It's random. Best way to create hysteria. It's no longer 'them' it's us. I'm not saying we should stop living our lives, but that is how to create hysteria. Hysteria leads to knee jerk reactions that don't fix, and often make things worse.
1
If you want a reason, connect the dots. IS there a line that is common in all of them: A week or so ago a woman was stoned to death after a crow heard she did some thing to the Koran. I was false. After the crowd brutally murdered her they threw her body away so it could be eaten by the dogs. This morning a report of a woman who had her nose cut of when she protested her husband's plans to take a second wife who was 7 years old. Where did he get the idea he was untitled to do that. In November 128 people were murdered.
A short time later, 21 died in California.IF this was a series of murders the FBI would profile the murderer or murderers. That is what we should consider. When all the dots are connected is there a common thread.
This isn't a Timothy McVeigh case. This is world wide and by different groups of people all over the world.. When there are that many, trying to excuse them by saying yes they are this but of course they are that kind of this doesn't help.
A short time later, 21 died in California.IF this was a series of murders the FBI would profile the murderer or murderers. That is what we should consider. When all the dots are connected is there a common thread.
This isn't a Timothy McVeigh case. This is world wide and by different groups of people all over the world.. When there are that many, trying to excuse them by saying yes they are this but of course they are that kind of this doesn't help.
3
On several trips to Mexico's Yucatan area, I noticed that both Marines and local police patrolled in Pick up truck with braces so patrolmen and Marines could ride visibly carrying automatic weapons. Like it or not, it is a comfort.
Stop in a local car dealer down there and they have security. In fact, just about every business of any size seems to have security at a level we do not see in America.
This is a new era, albeit an unfortunate one. These terrorists try to destabilize areas of opportunity, I believe. The terrorists won't stop anytime soon. An unfortunate side effect is that we will all have to pay more because of added security expenses.
Although I suspect armed soldiers or police with automatic weapons riding up your main high class shopping area may cause come concern, it may come to that.
Stop in a local car dealer down there and they have security. In fact, just about every business of any size seems to have security at a level we do not see in America.
This is a new era, albeit an unfortunate one. These terrorists try to destabilize areas of opportunity, I believe. The terrorists won't stop anytime soon. An unfortunate side effect is that we will all have to pay more because of added security expenses.
Although I suspect armed soldiers or police with automatic weapons riding up your main high class shopping area may cause come concern, it may come to that.
1
As the 2016 election approaches, it is terrifying to contemplate what would happen should a group stage a wanton, bloody attack similar to these in our country in September or October.
Would enough people react fearfully to elect someone like Donald Trump to be President of the United States?
Certainly there are jihadists around the world who would like to see America led by someone as apparently unstable and potentially destructive as Trump.
Would enough people react fearfully to elect someone like Donald Trump to be President of the United States?
Certainly there are jihadists around the world who would like to see America led by someone as apparently unstable and potentially destructive as Trump.
3
My sincerest condolences go out to the families of the victims as the people who had been killed in these attacks were all productive members of society. Many of these victims had dedicated their time and effort to helping other individuals achieve a better quality of life. Whether that be teaching in a classroom, providing missionary aid, or treating patients with disabilities all these victims had played their part in shaping our society to be a place for growth and development. Terrorists attack public places such as shopping malls, cultural landmarks, etc. because the impact instills fear on other productive members of society which often frequent these locations. Thus, a terrorist’s main objective is to manipulate the general publics view that being a productive citizen in todays society will ultimately get you killed. Additionally, terrorists chose to strike mainly at destinations where there are large number of nationalities present so the traumatizing effect could be felt across a number of nations.
When a young man believes that he is chosen by god- a member of the only "true" religion- and yet, his country is an underachieving hell-hole where the people live in poverty, women are chattels, the government is corrupt and ineffective- he turns to violence. Why? Because he cannot bear the dissonance between his beliefs (god favors me and mine above all) and the sad realities of living a in a modern world, hobbled by medieval beliefs.
4
Thanks, NYT, for changing the photo caption on the top photo. The original had identified the Carriers by full name, left to right, but merely threw in "a nun" when it came to the woman sitting with them. The new, current caption more decently explains that she was not identified by the relatives supplying the photo.
As awful as the deaths described in this article are, I'm afraid blunders like the NYT's original caption reveal an ugly bias to coverage of far-flung places -- especially Africa, where I live. This piece, while worthy in its commemoration of the lives of the visitors working abroad, tends to perpetuate the trend of Western media describing Africa as a landscape upon which Westerners act while Africans do nothing. We read that the Carriers were fixing up a school -- a volunteer activity that Westerners are familiar with -- but you'll find little media coverage of the local teachers, school boards, and education ministries to whom a school repair story truly belongs. Similar, in a photo, you'll find captions that accentuate the Westerner and ignore the African.
Of course this particular story is serving a specific and worthy purpose and meant to focus on the visitors' lives -- but it's worth noting how it fits in the conventional Western media portrayal of Western work in African countries like Burkina Faso.
As awful as the deaths described in this article are, I'm afraid blunders like the NYT's original caption reveal an ugly bias to coverage of far-flung places -- especially Africa, where I live. This piece, while worthy in its commemoration of the lives of the visitors working abroad, tends to perpetuate the trend of Western media describing Africa as a landscape upon which Westerners act while Africans do nothing. We read that the Carriers were fixing up a school -- a volunteer activity that Westerners are familiar with -- but you'll find little media coverage of the local teachers, school boards, and education ministries to whom a school repair story truly belongs. Similar, in a photo, you'll find captions that accentuate the Westerner and ignore the African.
