FIRE WITH FIRE

No wonder the Iraqi government is failing. As fast as citizens step up to the plate, al-Qaida strikes them out -- permanently!

An Iraqi oil minister was kidnapped today by terrorists. (Click here to read the story.) Two more Sunni leaders were killed this week for taking a public stand against al-Qaida. A southern governor and police chief were killed by a roadside bomb. All this in just two days! There are continuing reports of Iraqi political leaders being killed, police recruits mowed down, police barracks bombed, Iraqi soldiers targeted.

Al-Qaida, Shiite and Sunni insurgents and other terrorist groups operating in Iraq have found an effective way to maintain chaos. Every time Iraq begins to grow the head of leadership, they lop it off, leaving the limbs of the beast to flail away ineffectively. Messy but highly effective. No wonder the Iraqi government is in such disarray. Volunteering to serve is tantamount to a death wish.

Labels: al-Qaida, bomb, dissidents, hostages, Iraq, Sunni, violence

Posted by The Watcher at Tuesday, August 14, 2007 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

MUSLIMS' SUPPORT OF ATTACKS IS WANING blared the headline in my local newspaper yesterday morning. All I can say is, it's about time! Click here to read the full story.

In Muslim countries support for suicide bombings against civilians has dropped sharply since 2002, according to a 2007 survey conducted by the Pew Global Attitudes Project. Approximately 1,000 citizens in each country were asked if they felt suicide bombings of civilians were justified to defend Islam:

• Countries where support dropped by slightly more than 50%: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Lebanon, Pakistan
• Countries where support dropped by 50%: Jordan
• Countries where support dropped by slightly less than 50%: Tanzania, Nigeria, Turkey

Lebanon experienced the greatest change in attitude. In 2002, 74% of Lebanese citizens felt car bombings and other suicide attacks on civilians were an acceptable way of defending Islam. Today that number has dropped to only 34% .

"Muslim public opinion, as the result of increased suicide bombings, has come to realize the poisonous and murderous nature of this kind of attack," said Fawaz Gerges, a professor of Arab and Muslim politics at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.

Muslims supported the attacks when they were aimed at the US and other foreign nationals, seeing bombers as virtuous Davids taking aim at the far more powerful Goliaths. Suicide bombings were cheered acts of patriotism. But now that they've become victims themselves, now that they've lost sons and daughters, mothers and fathers to suicide bombers, many Muslims view the attacks as the reprehensible violence they are. Imagine that! Violence isn't so virtuous when it blows up in your own face.

Labels: Middle East, suicide bombers, violence

Posted by The Watcher at Thursday, July 26, 2007 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post