# Terrorist attacks in France and Tunisia **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 26, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528 "2015-06-26T12:38:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/21 "2015-06-28T15:05:02Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > Are you aware of the difference between Sunnis and Shias? > > [The Kuwaiti mosque was a Shia mosque.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-33287136) I am aware that both sects consider themselves to be Muslim. What does this have to do with wanton murder? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/22 "2015-06-28T15:58:10Z")
That the people from ISIS are the kind to whom anybody not part of their organization is The Enemy, and yes, that includes other Muslims. You’re the wrong religion? The Enemy. Wrong side within your religion? The Enemy. Right side but not part of The Organization? By definition, The Enemy. For these people, it’s “my way or the way to the cementery”. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/23 "2015-06-28T17:11:16Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > Afghanistan has poor communication links, hence it will take longer. But it will go, all these Islamist ideologies are primarily based on violence, and if it takes violence to enforce your message, then it will fail. Look at the former USSR, that was born out of the violence of Communist radicals who overthrew the provisional government, and they were a minority. > > I think the same thing, it’s also what I hope it will be remembered as. Yet the Chinese Communist Party is thriving and they killed millions. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/24 "2015-06-28T19:59:54Z")
It’s not thriving, it’s riddled with corruption and competing interests which trump the law regularly. The CPC will not last forever, you seem to think that because it has existed for the last 70 years, it will survive the next 70. I doubt that highly. It’s legitimacy is based on violence at the root core. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/25 "2015-06-29T05:52:45Z")
Re.: The CPC, they will keep in power as long as the economy keeps growing and they can offer good economic prospects that will keep improving the standards of life of the urban population. They will accept curtailed liberties and freedom in exchange for a life that gets progressively better from the point of view of the economy. Note that this depends on the government being able to provide constant economic growth at levels above roughly 5%-6% on a yearly basis. This won’t be sustainable. At some point, either the CPC begins relaxing their grip, or it will face increased resistance (if not outright rebellion if things get too bad). The fact that the CPC is hugely corrupt and more and more Chinese realize it is not helping, either. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/26 "2015-06-29T06:09:06Z")
Obviously terrorist attacks can happen anywhere but I find it strange when people vacation in places known to be experiencing violence and political upheaval like this, you’re going to stick out like a sore thumb in these places if you aren’t from there. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/27 "2015-06-29T12:36:07Z")
> [@pool](#): > > Obviously terrorist attacks can happen anywhere but I find it strange when people vacation in places known to be experiencing violence and political upheaval like this, you’re going to stick out like a sore thumb in these places if you aren’t from there. Yeah…I imagine tourism is down in Egypt. Why make yourself a target? I hear hotels are cheap in Tunisia now. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/28 "2015-06-29T14:11:10Z")
Wow, this is the only thread on here about the Tunisia attack that I could find! I know it’s natural to be predisposed to focus more on attacks against your own countrymen, which is why I and a lot of other Brits are more concerned about the Tunisia attack than the other similar attacks; the majority of the dead are British tourists and it’s tourist season. But still, there are lots of Brits on this board; it’s weird to be reminded that I’m a minority here and our deaths are worse the same as any other foreigner’s. It really is all America, America, isn’t it? > [@ralph124c](#): > > I am aware that both sects consider themselves to be Muslim. What does this have to do with wanton murder? I think you should read up a little more about Shia and Sunni before giving opinions on this. Extremist Sunnis do not consider Shias to be true Muslims. There were wars between Catholics and Protestants in Europe a few centuries ago and if you know anything about that then Sunni vs Shia is not so incomprehensible. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/29 "2015-06-29T15:35:00Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > I think you should read up a little more about Shia and Sunni before giving opinions on this. Extremist Sunnis do not consider Shias to be true Muslims. > > There were wars between Catholics and Protestants in Europe a few centuries ago and if you know anything about that then Sunni vs Shia is not so incomprehensible. Pretty much exactly what I was going to say. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528/30 "2015-06-29T20:33:06Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > It really is all America, America, isn’t it? I can hear your frustration. I can’t argue that the stereotype doesn’t have some basis in reality. Yet, the Charlie Hebdo attacks got quite a bit more traction here. In December the Sydney kidnappings with (now debated) terror links got a lot of traction. Ireland’s SSM vote got more traction than the new, possibly coincidentally timed, attacks did. That last gives a hint at what I’d guess was part of the reason this got ignored here. This board skews towards our political left and tends to be both non-interventionist internationally and strongly focused on social issues. We’re in a period where we had a recent mass shooting of our own. Between that and our own SSM change there’s been plenty to inflame the passions of those who focus more on US social issues. The issues are both closer to home and closer to the heart of many here. That doesn’t leave a lot of room. It’s not **just** about it not being in America. It’s a shame. There’s some inspiring tales coming out about heroic reactions that likely saved lives. Muslims, at risk of their own lives, opposing the Muslim terrorists. That could challenge some of the stereotypes about the root problem. I assume in the background there’s quite a bit of support being offered to the UK in pursuing Cameron’s “full spectrum” response. As a matter of making a difference that matters far more than internet buzz. It still feels pretty shitty to feel like nobody else cares. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrorist-attacks-in-france-and-tunisia/723528.md?page=1)