Of course this particular story is serving a specific and worthy purpose and meant to focus on the visitors' lives -- but it's worth noting how it fits in the conventional Western media portrayal of Western work in African countries like Burkina Faso.
1
“It will never be understood: ‘Why you?’ No one can give an answer.”
Really?
As French intellectual Jacques Freund has written «We don't select the enemy, it's the enemy who selects us."
Yet the New York Times and other mainstream publications have yet to publish the communique issued by those behind the Burkina Faso attacks.
Really?
As French intellectual Jacques Freund has written «We don't select the enemy, it's the enemy who selects us."
Yet the New York Times and other mainstream publications have yet to publish the communique issued by those behind the Burkina Faso attacks.
2
And what about Ms. Meir who was murdered in Israel in front of her six kids ? And what about the people who were killed in a Tel Aviv cafe ? And what about all the Israelis that were stabbed to death ? Please do not forget them and ask yourself: WHY ?
4
I have no idea what the solution is, but we need to accept that the solutions we have come up with so far aren't working and are probably making it worse.
The mistake we keep making is thinking this is a war. We decided 9/11 was an act of war even though it was a crime executed by non-state actors with boxcutters and stolen planes. We responded by attacking sovereign countries with conventional weapons, causing collateral damage that we justified by saying the countries harbored terrorists; to the people on the ground who suffered as a result this reasoning was indistinguishable from that of the terrorists themselves. And so the problem we had already sown became exacerbated.
I think the best analogy to what is happening is killer bees. In the 1980s the US deliberately bred a tribe of radicalized Islamists to do its bidding against the Soviets in Afghanistan. By refusing to provide anything to counter the forces of angry, armed young men and extreme poverty, we created an environment in which the Islamists could multiply and thrive and create new, even more violent strains.
Perhaps we should ask epidemiologists to try to solve this. The militarists are doomed to fail.
The mistake we keep making is thinking this is a war. We decided 9/11 was an act of war even though it was a crime executed by non-state actors with boxcutters and stolen planes. We responded by attacking sovereign countries with conventional weapons, causing collateral damage that we justified by saying the countries harbored terrorists; to the people on the ground who suffered as a result this reasoning was indistinguishable from that of the terrorists themselves. And so the problem we had already sown became exacerbated.
I think the best analogy to what is happening is killer bees. In the 1980s the US deliberately bred a tribe of radicalized Islamists to do its bidding against the Soviets in Afghanistan. By refusing to provide anything to counter the forces of angry, armed young men and extreme poverty, we created an environment in which the Islamists could multiply and thrive and create new, even more violent strains.
Perhaps we should ask epidemiologists to try to solve this. The militarists are doomed to fail.
5
I appreciate that NYT is mentioning the victims: in particular, those who were there in those places to help people. Moreover, even those who went such places to visit would have shared their impressions to others. Such acts of violence are not only cowardly, they are glaringly selfish.
However, I am a bit bemused that the author has so carefully pruned off the word Christian from some of those who were murdered. It seems even Huffington post chose to mention Riddering and there is other newspapers that were not ashamed to say that the Carrier family was Christian. Granted, these people probably came _more_ because they cared, but their efforts are also a product of their faith, and it is rather uncharitable to not mention that (regardless of one's personal opinion about such beliefs).
However, I am a bit bemused that the author has so carefully pruned off the word Christian from some of those who were murdered. It seems even Huffington post chose to mention Riddering and there is other newspapers that were not ashamed to say that the Carrier family was Christian. Granted, these people probably came _more_ because they cared, but their efforts are also a product of their faith, and it is rather uncharitable to not mention that (regardless of one's personal opinion about such beliefs).
3
Chrisrians have done their share of slaughtering. Americans who are so fond of saying that this country was founded on Christian principles conveniently forget that it was actually founded on the murder of Native Americans and brutality enslaved Africans.
3
It was worse everywhere else, and the 'natives' slaughtered each other, too. Africa's economy was based upon slavery and the were sold throughout the world by their own black African slavers.
3
Does that include victims killed by Isreali terror or is it the usual "israel has the right to defend itself" mantra?
2
Vicious killing of innocents is as old as, well, humanity itself, what's remarkable is how quickly humans repress and forget this viciousness. The smoke of WWII had barely dissipated and our parents jumped in bed to give us the Baby Boom.
Humans are defined by their very sociality, this is the reason why humans have come to dominate--and destroy--this planet. Al Qaeda, Taliban, ISIS, these are all just monikers we place on amorphous clusterings of humans who are the direct result of "jumping in bed" without thinking of the consequences.
Humans are defined by their very sociality, this is the reason why humans have come to dominate--and destroy--this planet. Al Qaeda, Taliban, ISIS, these are all just monikers we place on amorphous clusterings of humans who are the direct result of "jumping in bed" without thinking of the consequences.
1
I lived in Perú in the 1980s and 90s, when the Sendero Luminoso executed more than 56000 people, the individuals mostly targeted because they were the guiding lights in the villages and harvest valleys where they were identified and then publicly executed. All this was to weaken and eventually bring down the government and its perpetuation of the Haves having more and the Have-nots having less.
