Al-Qaeda afraid of Obama?

**Moonbear** · Nov19-08, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by russ_watters

I can see no logical reason why you would think that they are - could you explain? To me it implies that they are not afraid of him. They do these things for PR, but they wouldn't do them as much if they thought there would be consequences. The purpsoe is therefore probably to show that they are not afraid of him. It's an opening shot, an act of defiance, and an attempt to intimidate.

I agree. That's my interpretation as well. They're recognizing the new leadership, so are turning their focus from old to new, but letting the world know that it doesn't matter to them who is in charge and they are still a threat.

**Proton Soup** · Nov19-08, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by chemisttree

I don't think Al Qaeda is the only one with an image problem in the ME...

http://mideast.blogs.time.com/
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&sect...=7&m=11&y=2008

Before he even takes office, Obama is playing into the hands of the Terrorists.

so what are you trying to say, that muslims don't like jews?! sir, i find that hard to believe, but if so, maybe Obama should think twice about hiring jews, now.

~~leopard~~ · Nov19-08, 11:28 PM

What motivates Al Qaeda? It takes something special to behave like they do.

**mgb_phys** · Nov19-08, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by leopard

What motivates Al Qaeda? It takes something special to behave like they do.

Some magic guy in the clouds with a big beard who claims to have created the world.

~~leopard~~ · Nov19-08, 11:49 PM

It was a serious question. God doesn't motivate terrorism, then the world would have been full of them.

**Proton Soup** · Nov19-08, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by mgb_phys

Some magic guy in the clouds with a big beard who claims to have created the world.

becoming Imam is highly competitive.

**mgb_phys** · Nov20-08, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by leopard

It was a serious question. God doesn't motivate terrorism,

Because god tells you to kill people that have a different god
Or the same god but you disagree about the details of the length of a vestment on the third week before easter.

then the world would have been full of them.

It always has been,

Of course they don't all hate America -

~~leopard~~ · Nov20-08, 12:15 AM

That's not the reason for terrorism. Then all believers would be terrorists, and as you know most people of faith are good people.

**jreelawg** · Nov20-08, 12:16 AM

While religion is one factor in the new age of terrorism, I think that most terrorists are motivated out of revenge.

~~leopard~~ · Nov20-08, 12:25 AM

I will rather say that Al Qaeda misuse Islam to brainwash young people. What they learn at these schools, isn't real Islam. If he really believed that they would get 72 virgins in Heaven if they become suicide bombers, bin Laden would have been a martyr long a go.

What is it that REALLY motivates bin Laden & co.? Maybe revenge for Western invasion on their soil?

**TheStatutoryApe** · Nov20-08, 12:47 AM

I found it interesting that they used the icon of Malcolm X and appealed to black on black racism by refering to Obama as a 'house negro'.

I wonder if he really intends to focus on Afghanistan and attempt to "kill Osama bin Laden", as he stated in the debates, and how that will effect middle eastern relations.

**jreelawg** · Nov20-08, 01:00 AM

Bin Laden was born in Saudi Arabia, and we never invaded Saudi Arabia, I think Bin Ladin himself might be motivated by religion. I think he believes himself to be some kind of messiah or prophet. He uses this image to act as the head of a radical cult.

But the fuel he uses to attract support is the fact that people have so much to be angry about.

Jim Jones was able to brainwash so many people using the emotional responses of people seeking an end to racism during the era of segregation. Then later he convinced them all to commit suicide as a protest to a cruel world.

The same thing goes on with terrorism, someone uses the emotional reactions of events to motivate people and to convince them that they are working for god.

The best way to defeat these people is to give them no events to exploit. Then in a few years, people will begin to wonder why they have to die for the cause. They will be more compelled to question whether killing themselves is necessary.

**Werg22** · Nov20-08, 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by leopard

I will rather say that Al Qaeda misuse Islam to brainwash young people. What they learn at these schools, isn't real Islam. If he really believed that they would get 72 virgins in Heaven if they become suicide bombers, bin Laden would have been a martyr long a go.

What is it that REALLY motivates bin Laden & co.? Maybe revenge for Western invasion on their soil?

In my senior of High School, I had to write an extended essay on a question of my choice, and I chose one that is somewhat related to yours. From what I have learned:

What motivates Al-Quaeda, or rather what earns them support, is a general sentiment in the Arab world that the West has been humiliating and betraying the Arabs ever since western powers came in contact with the Arab world in the 19th century. What constitutes by far the biggest frustration is the role the West had had on the creation of an exclusively Jewish state on land that was until then inhabited largely by non-Jewish Arabs. The Arabs objected to the creation of Israel, even though the original plan was more generous to the Arabs than what the situation today let's presume. However, regardless of their objections, the state of Israel was still proclaimed and that constituted and large portion of Arab world regarded this as a blow to their pride. The conflict that would result is, I believe, the real poison in the region and the fuel to the support of anti-West terrorist groups. Of course, terrorism has grown out of the Arab world rallying to its cause non-Arab muslims, but that's because they sympathize with Arab Muslims.

I think the highly religious aspect of Muslim terrorism is mostly circumstantial, stemming from the religious conservatism in the Arab world that has, unlike in the West, not dissipated. I don't think the situation today would have been much different had religious zeal not been present, because what has been the gate-opener to terrorism is mostly a non-religious conflict.

**Ivan Seeking** · Nov20-08, 01:10 AM

Originally Posted by mgb_phys

Because god tells you to kill people that have a different god
Or the same god but you disagree about the details of the length of a vestment on the third week before easter.

Islamic extremists are no different than national extremists. If all religion, or all of Islam is to blame for terrorists, then all who say the pledge of allegence, and patriotism, are responsible for Hitler and his kind.

~~leopard~~ · Nov20-08, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by jreelawg

The best way to defeat these people is to give them no events to exploit. Then in a few years, people will begin to wonder why they have to die for the cause.

Sounds like a good plan. How do we do that?

~~leopard~~ · Nov20-08, 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by Ivan Seeking

Islamic extremists are no different than national extremists. If all religion, or all of Islam is to blame for terrorists, then all who say the pledge of allegence, and patriotism, are responsible for Hitler and his kind.

True. Moreover, islamists aren't real muslims.