Al-Qaeda’s Idea of Hope and Change
So al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri has given Barack Obama what Hot Air blogger Ed Morrissey calls “the Belafonte treatment,” condemning the president-elect — along Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice — with what the media calls a “racially-charged epithet.” Depending on which translation you believe, Zawahiri either called Obama a “house-slave,” or used an even more “charged” phrase — the same insult Harry Belafonte and fellow black activists have hurled at Powell, Rice, and other African Americans who have the temerity to become prominent Republicans. Zawahiri — apparently channelling Jesse Jackson as well as Belafonte — also compared Obama unfavorably to black radical figures such as Malcolm X.
Zawahiri’s outburst must have come as a shock to the more deluded Obama supporters (as opposed to the regularly deluded ones), who apparently thought al-Qaeda and the Taliban would be lining up along Pennsylvania Avenue on January 20 to lay down their weapons at Obama’s feet before rolling over to let him rub their tummies and joining the crowds in a teary rendition of Obama’s Gonna Change It. But if the more imaginative liberal pundits are to be believed, Zawahiri’s anger is perfectly understandable.
As they would have it, al-Qaeda wanted John McCain to win the election because he would perpetuate and perhaps intensify the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere that are the jihadists’ raison d’être. Obama, on the other hand, would reach out to Muslims and Arabs and make right the injustices inflicted on them by the U.S., thereby depriving al-Qaeda of the recruits it needs to sustain its worldwide campaign of terror.
This line of thinking has spawned an entire canon of liberal journalism, of which this Washington Post column by David Ignatius is typical. Ignatius argues that “Obama makes the jihadists nervous because he is an appealing new face whose ascension undermines the belief that Islam and the West are locked in an inescapable clash of civilizations.”
Ignatius also claims Obama would thwart the jihadists’ plan of “drawing America ever deeper onto the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.” Apparently he’s unaware that America is currently well-placed to begin withdrawing from the battlefields of Iraq, and is doing a pretty good job of knocking off al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders in Pakistan’s tribal areas from afar. And he must not be familiar with Obama’s much-vaunted threat to invade Pakistan if necessary to take on the terrorists.
It is just al-Zawahiri who is licking his chops over Obama’s ascension. Friend ad foe alike are lining up to take a shot at him. Do you think the Israeli warning about action against Iran was aimed at the Mullahs? They are putting Obama on notice that they don’t care what he thinks. If they determine that it’s time bomb Iran the first Obama will here of it is when he sees on CNN.
…there’s much in (Obama’s) past — including his morally equivocating response to 9/11.
You mean this one ?
“The essence of this tragedy, it seems to me, derives from a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers…Most often, though, it grows out a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair.”
Oh yeah, a perfect description of the insane instigators (see Osama) and perpetrators (see M. Atta) of 911. Both those guys from wealthy backgrounds whose only interest (besides the attention getting and martyrdom things)is destroying anything associated with “the west”.
Maybe The One™ can fix all that nasty thinking with his proposed worldwide poverty fund. (Sarcasm Alert)
Anyway, I think to the guys who want to spread the Ummah and re-institute the worldwide Caliphate, the particular brand of US President might be largely irrelevant. I also think Mesopotamia, specifically Iraq, is still on their plate for the re-emergence of the Islamic center of the universe.
Another brand of terrorist (Ahmadinejhad, Chavez, Medvedev/Putin’s goons) appears to be happier with Barack than they would have been with John McCain.
I’m more concerned about domestic terrorists who hate the idea of a black person in the Oval Office.
I find it amazing that the Leftists seemingly have no concept of the word “enemy”. All they have to do is remember back to primary school and find the classmates who just didn’t like them, for no reason, other than they just didn’t. No specific word or deed could change the irrational dislike or outright hatred. Many times, it took a real fight to reconcile things, something that would be considered barbaric by today’s effete standard of school discipline. Most of those fights did work, however, to stop a lot of senseless bickering and sometimes, when respect was earned, friends were made.
What is this? Why when we here something positive “Al Qaeda is going to put a holt” on their previous ways that we try to throw gasoline on a burning fire. Thanks for trying to “wake” the African American society up to what is remembered as the Belafonte..blah blah blah, but we don’t need this type of propaganda during a time of change and Bush-less struggle to normalcy.
Would they prefer the candidate who has been unshakable in his support for America’s men and women in uniform, or the candidate who accused U.S. forces in Afghanistan of doing nothing but “air-raiding villages and killing civilians”;
Just a horrible, horrible lie.
Obama will go after the terrorists and destroy them.
THEY LIVE!!!! BIg Brother will stop at nothing to accomplish their objectives. The Illuminati is in control and the have always been!
We need real change,but it seems futile.
Wow I think I’m dizzy from all the spin in this article.
I guess two weeks just isn’t enough time to cope with the defeat of a person’s chosen candidate.
While reading this article I felt an overwhelming urge to visit http://www.MrRooteronline.com, but sadly, they do not clean computers nor, even sadder still, brains. Now I have to take a shower…I feel so …….soiled, and the author is so full of, let me be polite, congealed, putrefying excrement.
Mark my words; America or one of its allies will be attacked within Obama’s first year in office. How did 62 million people hire a guy who has no qualifications, for the most important job in our country? You should have to take a common sense test in order to vote. Then again, ACORN supposedly signed Mickey Mouse up for an absentee ballot.