The head of Perú's anti-terrorism department once told me that the perfect terrorist leader was well-educated, highly principled, and above all, a kind, good person. Terrorism is born out of desperation. Many good people become terrorists. They join movements to lash out at the top-heavy status quo in a cry for equal opportunity to follow their own paths, whether defined by religion or economics.
These ravaged wounds against society that the terrorist attacks perpetrate can only be addressed by the seemingly insurmountable task of establishing a world economy that embraces all mankind. Terrorists are themselves the festering wounds of a lopsided world society that has not yet recognized that, to save itself -- to save its privileged way of life -- it must sacrifice some of its own wealth to pull up the disenfranchised of the world to sit, if not much closer to the top, than at least into a comfort zone . . . where families can be raised in peace and individual goals can be, not only pursued, but done so in an atmosphere of tolerance, if not supportive camaraderie.
The head of Perú's anti-terrorism department once told me that the perfect terrorist leader was well-educated, highly principled, and above all, a kind, good person. Terrorism is born out of desperation. Many good people become terrorists. They join movements to lash out at the top-heavy status quo in a cry for equal opportunity to follow their own paths, whether defined by religion or economics.
These ravaged wounds against society that the terrorist attacks perpetrate can only be addressed by the seemingly insurmountable task of establishing a world economy that embraces all mankind. Terrorists are themselves the festering wounds of a lopsided world society that has not yet recognized that, to save itself -- to save its privileged way of life -- it must sacrifice some of its own wealth to pull up the disenfranchised of the world to sit, if not much closer to the top, than at least into a comfort zone . . . where families can be raised in peace and individual goals can be, not only pursued, but done so in an atmosphere of tolerance, if not supportive camaraderie.
5
Well said. Sad but true.
Ron C.
Ron C.
1
And we would do well to remember how Europe destroyed a viable culture, the Ottoman Empire, divided up the land among themselves and then exploited the people mercilessly. And then how President Bush further interfered with his search for weapons of mass destruction, a subject he later entertained friends at dinner by searching for the weapons of mass destruction under the dinner table. As a nation that reveres the Minutemen, our own early armed insurrectionists (read 'terrorists'), we should perhaps be more respectful.
1
Nevertheless, many societies that have faced major problems of poverty, exclusion, and authoritarian oppression haven't descended into terrorist violence. It's also noticeable that the SL in Peru targeted not the people with their hands on the top levers of society, but rather peasants and small farmers who had some leadership roles in their own communities. The question is whether terrorism can be fought effectively without descending to the same kind of savagery or denying the freedom to agitate politically without violence (which is of course what the terrorists want -- ratcheting up the conflicts).
My son and I ate omelets and pizza in Cafe Cappuccino in late November/early December; it was a friendly place but significantly, international. You could sit there and take your time and read your laptop and watch the street scene through the picture windows, where the Hotel Splendid was situated nearby. Security was high in the city because of the presidential elections on 11/29. The jihadists obviously waited for that moment to pass.
We felt very comfortable in Ouaga, where few Americans show up. Yet the US is very popular in Ouaga, thanks in no small part to the US ambassador, Tulinabo Mushingi: http://passblue.com/2016/01/13/a-us-ambassador-wins-over-a-slice-of-fran...
We felt very comfortable in Ouaga, where few Americans show up. Yet the US is very popular in Ouaga, thanks in no small part to the US ambassador, Tulinabo Mushingi: http://passblue.com/2016/01/13/a-us-ambassador-wins-over-a-slice-of-fran...
1
Poverty, ignorance, religious extremism, demagoguery, hate, and racism (dehumanization of the other) are easily combined to create terror. They feed on each other, and become viral in the extreme.
As the world becomes more and more networked, we will hear more and more about these atrocities; they are going to continue until, little-by-little, humanity realizes what it has done to itself.
According to Steven PInker, in his book "The Better Angels of Our Nature",violence in on the decrease.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Better_Angels_of_Our_Nature
That may be true, but the ability to broadcast violence from every little corner on earth via the Internet creates the perception that violence is on the increase. Certainly, there is too much of the latter. Let's hope the "better angels" eventually win out. According to Pinker they are winning; here's hoping he's right.
As the world becomes more and more networked, we will hear more and more about these atrocities; they are going to continue until, little-by-little, humanity realizes what it has done to itself.
According to Steven PInker, in his book "The Better Angels of Our Nature",violence in on the decrease.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Better_Angels_of_Our_Nature
That may be true, but the ability to broadcast violence from every little corner on earth via the Internet creates the perception that violence is on the increase. Certainly, there is too much of the latter. Let's hope the "better angels" eventually win out. According to Pinker they are winning; here's hoping he's right.
2
I read this after attending a meeting where people spoke about how wonderful BDS is. The Left in this country is obsessed with seeing Israel as the main source of injustice in the world, not realizing that Israel is surrounded by people who want to destroy it with terrorist acts (like the ones described here) and worse. It's easy to push around one small country; not so easy to confront the reality that millions of Muslims would gladly see us, too, destroyed.
11
My condolences to the families of the dead and sympathies to those in hospitals fighting for their lives.
To answer the question: why us? why kill innocents? There is no explanation that Westerners can understand. The takeaway is that this is what Muslims do, this is normal behavior for them and it is typically a matter of when, not if, any one of them becomes radicalized and picks up a weapon. Sorry if that is not PC but it is time to face facts. Non-Muslims must govern themselves accordingly for personal and cultural protection. I can only hope our governments, militaries and law enforcement can protect us before it is too late.
