English assassin
08-16-2007, 08:52
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6947716.stm
Well, this is nice.
OK, although I never subscribed to the "all the problems in the middle east stem from western cultural imperialism" idea, I admit I do think its a significant part of the problem. (I've said it before, but anyone who wants to understand Iran, for example, at least needs to have heard of people like Kermit Roosevelt and his chums in MI6)
And then along comes this. AFAIK the Yazidi have never invaded, bombed, or exported fizzy soft drinks to anyone, none of which seems to have prevented somebody thinking they should be blown to smithereens.
Possibly the terrorist infrastructure that enabled the Yazidi bombers to carry out the act is only in place because of bigger anti-western feelings, but its a warning to anyone (me) who might try to understand islamofascism through the lens of other terrorist activities. Obviously NOT being connected with the west in any way is no guarantee you aren't on the Islamist **** list. I can't imagine Lenin having carried out an equivalent act, for instance.
I've also got (actually, I always had) considerable sympathy for Odin's view that one way to deal with this sort of thing is to remove yourself from the immediate vicinity of the would-be martyrs. Unfortunately that does mean they will, for want of other targets, blow up more people like the Yazidi, and if the alternative was being an effective world police force I might have issues. As the alternative seems to be "protecting" the Yazidi by providing copious other targets I don't have so many issues (although perhaps paradoxically it means I think withdrawal is more justified in the case of failure than in the case of success).
Well, this is nice.
OK, although I never subscribed to the "all the problems in the middle east stem from western cultural imperialism" idea, I admit I do think its a significant part of the problem. (I've said it before, but anyone who wants to understand Iran, for example, at least needs to have heard of people like Kermit Roosevelt and his chums in MI6)
And then along comes this. AFAIK the Yazidi have never invaded, bombed, or exported fizzy soft drinks to anyone, none of which seems to have prevented somebody thinking they should be blown to smithereens.
Possibly the terrorist infrastructure that enabled the Yazidi bombers to carry out the act is only in place because of bigger anti-western feelings, but its a warning to anyone (me) who might try to understand islamofascism through the lens of other terrorist activities. Obviously NOT being connected with the west in any way is no guarantee you aren't on the Islamist **** list. I can't imagine Lenin having carried out an equivalent act, for instance.
I've also got (actually, I always had) considerable sympathy for Odin's view that one way to deal with this sort of thing is to remove yourself from the immediate vicinity of the would-be martyrs. Unfortunately that does mean they will, for want of other targets, blow up more people like the Yazidi, and if the alternative was being an effective world police force I might have issues. As the alternative seems to be "protecting" the Yazidi by providing copious other targets I don't have so many issues (although perhaps paradoxically it means I think withdrawal is more justified in the case of failure than in the case of success).