Old Timer – Who was in charge on 9/11?
this article is trifle. horribly biased. once again claiming the best decision in the WoT was to send more troops. utterly dismissing the decision to react impulsively, and pull a gun on anyone that might have felt sorry for us in the region. nobody ever talks about throwing the middle east a picnic of love, just Wars on Terror. obama WAS wrong if he accused the US troops of “just” “dropping bombs and air-raiding villages”, the troops are just the sorry saps that get scape goated. the bombs dont say Pvt. 1st Class blah blah blah, they say USA. America is dropping bombs, america DROPS bombs now, we Create Enemies. us vs. them. a 3rd grader knows “fighting never solves anything”, somehow americans were tricked into thinking it does. maybe if you beat the crap out of them, they will become so demoralized theyll change their ways. isnt THAT terrorism? we would like to think we have some moral responsibility to rid the world of certain things, so did hitler. there is no right wing, there is no left wing. there are only confused individuals who over identify with something somebody told them. P.S. they believe in the same God you do, they believe in Jesus of Nazareth, the virgin mary, moses, noah, adam and eve. they just over identify with the story just like you. where does jesus say ANYTHING about getting someone back? you know what he DOES say? thank your lucky stars you got slapped, dont react, infact, let him smack you again, youre not the shit, get over it. thats how you get to heaven ladies and gentlemen, the meek shall inherit the earth. not the guy with the biggest bombs. you are supposed to turn the other cheek because if you do, you NEGATE reaction, EMPLOY contemplation, and are violently acquainted with the personal freedom of diminished ego. i somehow dont see jesus with the big foam finger going “were number 1, were number 1!” they put him to death because thats what they thought he was saying. INRI, jesus of nazareth king of the jews. he was the example. “do this in memory of me”. was he chucking a bomb at somebody or was he chillin, having a bomb chucked at him? enough.
The real muslims are not terrorists. They are people of peace and love. Killing innocent people is not part of the Koran.
The real cowards that have to hide in caves and kill innocent people. That is Osama and Al Queada
and Al-Zwahari. They preach hate. They have to be stopped and eliminated. They do not preach the Koran.
Soon they will be eliminated and all their followers.
I recall that quite some time ago I knew that Obama was going to be a President as described in the article “the community organizer with movie-star appeal…” and also what my sister mentioned that is stated in a comment “…concerned about domestic terrorists who hate the idea of a black person in the Oval Office.”
We must maintain our show of strength to the world or we will die as cowards…I know you will think that is harsh words but these are harsh times…I was a military brat growing up, I was a teen-ager during the Cuban Crisis living on an Air Force base in Michigan, a base with wing tip to wing tip B-52 bombers on our flight line because the B-52′s in Florida had been moved to our base…I went out and helped fill sandbags to put in our basement windows to go along with the “bomb shelters” we had in our basements, under the stairs…do you have any idea how absolutely worthless that was since with a direct hit we would have been a crater and a near hit would have been about the same so miles and miles away would have reduced us to ashes in the fire storm and even if lucky enough to still be on the face of the planet, we would be dieing of radiation poisoning…so why do I bring this up, well because we were close to a war, closer than civilians realized, but no matter what you want to say about the Russians, they are intellegent people and knew what an atomic war would do to this planet…the people who are our enemies now don’t care what happens to this planet, they do not value human life, they would use atomic bombs as readily as they use their IUD’s now without regards to the effect it would have on the entire world…
We are seen as the “Big Brother” to all other countries and it is up to us to maintain that position and to quote another comment…”Most of those fights did work, however, to stop a lot of senseless bickering and sometimes, when respect was earned, friends were made.”
Obama does not have the personality that is needed to be the President of the most powerful nation in the world, so “if” everything goes to hell in a handbasket please remember you’ve been warned…the only hope we have is that those around him have the fortitude to keep him from allowing us to become the stepping stones on which the “ENEMIES” trod in their torture of our world.
Hurley, you lack any vestige of knowledge, common sense, or logic. Yeah, Bush was in charge, all of a few months, after a sabotaged transition from the Clinton crowd and a total dearth of real data concerning any terrorist activity handed over. Plus the Clinton Administration’s head-in-the-sand foreign policy. Oh, and don’t forget the Gorrelick, Church et al eviscerated US intelligence capability. But that’s all pretty much over your head, no doubt. By the way, look at the string of terrorist attacks against American interests during Clinton’s watch…remember the Cole among numerous others? how many since 9/11? That would be none.
kdman – and you mean to say that the terrorists did not tremble in their boots bacasue the cowboy was in charge?
tanstaaffl:
I thought Bush looked deeply into Putin’s soul.
POLITICS ASIDE, IT’S OVER IN IRAQ
Time to recognize the realities on the ground and in the Middle East generally:
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2008/11/iraq-in-rear-view-mirror.html
This article is pointless, and the author should be encouraged to share his viewpoint with as few people as possible, as it is terribly apparent he is biased to the point of insensibility (‘more deluded’ as opposed to ‘regularly deluded’). Oh, lord forbid we try to address the reasons for the hatred directed at the U.S., why do that? beat ‘em senseless and we’ll get what we want, that’s the way it is. Well, the majority of Americans (and I’m sure not all of them ‘dirty un-American liberals) spoke out this month, let’s try something else, let’s try to act like the Christians we say we are and not the biggest bully in the schoolyard. I, for one, am ready to act like I’m a citizen of the world, not just a country too accustomed to running roughshod over the rest of the world.
11. Old Timer:
Mark my words; America or one of its allies will be attacked within Obama’s first year in office. How did 62 million people hire a guy who has no qualifications, for the most important job in our country? You should have to take a common sense test in order to vote. Then again, ACORN supposedly signed Mickey Mouse up for an absentee ballot.