To answer the question: why us? why kill innocents? There is no explanation that Westerners can understand. The takeaway is that this is what Muslims do, this is normal behavior for them and it is typically a matter of when, not if, any one of them becomes radicalized and picks up a weapon. Sorry if that is not PC but it is time to face facts. Non-Muslims must govern themselves accordingly for personal and cultural protection. I can only hope our governments, militaries and law enforcement can protect us before it is too late.
9
Not all Muslims. Not all people of any national, religious, economic, etc., group.
Prejudice is all around us - including in your comment.
Mary Lynch Mobilia
Prejudice is all around us - including in your comment.
Mary Lynch Mobilia
4
So we now have two distinct camps; the Muslims (all prone to be radicalized) and the Westerners (with nothing but great values)?
In my lifetime, emanating from the heart of the said Western civilization was a war that engulfed the entire world and left us with 60 million dead and misery beyond description. A few years before that, now in my parents lifetime, the "Westerners" give us WW1; hat conflict (14-18) resulted in 17 million deaths and 20 million wounded. And during my grandparents and great-grandparents lives, the list of conflicts started by "Westerners" is so long that it would not fit in this column. Not convinced? go out and meet some Muslims, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
In my lifetime, emanating from the heart of the said Western civilization was a war that engulfed the entire world and left us with 60 million dead and misery beyond description. A few years before that, now in my parents lifetime, the "Westerners" give us WW1; hat conflict (14-18) resulted in 17 million deaths and 20 million wounded. And during my grandparents and great-grandparents lives, the list of conflicts started by "Westerners" is so long that it would not fit in this column. Not convinced? go out and meet some Muslims, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
My wife and I were at the other end of Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul when the suicide bomber struck. The sound and shock wave is not something I want to relive. We likely were spared because were just touring with a guide. We weren't a large group. We weren't the random target of the day.
I wouldn't say there were "throngs" of tourists in the area. It was still the morning and there weren't a lot of tourists in the area.
I try not to figure out why I'm still here and the other people aren't. It will just make me sad.
I wouldn't say there were "throngs" of tourists in the area. It was still the morning and there weren't a lot of tourists in the area.
I try not to figure out why I'm still here and the other people aren't. It will just make me sad.
9
The problem is not ISIS, or whatever; the problem is the DESIRE of America to bend others to its will, to decimate other cultures; to create mental and economic slaves of those who want to be free, in mind and money.
Why cannot America and its lap dogs (,euphemistically referred to as NATO partners) allow alternative forms of government, economic systems, and faiths? Christianity has caused enough havoc in the world (in Europe, in North and South America, in Australia, even in Asia), why do Christian "do gooders" (or colonialists disguised as do-gooders) want to be in countries that are roiling after being occupied by their fellow countrymen for hundreds of years. Read the story of the spread of Christianity in of South America, in Australia, etc. When Western countries send spies and "economic enslavers", they pose as do-gooders. So, please tell these missionaries to stop going to these places.
Why cannot America and its lap dogs (,euphemistically referred to as NATO partners) allow alternative forms of government, economic systems, and faiths? Christianity has caused enough havoc in the world (in Europe, in North and South America, in Australia, even in Asia), why do Christian "do gooders" (or colonialists disguised as do-gooders) want to be in countries that are roiling after being occupied by their fellow countrymen for hundreds of years. Read the story of the spread of Christianity in of South America, in Australia, etc. When Western countries send spies and "economic enslavers", they pose as do-gooders. So, please tell these missionaries to stop going to these places.
4
Article does not seem to imply any were missionaries in the usual sense: trying to convert people from their religious faith (Muslim) to another (Christianity).
I agree that sort of thing is totally disrespectful of a religion, and we should not treat such parochial people as heroes. Countries should not give them Visas, and we should not feel bound to protect them or negotiate for them. Let their God/faith do that.
But nothing would justify killing those people. ISIS is more of a criminal gang (the crips) than a religion. But they do get financial support from Wahhabi and Salafi leaders in Saudi Arabia---like American missionaries get money from TV evangelists.
Converting people is disrespectful, not criminal...even the dumbest missionaries do not threaten to kill people if they don't convert. (Well, not since the 1600s and maybe 1700s.)
I agree that sort of thing is totally disrespectful of a religion, and we should not treat such parochial people as heroes. Countries should not give them Visas, and we should not feel bound to protect them or negotiate for them. Let their God/faith do that.
But nothing would justify killing those people. ISIS is more of a criminal gang (the crips) than a religion. But they do get financial support from Wahhabi and Salafi leaders in Saudi Arabia---like American missionaries get money from TV evangelists.
Converting people is disrespectful, not criminal...even the dumbest missionaries do not threaten to kill people if they don't convert. (Well, not since the 1600s and maybe 1700s.)
3
There is no country on earth that hasn't been touched by the rest of the wrodl's cultures.
You are blaming many of the inherent faults of many countries on the "west" because it is easy and facile.
The fault lies in ignorant populace and currupt governments, AND in the outsized rrole of religion much more than it lies in a colonial past.
Stop blaming your charachter faults on others, and do not ever justify the slaughtering of inccocent people by fnatics, of which you seem close to one.
