Juan Cole NAILS it!!!!!!

[whosinpower]

http://www.juancole.com/

snip - From the recent Bush speech - 'Third, the militants believe that controlling one country will rally the Muslim masses, enabling them to overthrow all moderate governments in the region, and establish a radical Islamic empire that spans from Spain to Indonesia. With greater economic and military and political power, the terrorists would be able to advance their stated agenda: to develop weapons of mass destruction, to destroy Israel, to intimidate Europe, to assault the American people, and to blackmail our government into isolation.'


Yes, al-Qaeda does want these things. But then the Christian Identity Movement in the United States wants to establish a massive fortified refuge for persecuted white people to escape oppression at the hands of what they in their looney tunes way consider the evil, minority-dominated Federal Government. That crackpot fringe groups have big plans and ideas is not surprising, and we only have to worry about them if it looks like they might actually succeed.

But who thinks this particular crackpot plan is in any way feasible? Look at America's friends in the Middle East-- Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Yemen, Oman, Pakistan, etc., etc. Which one of them is on the verge of being taken over by al-Qaeda? Why, al-Qaeda had to plan out 9/11 from Europe because it could not operate in the Middle East! An al-Qaeda meeting in Cairo would have had more Egyptian government spies in attendance than radical fundamentalists!

There is much much more - go for a great read DUers.

[Why Syzygy]

1. "Moderate governments"?

Such a thing does not exist in our modern world. They have all become radicals.

[bryant69]

4. That may be overly cynical

Which, to be fair, is a popular stance these days.

But there is a difference between the Government of Germany, let's say, and the Leaders of Al-Qaeda.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Why Syzygy]

10. I did not realize

Al-Qaeda was a "government". Cynical sounds about right though. Sorry.

[JohnnyCougar]

2. Just another way of using racism to inspire his idiot base n/t

[Straight Shooter]

3. The average bushie will not think any of this through

They will just get a mental image of hordes of men swarming over borders, killing the "infidels" and forcing the remaining population to convert to their extremist religion. That's something the U.S. government would never advocate ...

Oh. Wait. Nevermind.

[Dhalgren]

5. I love Juan!

"You can't "stay the course" because you don't have a course. Get one!" Man, he really does nail it!

[Hillgiant]

7. Naw

He has a course. Its just a meanering ill-defined one that does not have a fixed destination.

[Cooley Hurd]

8. Huh?

What are you talking about?

Oh, you must've popped a microdot...:eyes:

[Marr]

6. With the exception of the "destroying Israel" line, Bush was describing

his own government to a tee. That speech was just one big projection- right down to calling bin Laden a 'priviliged son who sends other people to die for his cause'.

Bush himself talks ALL THE TIME about how a "free Iraq will be a beacon to other countries in the region". Is that not the exact same thing he's accusing Al Qaeda of?

[femrap]

9. Juan Cole makes so much sense.....

he should be an advisor to our gov't....well, he will be someday....when the ADULTS are back in power!