___________________________________________________
LOL….where was I when Mickey Mouse was on the ballot? I thought about writing in Donald Duck! Now THERE’S a race for the finish! lol
Though there are many possible recipients, Matt you draw the short straw for your eloquent, yet incredibly over-simplified, and naive response to this article. Obviously, for the left, blind peaceniks everywhwere, and their ilk, anyone who wants to defend themselves from agression is wrong. Wrong for humanity, wrong for themselves, and wrong in the eyes of their Lord (whom i would question Matt if he is “truly” acquainted with or just uses as a punch line.) Defending oneself and one’s neighbors is not only rightous, it is biblical. “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.” Check it out. Dropping bombs, really? Where is that? Dropping food. Dropping literature that encouorages. Dropping freedom for those who lived without. Dropping everything and heeding the call to fredom. Those who blather about how evil the US is seem to forget that the US is the single greatest liberator of all-time. Do you forget? Did you study history. Do you rememeber guys like Hitler, and Mussolini, and Stalin? Do you remember the Soviet Union (whom I sure you still miss)? Do you recognize the name Saddam Hussein and know his “real” history, or are you too jaded in the cause celeb that these historical facts are to be ignored. Whether you have ever stood a post or not, you must know that freedom is earned and defended. Turn the other cheek to you is a punchline. You speak of going to heaven by taking the shots of our enemies as if you really believe that this will simply make it all stop. That talking to people who wants us not only slapped in the face, but DEAD, will solve the worlds problems. Let’s have a love picnic. What the f*ck is that?!! An f’n love picnic?!! That’s what we do when we feed the poor. Cloth the naked, and house the homeless, like we are in Iraq, and like we do in our own wonderful country everyday, you America-hating cretin. We’re not only “the shit”, and the most generous country on earth, but when we cease being the “shit”, this world will suffer in ways your cum bi ya ass cannot imagine. None of this has to do with religion, this is survival. Grab some common sense whenever its on sale. Way enough
rickster, the terrorists are attacking the West for our devotion to tolerance of diverse views. That’s what they claim in their videos, anyway. They want us to abandon that and embrace a Koranic singularity with them. Are you ready for that? If not, then join us in self-defense, please, rather than name-calling and intolerance toward the defenders and the tolerant.
Matt:
Just try telling the survivors of Nazi concentration camps that fighting solves nothing. Tell it to the slaves that the Civil War to free them did solve the problem of slavery. Your logic is that of a second grader.
Pat J….Seriously? That’s your post? “I’m more concerned about domestic terrorists who hate the idea of a black man in the Oval Office.” Your apathy towards global terrorism saddens me for myself and my family. There are always wack-o’s intent on bringing down a President but that’s true regardless of color. Remember Kennedy, Lincoln, Reagan? Obama will be guarded 24/7. It’s our American citizens abroad, our servicemen and women and terrorists hitting on US soil that I worry about. Put down your Obamanaid and realize that there’s a big world out there now that you’ve now entrusted Obama to worry about. Sheesh.
matt maertens….”nobody ever talks about sending the middle east a picnic of love…”" OMG! Now why didn’t we just send Hitler a big fruit basket matt? Why didn’t we just have Japan over for fondue? All would have been well if we could just sit and write poetry together right? You did take a history class or two in high school right? Pearl Harbor was not a diving center for the jewelery traders. You knew that right? The concentration camps were not a summer hangout for the learned elite. You knew that right? Seriously. What a lame post.
Well, whatta’ you know!… You mean there is someone besides we conservatives who realizes that Obama really isn’t the Messiah? Socialist yes, Marxist maybe, Messiah definitely NOT!
When Pat J commented about being more concerned about domestic terrorists who hate the idea of a black person in the Oval Office, well, it struck a very responsive chord.
You see, when Condi Rice was named Secretary of State, I remember, like it was seared into my brain, all the lunatics chanting and protesting her with signs that read, “Blacks can wait. Not Sec. of State”.
Then when Colin Powell was named for the same post, white America was, once again, agast that a black could serve as Secretary of State.
Those white domestic terrorists are a huge threat to our country, and are doing everything they can to hurt the upcoming Obama Presidency.
White terrorist activity must be stopped before whites in 2012 get the chance to elect another black President.
Pat J, you’re the type of person we need in the CIA. You’d be perfect as an undercover agent that roots out racist whites, and saves the country from their hatred.
Rachel Peepers….Should Pat J also start a file on the black panthers that were outside the polling place on election day? Just asking.
Hurley,
You ask a lot of questions. Please answer me one.
Who was in charge on Dec. 7, 1941, and received solid information the Japanese were about to attack?
And failed to get the information to the more than 2,000 who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor?
Curious.
You blame Bush for 9/11. But I don’t blame Roosevelt for 12/7.
Have any idea why?
People and you know who Im talking about, if your not intelligent to know that the USA doesn’t have its first black man in office stop posting period….we have our first interatial president…which if you remember correctly just about 25 years ago blacks and whites both hated interatial couples their children shuned in school by blacks and whites and in about a year when all of you are going to wish Bush was back in office I bet the blacks wont call him the first black president anymore.
Thinking Person:
Definitely, Pat J. should start a file on the B Panthers in Philadelphia. In fact, Pat J. needs to
start a whole bunch of files. I hear gays in San Francisco are threatening to join the Marines. Imagine the affect on morale. Files. An idea we can unite around. Thinking person, those wheels never stop turning.
Regards,
Rachel
“Don’t expect terrorists to lay down their weapons at the president-elect’s feet.”
Well, duh.
This is probably the most muddled, least convincing insight to the terrorist mind PJ Media has ever published.
Anyway, the election is over. Move on.
When will we learn that we all are the same and that the creator is the beginning and the end. All are guilty, and noone wants Gods way, but rather their own way/s. There will always be war and great rulers will always be brought down because of their greed and selfishness. America has done terrible things to humanity and so have others. We will never have peace until we submit our will to do Gods will. Everything that God says don’t do, man says it’s fine, and we all are suffering because of man’s laws. So i’ll see you all on judgement day. Until then, enjoy what you think is freedom in the physical. God Bless you all!
Bandele, if we indeed have a duty to be stewards of the earth, then we must have the freedom to do so. And it is free people who have protected it; the environmental disasters of tyrannies are well-documented, if soon forgotten. Those who do not respect their brothers will not respect the earth.
We were given free will for reasons, among them so that we could exercise it well in accordance with our moral sense, and in so doing, improve our moral sense by the prudential knowledge thus acquired.
Failing to protect the weak from the cruel and vicious does not fulfill that duty; claiming that strength is evil because the evil use it ignores its value in standing in harm’s way.
When will we see Obama again live and not in a video reading off a teleprompter? What did 60 million people elect The Wizard of Oz? He and al Zawahiri all you see them are on videos.
12. Robert Hurley:
Old Timer – Who was in charge on 9/11?
