Most of the 9/11 attackers were here on student visas. Terrorists can come as refugees or students or legal permanent residents. They can be born here as San Bernardino attacker was or convert and adopt the radical version of Islam.
Most of the attackers in Paris were either Belgian or French citizens. There are more British Muslims fighting for Isis than there are serving in the British Armed Forces.
Many of these “recruits”, at least those from Iraq, Syria, Libya and environs, are hardly volunteers. “Coerced” is more accurate than recruited. They are presented with a simple choice: “Join us and fight, and get paid in the bargain, or die at our hands. Oh, and in case you need any more convincing, we’ll rape and kill your wife and daughters too, then present your sons with the same choices.”
So you’re saying the war is against ideological thinking, namely religions? Because it sure looks like this is a century of war between people who were brought up to believe in Jesus vs. those brought up to believe in Mohammed, doesn’t it? And if all of the former changed childhoods with all of the latter, it would be the same thing, wouldn’t it? The indoctrination of small children into delusional world views is the common enemy, is that what you’re saying? How would you wage war against “the thing that drives these people to do stupid things?”
To engage in wholesale atrocities, people need what I call a Transcendent Cause, something that transcends normal morality. Historically the two big ones have been religion and the State. Beginning with the French Revolution, Social Justice emerged. Since 1900, Social Justice has inspired more mass killing than anything else. Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot and Mugabe all justified their policies in terms of Social Justice. Even Hitler based a lot of his policies on the idea of stopping exploitation by Jewish bankers.
@Steve D088 – Ideology is just an excuse for allowing the ego to exercise power. The human psychological drive to acquire and exercise power (capability, status and influence), both for one’s own needs and over others, is a major cause of most of the material suffering on the planet. Plain as day. Yet nobody talks about it. Because 1) we all need it, 2) we’re all magnetically attracted to it 3) we’re all guilty of abusing it and ashamed of having been abused by it, 4) we don’t want to give it up, and if we talk about power we diffuse it. We talk about ideology, religion, culture, beliefs, values, policies, issues, programs, blah, blah, blah. It’s just power, power, power, power, power, power. Until we start talking about the psychological drive for power, exposing it, analyzing it and showing how it causes harm, we will remain in its grip, allowing leaders of all stripes to manipulate those who are hungry for power for whatever reason into making really harmful decisions.
Pay no attention to the recent arrests of Iraqi refugees arrested for plotting terror in the USA. Typical Trudeau, pick facts you like, ignore facts you don’t.
As DavidHuieGreen says, Mahmood is quoted as saying that this is just what he thinks, he doesn’t give any justification apart from his own gut feeling. The Guardian, admittedly left-leaning, has a detailed analysis:
As above, it looks like the figure is roughly even at about 500 – 600 each. There is strong disagreement, even among more moderate Muslims in the UK, with successive governments’ decisions to fight in Iraq, Afghanistan etc, which has meant that very few Muslims serve in the UK armed forces, and the proportion who are either in the armed forces or in ISIL is a miniscule fraction (0.02% each) of the 2.5 million UK Muslim population. The correct conclusion is therefore that overwhelming majority of UK Muslims want nothing to do with either ISIL or the UK armed forces.
BE THIS GUY over 8 years ago
Most of the 9/11 attackers were here on student visas. Terrorists can come as refugees or students or legal permanent residents. They can be born here as San Bernardino attacker was or convert and adopt the radical version of Islam.
Most of the attackers in Paris were either Belgian or French citizens. There are more British Muslims fighting for Isis than there are serving in the British Armed Forces.
Liverlips McCracken Premium Member over 8 years ago
Many of these “recruits”, at least those from Iraq, Syria, Libya and environs, are hardly volunteers. “Coerced” is more accurate than recruited. They are presented with a simple choice: “Join us and fight, and get paid in the bargain, or die at our hands. Oh, and in case you need any more convincing, we’ll rape and kill your wife and daughters too, then present your sons with the same choices.”