YES, many of the nations which comprise the "west" (which is a really stupid catch all phrase and seems to only mean wealthy white nations) have done horrible things in their past, but that doesn't justify killing innocent people, AND they are not continuing to commit those meddling acts AND so has every other nations, including all the ones you likely identify with. Event the 2nd Iraq war, truly a mistake, and truly a bad idea, was welcomed by the majority of Iraqis, when it happened. The reason IRAQ is a mess now is RELIGION, if the Sunnis and Shiites hadn't begun on day one to tear each other apart, Iraq might have managed to build a functioning country.
You are blaming many of the inherent faults of many countries on the "west" because it is easy and facile.
The fault lies in ignorant populace and currupt governments, AND in the outsized rrole of religion much more than it lies in a colonial past.
Stop blaming your charachter faults on others, and do not ever justify the slaughtering of inccocent people by fnatics, of which you seem close to one.
YES, many of the nations which comprise the "west" (which is a really stupid catch all phrase and seems to only mean wealthy white nations) have done horrible things in their past, but that doesn't justify killing innocent people, AND they are not continuing to commit those meddling acts AND so has every other nations, including all the ones you likely identify with. Event the 2nd Iraq war, truly a mistake, and truly a bad idea, was welcomed by the majority of Iraqis, when it happened. The reason IRAQ is a mess now is RELIGION, if the Sunnis and Shiites hadn't begun on day one to tear each other apart, Iraq might have managed to build a functioning country.
3
Western NGOs really should stop their work in such countries - playing with fire like a 3 year old never works. Only go to such countries when asked for by the US Government and make sure you have the same security benefits as western diplomats. Any thing less makes you a target and, more important, people around you.
9
For ISIS, there are two very clear purposes of these attacks:
1. Make countries less likely to accept refugees. This is useful to ISIS because it means that the population under their control is less likely to try to leave.
2. Make countries more likely to send their army to attack ISIS, setting up the final battle against the forces of Evil (TM) that are their entire driving force.
1. Make countries less likely to accept refugees. This is useful to ISIS because it means that the population under their control is less likely to try to leave.
2. Make countries more likely to send their army to attack ISIS, setting up the final battle against the forces of Evil (TM) that are their entire driving force.
5
Isis & terrorism are the greatest threat facing us today. Too bad the democrats do not wish to acknowledge that.
5
Dear Janis,
Not quite. I'm a democrat, and the terrorists are a threat, they'll kill a lot of people. But they cannot take over modern nations, just ragtag third world ones, and not many of those. It takes the utter chaos and economic disaster of Syria for them to even get a foothold.
The terrorists won't kill that many Americans either, far less than we kill ourselves. There are well over ten thousand murders of Americans by Americans every year, terrorists never come anywhere near that figure, and that number isn't particularly important either.
What is important is the overall environment, without which we can't exist. And preventing nuclear war, because that would also cause the end of humanity. Terrorism is just a thorn in the tricep, not terribly important and not capable of changing the course of human history.
Not quite. I'm a democrat, and the terrorists are a threat, they'll kill a lot of people. But they cannot take over modern nations, just ragtag third world ones, and not many of those. It takes the utter chaos and economic disaster of Syria for them to even get a foothold.
The terrorists won't kill that many Americans either, far less than we kill ourselves. There are well over ten thousand murders of Americans by Americans every year, terrorists never come anywhere near that figure, and that number isn't particularly important either.
What is important is the overall environment, without which we can't exist. And preventing nuclear war, because that would also cause the end of humanity. Terrorism is just a thorn in the tricep, not terribly important and not capable of changing the course of human history.
11
Dan, I have some bad news about Santa Claus.
3
Too bad Republicans don't have a plan to do anything. What is that plan, exactly? You volunteer 200k of our soldiers to retake all of ISIS ground in Iraq? Is that your plan? How about this? How about we never did the bidding of all the zionists on the East Coast and went into Iraq in the first place? Saddam would still be sitting on all these factions the old fashioned way - through secular dictatorship!
How about we topple the nutcase monarchy of Saudi Arabia and impose a secular dictator there, and CLOSE all the madrassas huh? Any Republicans up for that job? How about we make Israel settle their differences with the Palestinians so we have some credibility with the rest of the Islamic World?
You live in a dream state, where its real convenient to ignore reality, and democrats are to blame for everything, like they're so different from what you would do. Come up with a plan instead of a complaint some lifetime.
How about we topple the nutcase monarchy of Saudi Arabia and impose a secular dictator there, and CLOSE all the madrassas huh? Any Republicans up for that job? How about we make Israel settle their differences with the Palestinians so we have some credibility with the rest of the Islamic World?
You live in a dream state, where its real convenient to ignore reality, and democrats are to blame for everything, like they're so different from what you would do. Come up with a plan instead of a complaint some lifetime.
4
Don't miss the wider aspect of Islamic terrorists: tribalism — "our kind" against "their kind." In this context there are no innocents among the target groups. The idea of innocents in Western thinking is rooted in an underlying primacy of the individual and of individual rights. This is alien to a world view based on tribalism. Any of "them" can be a target, as long as it advances "our" power by making "them" cower.
But the Islamic State is making a serious blunder by defining their tribe very narrowly. That will make allies out of groups that are normally adversaries, and that alliance will crush them eventually. (This type of strategic error has been called the Hitler fallacy.) Contrast what the Islamic State does now to the medieval Hashishin, who made a point of not attacking civilians in their otherwise spectacular operations against political and military targets.
But the Islamic State is making a serious blunder by defining their tribe very narrowly. That will make allies out of groups that are normally adversaries, and that alliance will crush them eventually. (This type of strategic error has been called the Hitler fallacy.) Contrast what the Islamic State does now to the medieval Hashishin, who made a point of not attacking civilians in their otherwise spectacular operations against political and military targets.