You know of course that Al Qaida was responsible for the 1993 bombing in the basement of the World Trade Center, The bombings of two of our embassies, the suicide attack explosion of the USS Cole in Yemen… all of which were on Bill Clinton’s watch. Bill was to inept a Commander-in-Chief, dereliction of duty actually, to go after them. So why shouldn’t Bin Laden think he could get away with 9/11.
Name me one terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. Who’s watch was that on? Uh, I believe that would be George W. Bush. Bush like him or hate him, has so far kept the enemy away from the gates. No we all will have to see how President-elect Obama does. For our sakes I wish and hope him well. But, he may be sending the wrong or at least mixed signals to our enemies. Saying he wants to cut military spending, talk to rogue nations leaders, associating with anti-Israel persons like Khalidi, associations with his Quirky anti-American anti-semetic reverend and on and on. Who knows exactly how they (the terrorists) interpret all this. I know I’m certainly wondering. I believe if they feel we’re weak they’ll try and hit us again. Not really if, but as a mnatter of when and where. I hope a President Obama will do his duty, adhere to his oath of office, to defend America and our constitution. If he does, I’ll support him, if not, then I’ll want him impeached for dereliction of duty.
Listen up Mr. Mcnally. At every turn in your attempt to discredit Obama and the liberal MAJORITY in the country, you have just again given us evidence that die-hard republicans can’t get their heads out of their rectums. I read the article about Obama’s response to 9/11 that you had linked to at the end of your article. There was not ONE thing in his response that I disagree with. Also, what exactly do you find amiss about his statement? Are you some war mongering Nazi? IF there was a way to solve this without death and destruction, wouldn’t you want our country to take that route? Our country was supposed to be the one that took the moral high ground. If left in your sweaty hands and the Bush administration’s bloody hands, this country would spiral into the moral grey area that Russia now resides. They feel they can do whatever they like to “protect their interests and sovereignty”. So tell me this, why shouldn’t we try and change the reasons why they islamic radicals hate us in the first place? Honestly, we have had ONE domestic attack of any substance since WWII. That is not enough for us to drastically change our empathetic view of the world. We are supposed to allow people to express themselves and live free lives, not battle endless groups of terrorists, emboldening their cause. That’s right. They F’n hate us BECAUSE we are viewed as world police. If we didn’t act like ancient rome, they wouldn’t treat us like the self-proclaimed rulers that we believe we are. The problem was caused by us. We had no business kicking people out of their homes when we gave Israel the Palestinian land after WWII. I am jewish, so I obviously see why we did this, but we really had no right to do so. We started the problem, so why shouldn’t we try to work this out with words and
legislation as opposed to stomping out the resistance that we so strongly fought to create? Tell me why working things out with words is the way we propose to deal with problems in our personal lives, but when it comes to social issues on an international scale, we relapse into a neanderthalistic mindset of kill or die? I know that all of this is going to go in one ear and out the other because of your complete lack of compassion for other races. Do you think that your racist attitude getting by us unnoticed? You obviously view the Middle East patrons as less than you, otherwise you’d have a shred of decency and compassion towards their plight. We care. You “religious” republicans should care about someone else besides your sect and your country and your race. The world is our country. Borders do not really exist, as they were the best way to deal with early man constantly fighting for land.
We should treat the whole world equally, and eventually the world will catch up to our values once they see how good they feel in a free world. Freedom of information, freedom of education, and freedom of communication is all that is needed to turn this around. You’ll see, mother F’er. You’ll see.
27
thegr8_1…all I can say is at least this President seems to actually be able to read what is going off the telepromter. You know people, I know we’ve been under Bush for 8 years but really…being eloquent and thoughtful is a good thing.
The Old Timer has foreshadowed it correctly. Within a year we will see an attack on the US proper or an ally of a magnitude that we will wonder why it had not come sooner. Why? Because Al Qaeda will make a political decision to expend political assets, re: suicide bombers and plotters to make a statement to the world that Obama just gets them all excited and they can’t help themselves any longer.
There are many, many good people working in intel around the globe trying to stop numerous operations but unfortunately Al Qaeda will take more risks and decide to expend assets now (post Jan. 20) to change the dynamics.
And if I recall correctly, Obama will marshall all the weight and resources he can to aid the first responders. That was his “reply” in a debate to an attack.
Funny, reality has a way of crowding in and from the appearance of Obama after he was given an intel briefing, he just found religion. With his NSA announced of a military pedigree, he just found out what he’s gotten himself into. President Bush has not gone so gray and worn from political stress. He put himself on the line to defend the country. Historically, he will be remembered not only for his mistakes but also for his defense and mercilessly so on behalf of liberty.
Obama doesn’t inspire confidence. He does however inspire America’s enemies. Said in sadness as it will be the blood of innocents in the Western world who will pay.
jerryofva:
It is just al-Zawahiri who is licking his chops over Obama’s ascension. Friend ad foe alike are lining up to take a shot at him. Do you think the Israeli warning about action against Iran was aimed at the Mullahs? They are putting Obama on notice that they don’t care what he thinks. If they determine that it’s time bomb Iran the first Obama will here of it is when he sees on CNN.
Bottom line, Israel is just another small country with a bark much bigger than it’s bite, barely able to hold against Hezbollah, let alone a large nation. It survives only because the US broke, and stands ready to break – another oil embargo.
The Israelis darn well better care what Obama & the Americans think, and Turkey thinks, and KSA thinks, what Russia thinks, and finally – what Iraq and Jordan think. They cannot hit Iran other than with nuke weapons delivered by missiles without USA and other nation help letting the Israelis penetrate their airspace and allow refuelings. Which would make such nations, many strongly anti-Zionist, complicit.
If the 1st news any involved nation gets is hostile Israeli warplanes penetrating their airspace, they and any refueling tankers will be targeted. That may very well include Iraq and Americans defending their airspace. (As is, DOD Secretary Robert Gates has said – “They asked us about more JDAMs and refueling tankers and we said no. They asked about crossing airspace and we said don’t ask us, ask the sovereign Jordanian and Iraqi Gov’ts.”)