King_Shark over 8 years ago
Actually …
StCleve72 over 8 years ago
So you’re saying the war is against ideological thinking, namely religions? Because it sure looks like this is a century of war between people who were brought up to believe in Jesus vs. those brought up to believe in Mohammed, doesn’t it? And if all of the former changed childhoods with all of the latter, it would be the same thing, wouldn’t it? The indoctrination of small children into delusional world views is the common enemy, is that what you’re saying? How would you wage war against “the thing that drives these people to do stupid things?”
ladamson1918 over 8 years ago
Someone brighter wouldn’t buy into jihad and x-number of virgins.
mourdac Premium Member over 8 years ago
Just build a wall around the entire Middle East to keep them in.
Emlyn Premium Member over 8 years ago
How smart do you have to be to blow yourself up in the name of religion?
dutchs over 8 years ago
To engage in wholesale atrocities, people need what I call a Transcendent Cause, something that transcends normal morality. Historically the two big ones have been religion and the State. Beginning with the French Revolution, Social Justice emerged. Since 1900, Social Justice has inspired more mass killing than anything else. Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot and Mugabe all justified their policies in terms of Social Justice. Even Hitler based a lot of his policies on the idea of stopping exploitation by Jewish bankers.
JP Steve Premium Member over 8 years ago
Where do you think these people get the idea that everyone but them are wrong?.On a GoComics chat group?
jbj777 over 8 years ago
@Steve D088 – Ideology is just an excuse for allowing the ego to exercise power. The human psychological drive to acquire and exercise power (capability, status and influence), both for one’s own needs and over others, is a major cause of most of the material suffering on the planet. Plain as day. Yet nobody talks about it. Because 1) we all need it, 2) we’re all magnetically attracted to it 3) we’re all guilty of abusing it and ashamed of having been abused by it, 4) we don’t want to give it up, and if we talk about power we diffuse it. We talk about ideology, religion, culture, beliefs, values, policies, issues, programs, blah, blah, blah. It’s just power, power, power, power, power, power. Until we start talking about the psychological drive for power, exposing it, analyzing it and showing how it causes harm, we will remain in its grip, allowing leaders of all stripes to manipulate those who are hungry for power for whatever reason into making really harmful decisions.
Not the Smartest Man On the Planet -- Maybe Close Premium Member over 8 years ago
Trudeau vs. Trump. Truth vs, Lies. Nothing better.
BeniHanna6 Premium Member over 8 years ago
Pay no attention to the recent arrests of Iraqi refugees arrested for plotting terror in the USA. Typical Trudeau, pick facts you like, ignore facts you don’t.
David Huie Green LosersBlameOthers&It'sYOURfault over 8 years ago
“Where do you think these people get the idea that everyone but them are wrong?”.Whereas, really it’s everyone but ME.(Sorry, couldn’t help myself.)
Astolat over 8 years ago
As DavidHuieGreen says, Mahmood is quoted as saying that this is just what he thinks, he doesn’t give any justification apart from his own gut feeling. The Guardian, admittedly left-leaning, has a detailed analysis:
http://www.theguardian.com/news/reality-check/2015/dec/11/donald-trump-needs-check-facts-british-muslims-isis
As above, it looks like the figure is roughly even at about 500 – 600 each. There is strong disagreement, even among more moderate Muslims in the UK, with successive governments’ decisions to fight in Iraq, Afghanistan etc, which has meant that very few Muslims serve in the UK armed forces, and the proportion who are either in the armed forces or in ISIL is a miniscule fraction (0.02% each) of the 2.5 million UK Muslim population. The correct conclusion is therefore that overwhelming majority of UK Muslims want nothing to do with either ISIL or the UK armed forces.
ChrisV over 8 years ago
Great caricature of Trump in the first panel, accurately reflecting exactly how ugly he (and his politics) really are.