2
It seems the whole world is at risk for suicide attacks. In my opinion the idea that suicide attackers are imagining a heavenly reward for their acts is part of the problem Could the heads of Islamic jurisprudence declare these attackers to be apostates rather than martyrs going to paradise?
3
Domestic and international terrorists have really been quite stupid. They attack innocents hoping to
1) prove 'legitimate' government cannot provide 100% protection and is therefore 'illegitimate'
2) sow seeds of discontent by making the attacked fear and potentially abuse all who are remotely similar to the terrorists
3) gain attention to their cause
How much more effective if they attacked 'guilty' targets that now elude justice such as Goldman Sachs or tobacco or pharmaceutical companies. This would serve to gain some sympathy while delegitamizing the system that now protects such institutions.
Scary thought.
1) prove 'legitimate' government cannot provide 100% protection and is therefore 'illegitimate'
2) sow seeds of discontent by making the attacked fear and potentially abuse all who are remotely similar to the terrorists
3) gain attention to their cause
How much more effective if they attacked 'guilty' targets that now elude justice such as Goldman Sachs or tobacco or pharmaceutical companies. This would serve to gain some sympathy while delegitamizing the system that now protects such institutions.
Scary thought.
1
Intelligent people with everything to lose don't kill themselves in suicide attacks. The elites are very glad this is the case, but there are moments in history when enough of the population becomes desperate enough that its too late for the elites, but in the generally fat and entertained USA, we are so very far from that point.
ISIS couldn't care less about the oppressors you mention. Who exactly ISIS really is composed of is also still up for debate.
ISIS couldn't care less about the oppressors you mention. Who exactly ISIS really is composed of is also still up for debate.
Perhaps the NYTimes would also provide the balanced service of covering the Muslim Syrian Refugees in Germany who went of their way to help people in the New Years crowds in Cologne. It was covered by the lead German news agency, Deutsche Welle.
2
See "In New Year's Melee in Cologne, A Migrant Was One Woman's Savior," NY Times, 1/15.
5
While these are abhorrent crimes, it comes as no surprise that terrorists attack "soft targets" and civilians. If you are a fanatic who believes that you are fighting against Evil Itself, it becomes easy to resent and hate the civilians who blithely go about their lives, shopping and eating with friends and family, not a care in the world. This while you and your compatriots fight and die. You might want to wake them up, show them that they are not safe. Show them that their lives are folly, etc. Unfortunately, to the deluded fanatic, terrorizing civilians makes sense because, in their world view, there are no innocents.
8
Most of these people tried to help others and they end up dying because of extremists. As for the tourists, yes its incredibly unlikely to be a victim of a terrorist attack, but it will happen to someone and westerners seem to be prime targets. I'd avoid Turkey though until ISIS is pushed away from the porous border.
12
Heck I wouldn't just avoid Turkey. I'd avoid every majority Muslim country for the rest of my life. Too many homicidal jihadists in all of them, I'm too much a target for my blue eyes and the way I speak English. Why take chances?
9
All Westerners are targets, basically any one sitting in a cafe, staying in a hotel and enjoying themselves. There is no special dispensation or jihadi email blasts to stay home and avoid certain places for the non-blue eyed Westerners.
2
Avoiding any majority Muslim country for the time being makes some sense, even where the perception of risk is higher than the reality of it. But are we any safer in cities without Muslim majorities? Paris? New York City? Mumbai? Moscow? Madrid? London? They've all been targeted by terrorists in the past decade. In some cities, the murderers came from nearby war zones or countries, others were homegrown.
I don't know what all the answers are, but for a starting point, we need to accept that religious fundamentalism - especially, but not limited to, Islamic fundamentalism - is a major problem and find ways to tackle that. And countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan, which have been exporting religious fundamentalism for years, are a part of the problem.
I don't know what all the answers are, but for a starting point, we need to accept that religious fundamentalism - especially, but not limited to, Islamic fundamentalism - is a major problem and find ways to tackle that. And countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan, which have been exporting religious fundamentalism for years, are a part of the problem.
2
On the one hand, truly anyone who wishes may wreak havoc on a market or cafe or hotel, so it is easy to dismiss these as random or disparate attacks by the "JV team" or lone wolves...
On the other hand, we have social media and a 24/7 press, which means an attack somewhere/anywhere can feel like an attack everywhere. Media (both social and traditional/commercial) encourages observers (the rest of us) to connect all the dots.
Terrorists know this. They want apocalypse, plain and simple. They use the media to help sow fear and incite the West to war.
On the other hand, we have social media and a 24/7 press, which means an attack somewhere/anywhere can feel like an attack everywhere. Media (both social and traditional/commercial) encourages observers (the rest of us) to connect all the dots.
Terrorists know this. They want apocalypse, plain and simple. They use the media to help sow fear and incite the West to war.
9
Lenin: "the purpose of terrorism is to terrorize . . ."
That is the terrorist's motive. From our president's actions regarding Iran, it appears to be working.
That is the terrorist's motive. From our president's actions regarding Iran, it appears to be working.
1
Why is it that the death of innocents is called terrorism if Islam is involved. Genocide, rape, pillage and murder are not uncommon the word over. But when it happens to white people in the name of Allah, that's another story. Terrorists and the victims of terror are everywhere. It is time to address it for what it is, not focus on the religion that has been hijacked to make it sound legitimate.
