Not too long ago I wrote a piece on why I was thought it was utter tosh about how our government(s) have tried to reason with us that we are in danger from groups who want to destroy “our way of life”. And that the hordes of “ragheads” (my words) are about to descend upon us; and at the point of the sword convert us (the men will have to wear sandals and grow bushy beards; the women will have to be covered head to toe with peepholes being the only access to the outside world). My argument was, the government finds it easier to cajole the public into giving up civil rights/liberties when they are told that their way of life is under threat, rather than admitting, that the phuckers are after us, because we have right royally screwed them in their own lands. Bit strong? No, not by far...
I came across an interesting
article on the
BBC website, which I think vindicated my perspective. The subject of the
report was the problem of increasing numbers of young Muslim men who were becoming “radicalised”. The reporter, Peter Taylor highlighted the case of an apparently well integrated young French Muslim man of North African origin (Peter, not the most Muslim sounding name!) and his white, French, half Christian and half Jewish girlfriend (Barbara). “Peter”, was described as a normal young man, who slowly became withdrawn (to be fair his behaviour changed once he started going to a different mosque). The changes include “Peter” progressively reducing contact with his girlfriend, before finally terminating all communication.
“Peter” then took leave from his family to go to
Syria citing religious and language studies as his reason. He promised to keep in touch, and indeed kept to his promise. This continued until he warned his family that he would be going into an area without the internet. For several months there was nothing. Then a call to his girlfriend, Barbara. He left no number, however Barbara was able to trace the country code to
Iraq. That was the last she heard from him until the
French Foreign Ministry relayed information confirming that “Peter” was held by occupying US forces at the infamous
Abu Gharib prison. He was later sentenced to 15 years in gaol.
For whatever reason “Peter” had decided that he could no longer stand by. It’s quite apparent that something pushed him over the edge, until he felt compelled to fight – it was not enough to “fight” politically.
What was revealing in the
article (as far as I am concerned for a mainstream media outlet) was the acknowledgement of the writer of the effect of the foreign policy in the Middle East in radicalising Muslims. From the writer’s discussions with security and Middle East experts, he was left under no delusions,
“I was left in no doubt from all those I spoke to that Iraq above all else was the motivating factor behind the radicalisation and recruitment of young Muslims, and that the US-led invasion has gifted Osama bin Laden with a Jihad he could only dream of".As I said in my previous post, in none of the statements and releases made by Al Qaida have ever mentioned the establishment of a pan-Islamic Caliphate extending from Spain to China, instead what is obvious is the anger and aggression directed at us for our government(s) role in humiliating, occupying and ensuring that muppets/puppets continue to lead in their country.
In reality, the issue is US foreign policy.
The Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem is the third most holy place of interest in Islam, after Mecca and Medina. Unlike the other two sites, the Al Aqsa mosque is in the quagmire of Israeli-Palestinian politics.
