“Osama bin Laden is no more a true representative of Islam than General Mladic, who commanded the Serbian forces, could be held up as an example of Christianity. After all, it is written in the Qur’an that we were made into different peoples not that we might despise each other, but that we might understand each other.
Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and funded by the Saudis to wage jihad against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Al-Qaida, literally “the database”, was originally the computer file of the thousands of mujahideen who were recruited and trained with help from the CIA to defeat the Russians. Inexplicably, and with disastrous consequences, it never appears to have occurred to Washington that once Russia was out of the way, Bin Laden’s organisation would turn its attention to the west." …….http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jul/08/july7.development
Hey SHEEPDIP! Afghanistan is in SOUTH ASIA, not the “Middle East”. Egypt is in Africa, TURKEY is in Asia, actually, as in the “Middle East” which is a sub-unit generally ascribed to “Semitic” areas, generally “Arab”, but including well, Israel. The “Middle East” also has a minority of the Muslim population of the world. (just a follow-up, fennec)
Dtroutma about 12 years ago
It IS “their” country, not ours, so after 2014 why SHOULD anyone else have more control of Afghanistan?
feverjr Premium Member about 12 years ago
“Osama bin Laden is no more a true representative of Islam than General Mladic, who commanded the Serbian forces, could be held up as an example of Christianity. After all, it is written in the Qur’an that we were made into different peoples not that we might despise each other, but that we might understand each other.
Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and funded by the Saudis to wage jihad against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Al-Qaida, literally “the database”, was originally the computer file of the thousands of mujahideen who were recruited and trained with help from the CIA to defeat the Russians. Inexplicably, and with disastrous consequences, it never appears to have occurred to Washington that once Russia was out of the way, Bin Laden’s organisation would turn its attention to the west." …….http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jul/08/july7.development
Dtroutma about 12 years ago
Hey SHEEPDIP! Afghanistan is in SOUTH ASIA, not the “Middle East”. Egypt is in Africa, TURKEY is in Asia, actually, as in the “Middle East” which is a sub-unit generally ascribed to “Semitic” areas, generally “Arab”, but including well, Israel. The “Middle East” also has a minority of the Muslim population of the world. (just a follow-up, fennec)
Tue Elung-Jensen about 12 years ago
Just hanging out.