And the first Obama would hear of it better be from the Israeli Embassy before a sneak attack happens. If we see it going down on the radars we have at Incirlik and Amman and in the Med that keep an eye on the Jews and the Arabs – Obama will know as DOD alerts him we are going to Defcon 2 five minutes into such a sneak attack on Iran – and awaiting calls from the Brits and Russians to him.
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15 – Maggie – the people who are our enemies now don’t care what happens to this planet, they do not value human life, they would use atomic bombs as readily as they use their IUD’s now without regards to the effect it would have on the entire world…
The assumption “muslims are not rational” when it comes to WMD is somewhat disproven by no Muslim country using germ warfare, sparse use of poison gas, and no inclination to immediately use their nukes – but instead sit on them for 10 years in secure bunkers (Pakistan).
Clearly, no one welcomes Iran having nuclear weapons – but surrounded by hostile countries, Iran must either have a nuclear security guarantee, live in a WMD-free ME (which involves disarming Israel of its germ bombs, nerve gas, and nukes), or seek strategic parity.
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21 – ANG – Ang:
11. Old Timer:
Mark my words; America or one of its allies will be attacked within Obama’s first year in office.
By whom, and why? That is a silly prediction given we have 80 or so treatied allies, plus some 35-50 non-treatied ones we declare “friendship with” – like Uzbeckistan, Ghana, Israel, Moldava..
And it is easy to call anything from a skirmish, to a low casualty terror attack (under 200) to a pirate takeover an “attack”.
How did 62 million people hire a guy who has no qualifications, for the most important job in our country?
By Democrats putting up no one with proven executive ability, while Republicans just had Rudy and Romney with significant executive strengths – both rejected by the Religious Right. That left Obama fighting Hillary, who was out-fought, outwitted, and out-organized constantly by Obama and his people. Then in the General Election, Obama proved himself and his organization far superior at leadership and having a coherent vision to the stumbling McCain. McCain, who ran on character and found character is no substitute for good ideas and the ability to communicate them.
End of the day, voters decided Obama would make a better President than either Hillary or “the old, somewhat erratic and jabbering” ex-soldier.
Baloney, When Obama gave his speech in Chicago after he had won he had said something like “to those who would hurt innocent people, you will still be pursued and dealt with.” He didn’t have to add that and he did. It was a pretty bold statement for him to make at that juncture in time so I believe he will kick butt if needed AND he intends to leave Gates as defense secretary.
I want to thank njcommuter for such an eloquent defense of free will, and our obligation to exercise it. From my readings of fundamentalist Islamic religious texts, the defining characteristic of Islam is its dismissal of human intellect. The only worthwhile decision that a human being can make is to “embrace” Islam and conform uncritically to its strictures. Since all moral questions have been answered, humanity is obligated to suppress its capacity for innovation, a dangerous impulse that leads people to usurp the authority of God. The ideal role of a human is as an unthinking drone.
This line of thought is replicated to a certain degree amongst all religions. Bandele is a Christian example of this phenomenon. Although he may gain a smug sense of moral superiority through his unreasoning conformity, it is ultimately worthless. If he was a Hindu, he would have joined the the militant Hindu groups currently hunting down Christians in the north of India. And if he was a Muslim, he would have happily joined Al Qaeda. Lets hope that America is not breeding its own version of the Taliban.
In regards to the article, perhaps we should not base our actions on the words of a morally gangrenous individual like Zawahiri. His group and its ideology is built on religious bigotry and supremacy. The most damaging thing we can do is to give him influence over our thoughts. Obama should be judged for the way in which he deals with this current group of terrorists. I see their claims about being able to direct the future course of human affairs as holding the same amount of water as the viability of cryogenic suspension. While both claim the ability to preserve something, there is no indication that they would be able to bring their fetishes to life. Iran was going to export Islamic revolution to the entire world. The extent of their global revolution has been to fund regional terrorist groups and militias. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has become so integrated into business that it should be a registered company. Even if Pakistan were to fall to the Taliban, eventually they would face the same challenges that Iran’s rulers now fight (without oil). The best way to deal with global terrorism is concerted international effort combining military, intelligence, police and social work. We will fight where we must and negotiate where we can. Although mistakes will be made and we will endure defeats, we cannot abandon this fight.
28. Rachel Peepers:
You see, when Condi Rice was named Secretary of State, I remember, like it was seared into my brain, all the lunatics chanting and protesting her with signs that read, “Blacks can wait. Not Sec. of State”.
Then when Colin Powell was named for the same post, white America was, once again, agast that a black could serve as Secretary of State.
Ms. Peepers, I disagree with your broad generalization that “White America” is “agast” or is opposed to, or hates Black political appointees or politicians or presidents. Sure there are bigots, racists, supremists, extremists, divisive plotters, whackos, “the Lunatics” you mention, (although I’m sure it was not ALL of them as you state), hate mongering wannabe leaders, etc. They, and their ilk exist in all racial groups. And, the media loves to give them all the attention they can. I do not deny that World as well as American culture has a long history of discrimination. The fearful, primitive, tribal,“us versus them” mentality is the default human unenlightened state. Such sentiments are still used to polarize populations into hate and other horrible activities, but I think the world is making progress, and America is one of the leaders in that progress. I can tell you that I personally, as a white male moderately conservative American do not share those sentiments regarding persons of any gender, color, racial heritage, etc., and I expect much of “White America” is willing to go on with life as usual under a new administration. People are more interested in what qualifications and abilities a person brings to the table. Mr. Obama seems to have a sort of mixed bag, plenty of charisma, organization, energy, but not much in the way of substantive plans for the enormous problems that are about to be dumped on his desk. So all Americans will be watching and hoping Mr. Obama does us all proud. Whether they voted for him or not.
Oh, he has another thing going for him; it would be hard to do worse than the previous President.
But, if history teaches us anything, it’s not impossible.
