorism. As TS pointed out most of the terrorist that attacked on 911 were not poor and econcomic development is not their message. IMO, the muslim extremists have three goals. 1. They want a relgious/muslim society and government based on the Koran.(theocracy) 2. They want the destruction of Israel. 3. They want to eliminate any western/modern "immoral" influence. Also, part of this is the idea of Jihad or holy war. I have a muslim friend from Turkey and he intereprets "jihad" as peaceful evangalism. The terrorists seem to take "jihad" as literally meaning a holy war against infidels.
>I dont think the oil rich country's of the middle east
>are promoting terrorism, because they also are the
>objects of terrorists too.
>I do occassionally see an English version of Al
>Jazeera, and it gives me the Arab / Palastinian view
>point. One of the problems that I am finding working
>here in Saudi is that Arabs/muslems feel that the West
>is not listening to their case, because of the
>strength of the Jewish lobby in the media and the
>British and USA Governments it is being censored.
>The Middle East is very pro- Palastinian, that goes
>without saying and the local feeling is that every
>time a resolution comes before the U.N. that gives a
>little something to them it is vetoed by America. I
>would not be happy if the only media sources on this
>subject were Western, It would cause a Muslem backlash.
>I dont like the powerful Jewish lobby, but at the same
>time one has to ask why are they so powerful. Well
>because of decades of sheer hard work. I dont like
>them but conceed that they are an inspiration to all.
>Middle eastern country's, learn from your enemy.