I disagree. We need to focus more, not less, on the religion that has been hijacked, and the countries that allowed and have put money and ideology behind it - starting with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Qatar.
15
DSS has either flunked or never taken terrorism 101. Terrorism is the use of violence against civilians or horrific illegal violence against legal combatants and/or threat thereof to try to advance an agenda, be it religious or political or economic or whatever.
It is terrorism not because Islamists effect it, but because it is deliberate targeting of civilians so as to advance an agenda.
Genocide is of course terrorism writ large. But violence impacting civilians in the pursuit of military goals is not terrorism: French and German civilians killed by the Allies in WW2 wasn't terrorism, nor are Palestinian civilians in Gaza killed by Israel in the war against HAMAS and Islamic Jihad terror victims.
That said, and acknowledging that Islamists are far from the only perpetrators of terrorism, they are doing the lion's share of terrorism in the world today, and your ahistorical and intellectually shallow (at best) attempt to see it otherwise is a reflection on your apparent jaundice toward "white people."
It is terrorism not because Islamists effect it, but because it is deliberate targeting of civilians so as to advance an agenda.
Genocide is of course terrorism writ large. But violence impacting civilians in the pursuit of military goals is not terrorism: French and German civilians killed by the Allies in WW2 wasn't terrorism, nor are Palestinian civilians in Gaza killed by Israel in the war against HAMAS and Islamic Jihad terror victims.
That said, and acknowledging that Islamists are far from the only perpetrators of terrorism, they are doing the lion's share of terrorism in the world today, and your ahistorical and intellectually shallow (at best) attempt to see it otherwise is a reflection on your apparent jaundice toward "white people."
7
Well, if you're going to focus on those countries, maybe should focus on who the biggest western ally of those nations is - the USA!!!
1
The simplest answer to "why them?" - why kill innocents? - is that it is an effective method of asymmetrical warfare. They do it because we care.
For the vicious, those who do not value human life, attacking those who do value the life of innocents gets attention - fear, horror, outrage. The worst we can do is counter attack, but since they do not value life, and some even value death, that response is fruitless.
It works.
For the vicious, those who do not value human life, attacking those who do value the life of innocents gets attention - fear, horror, outrage. The worst we can do is counter attack, but since they do not value life, and some even value death, that response is fruitless.
It works.
19
It only works if we let it. Sadly the west no longer trusts their governments, so it's not likely things will resolve peacefully. Actually, their is no desire for peace when it comes to extreme interpretation of Islam.
It's great to put faces and stories together with the reports of senseless violence. Let's do the same too with the bombs we are dropping on Syria. Dead is dead and it matters little if death comes from an airplane or a suicide vest.
3
Dead is not dead. It matters a lot if death comes from an airplane rather than from a suicide vest if the airplane is carrying out a military mission, particularly one that attempts to minimize civilian casualties, and the suicide vest is targeting civilians intentionally.
By your lights, the invasion of Europe by the Allies in WW 2 is worthy of nothing but condemnation, no different from the Axis's terrorism, because civilians were killed in large numbers as a direct result of the Allied war effort.
By your lights, the invasion of Europe by the Allies in WW 2 is worthy of nothing but condemnation, no different from the Axis's terrorism, because civilians were killed in large numbers as a direct result of the Allied war effort.
3
You really need an attitude adjustment. Colonial rule of the Middle East and the third world is NOT a parallel with what went on in WWII, which was a battle between equals, and in fact, was a battle between colonial oppressors of the third world to see who would continue to rule the world afterwards. You watch too many heroic American WWI movies. THe triumph over fascism WAS heroic, and, sure, Islamic extremism is comparable in some ways to naziism, but if that's the case, we should have toppled Saudi Arabia decades ago. They are the CENTER of extremist thought. We are making a GIANT mistake letting Turkey drift under a religions madman, but we are probably worried it could get even worse. Personally, I doubt it. We should support the Turkish military to topple that maniac TOMORROW!
Terror is a military tactic as old as humanity. The Mongols used it very effectively as they swept across westward. Surrender and you will live; resist and you will die. If you can frighten people you can control them (which is the essence of political and military power). Why pick on the best, the brightest, and the innocent? Simply because if you can destroy them, then those less independent and more concerned about themselves figure that they can be targeted, too. (You kill the shepherd and the sheep, now lost, are up for grabs). There's only one antidote to attempts to terrororize a population: courage. That is, the stubborn refusal to buckle under to either the emotions of fear or those employing it. If terrorists 'win' it's only because humans allow it. Sometimes it simply boils down to picking 'death before dishonor'.
25
The only method to their madness, sad to say, is the mindless slaughter of innocent people, derived from a preposterous interpretation of apocalyptic scriptures, according to which a deceased person's chances of being granted eternal life are augmented by how many unbelievers one has killed while still alive. This doomsday scenario, like many other religiously inspired visions of 'life' after death, reveals a schizophrenic malfunctioning of the brain which makes violent acts perpetrated in its name so utterly senseless and traumatic. These are not just mindless killers or deranged individuals who have subverted an otherwise harmless religion - they are religiously inspired killers whose deeds must also be addressed by the religion those berserks claim to represent.