Now, the original thrust of this discussion: Bin Laden and Company are still a force to be dealt with. Can Obama do it? I hope so. Because he is now the Commander in Chief. His predecessor did a fair-to-poor job of it, and left a big stinking mess. Al-Qaeda’s Ayman al-Zawahiri can spin his B.S. all he wants. And, it may be (past)time for more diplomatic efforts on the part of America. None the less, we are still in a war. It is a war about individual freedoms vs. tyranny. I hope we win.
Old- timer: How do you qualify to be come president? I case you didn’t know president bush must not have been qualify Mickey Mouse should have been on the ballot the time bush was running I think people would came out better voting for Mickey just maybe a lot of people would not be out of a job, people lost their house and their retirements 9/11 thousands of people got kill what did your president do he started one war and jump into another war it was not for the people he said Saddam tried to kill his dad. So when you talk about somebody that is not qualified think about bush. You people need get over it white is not always right
38. William:
“We are supposed to allow people to express themselves and live free lives, not battle endless groups of terrorists, emboldening their cause. That’s right. They F’n hate us BECAUSE we are viewed as world police.”
Seriously ? The extremist muslims don’t want to talk or debate ( which also involves listening to your opponents point of view..) they pronounce verdicts and laws and demands ! They are the ones that take away others freedoms ! They are the ones that use c-4 explosives strapped to some poor schmuck that has been filled with hate and lies by them to do their talking for them. You honestly believe these people will sit down and have a nice chat ? Even if you complied with all of their requests you would still be considered less than them especially being jewish ! We are talking about extremists not the average populace of the middle east. I am so glad that people like you can reap the benefit of freedom provided to you by the brave and determined who keep the home of freedom safe and secure. Talking is great but sanity is a requirement for this to be beneficial and extremist demonstrate time and time again that they lack the sanity required. If you ever run across a rabid dog let me know how talking went for you.
Rachel Peepers, Colin Powell was Secretary of State BEFORE Condeleesa Rice. So if you’re going to resort to sarcasm, at least get your facts straight.
This article is stupid. 2 minutes I will never get back! Now back to making money!
It’s going to be sad when Obama and his leftist illuminati ways let our enemies walk all over us. Trying to please everyone doesn’t work anywhere, especially not in running a country.
ahhh, the beauty of america… freedom of expression in the age of information technology, thanks to the men and women (free i might add…) who have created this amazing medium for us to exchange ideas & opinions at a “safe” distance! i wonder how such exchanges would have turned out were they face-to-face? i wonder if we would have all maintained the civility we all claim to have? Hmmm, the wonders of human beings. All of you please read the article posted today of an interview with archbishop desmond tutu of south africa (i imagine everyone on here knows who he is..) http://www.democracynow.org/2008/11/21/south_african_archbishop_desmond_tutu_on
for those that desperately believe that diplomacy is a “liberal” agenda and therefore not an option, please take a moment and reconsider. if the archbishops words mean nothing to you, then theres no hope for you. face it, america screwed up with iraq and is paying the price, unfortunately with lives and, less importantly, your hard earned tax funds. regardless, the damage is done, we must contain the situation to ensure we come out of it on top. someone (i’m not even going to try to figure out who it was, you know who you are…) posted something about “filling sandbags for bunkers in michigan…” are you f*cking serious?!?!? michi-f’n-gan…?!?!?! thats the problem with the 40-years-and-younger american generation (i’m one of them by the way…), everyone is too domesticated, too metropolitan, too modernized! yo michigan, let me guess…you probably have a cozy bed with about 4 or more pillows and a tv in your bedroom?? you probably one of those that believe that “smart” bombs are truly smart?! have you ever laid in your bed while a bomb is dropping and causing unimaginable destruction 5 kilometers away (not sure how that translate to miles)?! let alone right outside your home?! i’m from a war-torn country and have seen destruction firsthand. if you can’t relate, don’t speak! go to tel aviv and experience a suicide bombing down the street. go to the westbank and experience a random bomb dropping. go to freetown and experience merciless killings & humiliations for no reason. if you can’t relate, don’t speak.
How about leaving everything in Gods hands,everything happens for A reason.
We all know what will happen is going to happen if you read the Bible.
It explains everything.OBAMA IS OUR PRESIDENT ELECT, WE THE PEOPLE ELECTED HIM. BE HAPPY AND PRAY—-PRAY—-PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY.
This article implies that al-Quaeda thinks and acts like REPUBLICANS??
check.
al Quaeda is unhappy with Obama ? He will withdraw the troops, converse with the enemy, he will make everyone happy… I am not Isreali but they live in he world of reality. We do not. They go after their enemies and kill them. But everyone will learn a good lesson soon as more and more ppl lose their jobs, the snowball effect takes us down the road to a depression and guys like Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Pelosi and all our representatives do absolutely nothing to help us. Maybe then and only then will ppl start understanding its a tough world out there and countries need to fight to preserve their place in the world. We have become soft as a nation, we have become lazy, we reward those in society that are NON productive and punish those that earn a good living. We are transitioning to a socialistic, liberal society from a conservative capitalism which made us the envy of all nations. The liberals, attorneys, aclu etc. have ruined this wonderful country. Well lets see what happens the next few years … good luck to those that have the flower in their ear and voted for a President who has absolutely no business experience, and no real world experience. But he does know how to give a great speech….
While the demands of office may convert Obama into a pragmatist, there’s much in his past — including his morally equivocating response to 9/11 — to suggest he shares the leftist view that America needs to change its ways, and engage with its enemies rather than fighting them. (McNally)
Another analysis is that Al Qaeda recognizes this shift towards more friendliness with them, and has appropriately adjusted their public message. Experts at our research institute, Sagacious Leftist Insitute for Middle East Studies, deciphered the al-Zawahri rant have determined that, rather than insults and threats of mass genocide for Allah, it was an attempt at self-parody in an attempt to use humor to win the hearts and minds of Americans.
The details are at:http://lumpsfromtheleft.blogspot.com/
Chris Dodd and Barney Frank both had the responsibility of monitoring and making sure the financial marketplace with emphasis on banking and Freddie and Fannie were on track and doing well. They both keep reporting everything was OK in fact doing well. At the same time they and other libs were pushing and changing laws and policies assisting those in society that were non producers and had no credit to acquire homes although these people had never paid their bills and had poor credit and the chance of paying the loans was very low.
