Well, right at the moment I’d agree with you. Problem is, “Abdullah Average” is almost as scared of these people as the average Westerner living here. No real way to separate the sheep from those that are just ordinary religious fanatics.
Testy
His murderers demanded release of AlQ operatives in Saudi custody in exchange for his life. That’s what it was about, not helicopters.
: pokes head out of his hidey hole :
Like with our own administration, it’s all about retroactive spin, baby!
CNN’s site quotes Abdel Aziz Al-Muqrin thusly: "On Tuesday, he threatened to kill Johnson in 72 hours unless the Saudi government released al Qaeda prisoners and all Westerners left the Arabian Peninsula.
“We gave you the deadline but you did not respect it,” a statement on the Web site said. “This is what we promised to do.”
They knew full well their demands were impossible to meet, not to mention the fact we don’t negotiate. This was just another excuse to kill someone and throw in a little terror to boot.
Not in any way to mitigate the murderers’ actions, but is calling the victim a “noncombatant” strictly accurate? Serious question, honest. Is it the case, or is it not, that “contractor” is a euphemism for “mercenary”?
Not stating a position here; seriously asking a question.
Testy, stay safe!
I read that the media and top Muslim clerics openly denounced this kidnapping.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3819889.stm
I also get the impression the average Saudi and the royal family don’t approve of this. There is no way this can be beneficial to the ruling govt. So, are you referring to the alleged financial support the royal family has been funneling to Islamist terrorist organizations to keep them under control? If yes, do they realize it is coming back to bite their ass? Are we headed for a revolution of sorts?
So…they couldn’t get their hands on a remotely appropriate American so any old Yank will do.
Al Qaeda is truly the scum of the earth. I held that opinion long before the latter half of 2001.
At the moment, though, I’m inclined to hold the current US administration at least 39.5% responsible. Our Leader has worked diligently to create a world where an increasingly large portion of the world isn’t going to lift a finger or give a shit when this happens, and where more and more folks sympathize with AQ.
Running around angry scared and vindictive, screaming “kill the bastards who did this” will at this point only make things worse. In fact, evoking that reaction seems to be the AQ game plan.
Here’s to the political equivalent of fused glass at target point “Presidential Incumbent” in about 4 1/2 months.
Forgive this post, please, but i had the oddest thought. . .
Al Qaeda must be Babylon 5 fans because their tactics and goals remind me of the Drakh and their stratagems of terror and revenge in Season 5.
For some perspective on the Saudi royal family’s involvement with Al-Qaeda:
http://foi.missouri.edu/evolvingissues/fallhouseofsaud.html
It’s been cited and discussed before but wanted to throw it out here to provide some context to what’s happening in the Arabian peninsula.
Exactly A3, the second the dumbass yahoos starting chanting their “turn the whole fucking place into glass” mantras, they’ve already won. The only way we’re going to win them over is with some pimp Escalades, Hooters, and some Pizza Huts, not by shoving glowsticks up their asses.
From BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3820495.stm
Graphic photographs apparently showing the corpse of Paul Marshall Johnson, who was abducted in Riyadh last week, have appeared on an Islamist website.
And latest reports say the body of the 49-year-old has been found near the Saudi capital.
Al-Qaeda had told the Saudi government to free jailed Islamist militants by Friday, or it would kill Mr Johnson.
I’m just so tired. And so sad for his family. **:`( **
A possible irony of this situation is that Mr.Johnson was purportedly quite interested in Islam, even discussing converting with his wife. He liked Saudi Arabia. Meh. Nobody is accussing the terrorists of being logically consistent or anything, but still, you’d think they would pick a better target.
I know just how cruel and barbaric these ‘terrorists’ are and am not shocked at this event, I am saddened of the loss, as anyone, well almost anyone should be. But unfortunatly many people just don’t understand what we are facing. This will continue to happen, since the ‘terrorists’ are who they are, and market forces will make sure there are people available to have their heads cut off.
I do not personally understand this mentality either, and I don’t think most (if any) Americans do, at least in the sense of being able to relate to it.
However, the thinking behind it is actually quite simple and easy to understand, if astonishing: Al Queda and those who believe in what they do believe that non-beliving muslims are not human. They don’t count. They are not equal human beings. There is no such thing as innocence, because the very fact of not being muslim is a sort of de facto guilt.
Looked at from that perspective, there is nothing barbaric about it. Killing non-believers is not only just, it is required.
And that is the hopeless divide that we are contemplating when we consider how to deal with these people. Our realities bear no relationship to one another.
CBS Radio News just reported the psycho in charge of this cell has been killed
Snoopy dance
My heart goes out to the family of Mr. Johnson. I am disgusted as everyone else is over this atrocity. MSNBC, is now reporting that 2 of Mr. Johnson’s captors were killed trying to dispose of the body. Hope this information is true. I have no link.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,123117,00.html
Only one avail right now. The others should have it up shortly.
http://www.cnn.com/ CNN reports he was killed while disposing of Johnson’s body.
Here’s Al-Jazeera’s take on the execution:
I just love the way they referred to the terrorists as “dissidents.” :rolleyes: Gotta hand it to 'em, they’ve got political correctness down pat.
I’m already sorry I lost my temper enough to propse killing innocent people. I wonder, though, how many of the Arabs in the street are really innocent? It seems that someone over there, if they really oppose the terrorists, could have dropped a dime on a few of them and in time to save a life. I understand that causing the death or capture of one of those scumbags would put your life and the lives of your family in serious danger. Even so, if those guys win, Saddam will seem like a loving benefactor by comparison.