14
It is shocking that such barbarity is willingly afflicted on innocent human beings. That such evil is present in our world in this 21st century says something about human nature, or at least the nature of men. While our technologies and the appearance of the world around us appears constantly modern, our behavior is saddled with primal impulses and primitive fears. We are not long removed from the cave of fear -- just look at the primitive reactions of the followers of Trump.
While we may walk around with an iPhone in our pocket, the veil of civilization is thin. Redemption is an individual endeavor; it must be constantly cultivated and nurtured. With easy access to AK-47s and bandoleers of ammunition, the descent to evil is too easy for many.
While we may walk around with an iPhone in our pocket, the veil of civilization is thin. Redemption is an individual endeavor; it must be constantly cultivated and nurtured. With easy access to AK-47s and bandoleers of ammunition, the descent to evil is too easy for many.
17
Not even a mention of those despicable attacks in Israel over the weekend? Seriously? Israeli lives matter too!
33
Of course, when the victims were Jews, the explanation was that they had no business returning to their historical homeland - inspite of earlier international approval to do just that under the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine - because it was intolerable that the Jewish homeland took up 0.25% of the former Ottoman holdings in the Middle East, all the rest is now under Arab control. No one notices that under Islamic teachings, the Jews are the worst enemies of its prophet and therefore of mankind, and must be treated accordingly.
When the victims were the wrong sect of Muslims, the explanation was that this bloodshed is sectarian, has existed since almost the beginnings of Islam and doesn't concern us so long as our national interests are protected. No one wanted to notice the destruction of ancient Christian communities. We did care somewhat about the destruction of archaeological sites, however.
When the victims were Africans, no explanation was necessary because the West really didn't care about those black lives - except for the 200 abducted Nigerian schoolgirls who merited a hashtag's worth of support. No one noticed that the Arabic word for "slave" is also slang for "black."
Now that Westerners are targeted again, we suddenly need to know why but don't want to take the terrorists at their word. No wonder we have trouble finding the answer that's staring us right in the face.
When the victims were the wrong sect of Muslims, the explanation was that this bloodshed is sectarian, has existed since almost the beginnings of Islam and doesn't concern us so long as our national interests are protected. No one wanted to notice the destruction of ancient Christian communities. We did care somewhat about the destruction of archaeological sites, however.
When the victims were Africans, no explanation was necessary because the West really didn't care about those black lives - except for the 200 abducted Nigerian schoolgirls who merited a hashtag's worth of support. No one noticed that the Arabic word for "slave" is also slang for "black."
Now that Westerners are targeted again, we suddenly need to know why but don't want to take the terrorists at their word. No wonder we have trouble finding the answer that's staring us right in the face.
30
It's disgusting, but no longer surprising, that groups like ISIS target innocents (by anybody's standards). Their goal is to stoke fear, and nothing is more terrifying than random death. For the leaders of these groups, across-the-board terrorism makes a lot of sense.
What's amazing and perplexing, and deeply sad, is that there are plenty of rank-and-file members who are willing and eager to carry out these missions. I can understand a suicide bomber willing to give his life to kill enemy soldiers, or even "infidels" at prayer, with a promise of reward after death for his courage. But when the orders are "pick a bunch of people at random, many of whom practice the same faith as you, and kill them", that's not the ticket to heaven!
What -- if anything -- are they thinking?
What's amazing and perplexing, and deeply sad, is that there are plenty of rank-and-file members who are willing and eager to carry out these missions. I can understand a suicide bomber willing to give his life to kill enemy soldiers, or even "infidels" at prayer, with a promise of reward after death for his courage. But when the orders are "pick a bunch of people at random, many of whom practice the same faith as you, and kill them", that's not the ticket to heaven!
What -- if anything -- are they thinking?
5
Why not them? Since it is within our nature as humans to willfully kill one another, to ask why this one as opposed to that one is simply avoidance of the overarching question "why" do we do "it" in the first place. Answering that one answers all the others, ignoring that one does just the opposite just that the question this article asks is moot.
2
Why them?
Because, for various reasons, there are people who feel compelled to leave their comfortable middle class lives in First World countries and go to chaotic and violent Third World countries, as if they are so insulated from reality that they cannot ever picture themselves in danger.
Some go because of their religious beliefs and others go as tourists (Hey, let's go hiking in the mountains of Afghanistan!).
No one who has been poor and lived for years in poor and crime-ridden neighborhoods in the US would ever willingly go to a Third World hellhole, common sense being a useful survival skill.
Because, for various reasons, there are people who feel compelled to leave their comfortable middle class lives in First World countries and go to chaotic and violent Third World countries, as if they are so insulated from reality that they cannot ever picture themselves in danger.
Some go because of their religious beliefs and others go as tourists (Hey, let's go hiking in the mountains of Afghanistan!).
No one who has been poor and lived for years in poor and crime-ridden neighborhoods in the US would ever willingly go to a Third World hellhole, common sense being a useful survival skill.
10
Thanks. One seldom sees decency, a sense of moral responsibility, and a desire to help attacked so eloquently.
30
And some, fully aware of the dangers, go to help others.
26
These were not people hiking in Afghanistan, they were in non-war zones, at least as far as they could tell, and they were interacting with people of other cultures. Small mindedness and insularity are worthy enemies. I appreciate hearing the stories behind the grim statistics, and to suggest they did anything to deserve their fate is ridiculous.
34
Why? To drive Christians and Christianity, along with Jews and detested versions of Islam out of supposedly "Muslim lands." That's why.
18
Can't believe you're asking why. The identity of the perpetrators should answer that.
28