Barney and Chriss are now going to solve the problem ? they both need to be fired and held to answer for their neglect. Now recent facts are that Chris Dodd and Barney rec’d money from Freddie and Fanny and Obama rec’d the second largest ammount. Why are they still around and not in prison ? Why arent all the people involved in prison…this was criminal neglect at the cost of the taxpayers they have failed in their fiduciary repsonsibility to protect us.
Why aren’t people upset at them , why are they still in office… in fact Pelosi was all for the loans going to the “poor ” people. Al of them need to be held to answer.
The Republican party is equivalent to the American Taliban, American al-Quaeda of today and the then Pharisees who crucified the messiah (Jesus Christ).They thought they were doing God a favour!!!
Tim: we live in America and everyone has their right to an opionion obviously no help from you.
William: Dude never said anything racially biased. However I do agree with your reasoning that we are in a moral lock with the Muslim world over the re-creation of Israel
Sherry: Dude never said anything racially biased as well, let alone one so exlusivly as the White race.
If you stick to the facts Jesus did not say raise your hand to the enemy…period. Also He did not say anything about extinguishing the life of another human bieng in self defense or in defense of another human being…period. I would have to guess that in this case I would have to rely solely on faith or by other means than force, Jesus defended his flock through words and maybe a little cleverness. I am not implying anything to any Christians anywhere but like it or not those are the facts according to the king James version.
I myself would love to see heaven as I do love Christ and God but I cannot also refuse the fight brought to our shores. I have 7 years in the Navy and plan on retiring. I believe this is what keeps me from God, but I don’t have the imagination to react any other way to an attack on my country that would be effective enough to make a satisfactory deterrant for further such similar agression.
I’ve reread this piece several times and I honestly don’t get it: Mike McNally, are you saying that Obama’s comments on 9/11 are NOT a thoughtful, considered response that reflects the opnion of his country?
I am not being sarcastic. I just want the writer to clarify this point.
However, I would also like to see him respond to the similarly thoughtful, considered comments posted here that also represent US opinion, most of whom are outraged at the emotions (and yes, despite the Republican stance AGAINST emotions, this is indeed an emotion-based piece) displayed in the article.
Despite Mr McNally’s reputation as a balanced, exceedingly literate (and, I would say, intellectually-biased journalist), I don’t think I’ve ever seen such over-spun, spiteful opinions expressed on PM in a very long time. I hope he returns to previous good form soon.
Face it, good people everywhere around the globe were made less safe with Obama’s win.
How can we expect ‘The One’ to resist terrorism when has great difficulty even recognizing it? The Left is inclined to rationalize terrorism. They are lost in their own self-made maze of relativism. In doing so they excuse themselves from doing anything about it and therefore remain to true to form in avoiding any sort of accountability.
I’m sure that terrorists – and most bad guys everywhere – were quite pleased with the Obama win. Instead of death, they now stand to face the wrath our revolving door justice system and free ACLU legal representation. They are surely shaking in their boots – NOT!
I’m convinced more than ever, that if we had a civics test before people were allowed to register to vote that Republicans would control the Congressional and Executive branches of government. ACORN has been a success for the Democrats, but a failure for America. When this is allowed to happen, to whom do we direct our rage?
Al-Qaeda just love Republican and neo-con. Have your guys forgot what Bin Laden said? He wanted to bankrupt America. Look the financial crisis now and our 10+ trillions nation debit and keep growing (half of that is contributed by Bush.) Use your brains, folks. We need a smart president can fight terroists efficiently and effectively. I’m glad we have Obama as our next president.
OH exdog YOU DO HAVE A WAY WITH WORDS…I HAVE TO SAY YOU ARE RIGHT ON…I USED TO BE A PROTESTOR BACK IN 1985-86 AT OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, I PROTESTED AGAINST NUCLEAR WAR AND WENT TO JAIL 3 TIMES…I FIGURED IF I DID THE CRIME I SHOULD DO THE TIME…BUT, I DID NOT PROTEST AGAINST WAR, IT WOULDN’T DO ANY GOOD, MANKIND HAS BEEN WARING SINCE TIME BEGAN AND WILL CONTINUE REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH WE TRY AND MAKE PEACE WITH OUR ENEMIES…THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT PEACE AND THEY DO NOT CARE IF WE ARE CHRISTIANS, WHICH BY THE WAY WE ARE NOT ALL CHRISTIANS IN THIS COUNTRY BUT THERE ARE OTHER RELIGIONS THAT ARE AS GOOD AS WE ARE, OR RATHER THEY ARE, THE CHRISTIANS, I HAVE CONVERTED TO THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS…ANYWAY, OUR ENEMIES WILL SLAP OUR FACE EVERY TIME WE TURN THE OTHER CHEEK AND THEY WILL NOT ONLY SLAP OUR FACE BUT THEY WILL BLOW US UP…AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE WE ARE THE STRONGEST NATION AND IF WE DO NOT KEEP OURSELVES STRONG WE WILL PERISH AND PERSONALLY I WOULD RATHER FIGHT THAN DIE AND I DEFINENTLY WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LET MY FAMILY BE KILLED BY TERRIORIST…THE PEACENIKS FORGET ONE THING, THEY CAN PROTEST ALL THEY WANT, THEY CAN CONDEMN THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO FIGHT AND THE ADMINISTRATION THAT SENDS OUR MEN AND WOMEN TO FIGHT BUT IF IT WEREN’T FOR OUR MEN AND WOMEN HAVING THE COURAGE TO DEFEND US THOSE PEACENIKS WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO PROTEST AND CRITICIZE NOW WOULD THEY…SO TO ALL THOSE WHO THINK PEACE IS GOING TO HAPPEN, THAT WANT TO TURN THE OTHER CHEEK PLEASE HELP THE POOR AND DOWNTRODDEN AND IF YOU ARE REALLY BRAVE GO OVER THERE AND TALK TO OUR ENEMIES…IF YOU CAN CONVINCE THEM TO STOP HATING US WELL THAT WOULD BE NICE BUT FIRST OF ALL I DOUBT THAT YOU WILL GO OVER THERE, YOU WANT TO STAY HERE AND PROTEST BECAUSE IT’S SAFE RIGHT? SECOND, THEY AREN’T GOING TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND THEY WOULD EITHER SEND YOU PACKING WITH THEIR BOOT UP YOUR B— OR THEY WILL SIMPLY KILL YOU…NOW THAT IS THE ULTIMATE “TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK” ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO DO THAT? SOMEHOW I DON’T THINK SO!!!!
