# Was Asimov's novel FOUNDATION published in Arabic as Al Qaida?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-asimovs-novel-foundation-published-in-arabic-as-al-qaida/255658>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 18, 2004, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-asimovs-novel-foundation-published-in-arabic-as-al-qaida/255658 "2004-07-18T02:58:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-asimovs-novel-foundation-published-in-arabic-as-al-qaida/255658/21 "2004-07-19T13:12:53Z")

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> [@Captain Amazing](#):
>
> Well, yeah. The Vulcan salute is Jewish.

> [@Johnny L.A.](#):
>
> That’s true. IANJ, but I understand it’s half of some sort of gesture used in a ceremony.

Since the question came up, if you do the Vulcan salute with both hands and bring the thumbs together, your hands are in the position for delivering the priestly threefold blessing. (“May A–nai bless you and guard you,” etc.)

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**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-asimovs-novel-foundation-published-in-arabic-as-al-qaida/255658/22 "2004-07-19T13:21:49Z")

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> [@Larry Mudd](#):
>
> So all this time al Qaeda has been working to preserve all human knowledge in preparation for an inevitable dark ages? :dubious:

Yeah… I have to see that I don’t see many ‘abundant parallels’ here… there is the minor fact that foundation traders did use quasi-guerilla tactics during the Riose invasion in ‘Foundation and empire’, but that’s a minor point and not that important. (Oh, and in an earlier section, foundation politicians used religious rhetoric to establish influence over their uncivilized neighbors, that might count as a connection too.)

It’s worth re-iterating, I think, that the foundation were not terrorists themselves. They never attempted to sabotage the empire, they just went off, establishing their own civilization while the might of galactic dominion crumbled. Personally, I wish that bin laden would do the same. 😉

Also, I doubt that anyone in arab society would think that much of using economic incentives and trade as force with which to further their development… though I might be wrong there.

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