At the end of the day, I don’t think that terrorist care who is in charge of the country they’ve sworn to wipe out; I don’t think many of them have any vested interest in party divisions; whoever leads may affect their strategies, but not their core beliefs.
The liberal illuminati need to see the situation for what it is: an initiation into the Presidency by America’s enemies. As soon as a leader is named in some grainy middle eastern footage, ready or not, here they come. I hope he’s ready for it.
rico, either you’re a Muslim engaging in subterfuge, in which case, you are the enemy, or you have never read the Koran, in which case you are a useful idiot. The Koran commands Muslims to “fight and subdue the infidels, and defeat them in every stratagem of war.” Everything they say about Jesus is a lie, for they deny He is God, deny He died for my sins, and deny He is Risen from the dead. They are of their father, the devil, who was a liar, a thief and a murderer from the day he fell from grace.
Today in Iraq, we have a victory.
A Baathist thugocracy that gave aid and comfort to Wahabi fanatics is no more. In its place is
a republican form of government most amenable to
the goal of maintaining and perpetuating these United States as a free and independent federal republic.
This has been accomplished by getting the people of Iraq to stand up for our way of life by standing up for themselves. Such an achievement is marvelous, if not miraculous.
Essential to this victory has been the determination of George W. Bush to see things through. He deserves full credit for accomplishing what many said could not be done.
Should, (May Heaven Forbid!) this hard-won and incredible victory be squandered in the next four years, Barack Obama will be unable to escape responsibility. One hopes and prays he fulfills his duties as he should.
For the moment, be so good as to lift your glasses with me and dedicate a libation to
The Man From Midland. It is the least we can do.
Pat jerk, the only terrorist on the american soil is william ayers, and he’s buddy with your fraud president
There are probably also muslim terrorists, but again, I bet your zerobama can feel their pain because of his family ties.
Well, let me say how we think in EU.
First of all, both of us, american and non-american people are watching TV, surfing the net to catch/read the news, so don’t tell me people outside of the US have wrong idea about what is going on… Surely we watching the same CNN news the same BBS news and – how ironic – sometimes the same internet page…
I’m sure non of you are next to Bush, being one of his chairman, so let me say it’s the same view/angle.
So after the 2nd day has passed at Iraq, when Bush invaded that country for “helping them to make their own goverment” … the ESSO concern camped into Iraq and started to raffinate the oil. Of course that oil were NOT given back to Iraqi people. It’s all about oil, not about terrorism or whatever. They have their own belief (they are Muslims), we have our too (we are Protestants / Catholics whatever). 2 thousand years have passed after we started to count days, weeks, years. Don’t tell me that it had to pass 2000 years (2001 correctly) and only after THAT America realized that some people in the Earth Globe are evil and MUST CALLED terrorist. There were always conflicts in the mid east and always will be. Since they have problems with each other and always will have. I think it’s not America’s responsibility that what does the people outside in the US. And I’m sure Iraq never asked America to help. Nor Milosevic asked help in Serbia. Both of them, got raided by bombers. And also nobody asked the older Bush @ gulf war. And the row is nearly endless: Afghanistan, Libya, etc… America took part many wars / conflicts where nobody asked its help. This is all about business / oil / shoot the unused military stuff. And its all about your economy, no matter who is your actual president. I’m sorry if you did not realize it before.
I am an EU citizen as well.
Do not believe that ZzZzZ is a speaker for the whole EU.
Besides, his comment is a bit confused. I am not really sure whether it is more than a few recycled sound bites from the MSM (which are equally f-ed up in the EU and in the US of A).
71. susan:
Pat jerk, the only terrorist on the american soil is william ayers, and he’s buddy with your fraud president
—————-
There there now. Just because McCain took the mic away from you at that rally after you said you were afraid of Obama because you thought he was an Arab is no reason to get your bowels in an uproar.
Lancelot Link was a monkey and so are you Mr. McNally. Just because George Salem says so, doesn’t mean you have to belong to the KMGH Union, right? I mean its all there in black and white. Tony Blair and the other screwheads are no better. They brought their knives to a gun fight and now wonder why the mosques popping up everywhere in London are the biggest thing on the block. Even Bucky Dilts and the rest of the shit-puppet ’77 Denver Broncos could have done a better job at rooting out Al Qeada then Mr. Mince Meat and his Candlewax Sassafrass squad are doing. Its the old trick where you light the fuse but someone else smacks the puppet. Savvy?
Funny….
Kill 3,000 innocent people in an hour, and we must learn why they are upset and understand their needs and concerns.
Call Obama a “House Negro” and the left finally gets P.O.’ed.
P.C. gone amuck. You can kill people, but you better not offend!
This latest lame attempt by al qaeda to use “reverse psychology propaganda” is laughable. They cheered and celebrated Obama’s win! They absolutely want Western troops out of Iraq and Afghanastan. They would much prefer the safety and luxury of planning attacks with no fear of predators hunting them on their own turf.
Everyday day we are there more of them die. Many of their leaders die.
In the past three months a dozen top al qaeda and taliban leaders have been killed along with hundreds of their cell members. Western troops routing through their sandbox, killing them, is their worst nightmare.
Make NO mistake about it, al qaeda, taliban, hamas, hezbollah nor any other islamic jihadi militants wanted John McCain to win.