I will believe this when the behaviour changes, not a moment before. Words cost nothing, but actions speak lounder than words...
Islam, a Religion of Peace® ? Click this picture:
Posted on 09/06/2004 2:42:53 AM PDT by walford
Expressions of shame and self-reproach have swept the Arab world as Muslims mourn the deaths of Russian schoolchildren - and voice unusually critical condemnations of the social ills blamed for breeding terrorism.
The Arab world has watched with mounting disgust as a wave of civilian hostages - some of them Arabs and Muslims - were slaughtered by insurgents in Iraq.
Last week, newspapers and satellite channels were dominated by pictures of bloodied, naked children in Beslan, north Ossetia, fleeing armed guerillas suspected to be Islamic rebels. Many Arabs found themselves in an increasingly common quandary: struggling to reconcile their sympathy for a political cause with growing revulsion at the wrath levelled by self-described "holy warriors" against the innocent.
"What is the guilt of those children? Why should they be responsible for your conflict with the government?" Grand Sheik Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, Egypt's highest-ranking imam, railed during Friday prayers in the Egyptian town of Benha. "You are taking Islam as a cover and it is a deceptive cover; those who carry out the kidnappings are criminals, not Muslims."
Sheik Tantawi's refrain was a familiar one among Muslims who have felt unfairly tarred by the growing number of highly publicised bloodbaths perpetrated by fellow believers.
But on Saturday some prominent Arabs had a more sobering interpretation: corrupt, repressed Arab and Islamic societies have turned into breeding grounds for terrorism. It is a judgement rarely voiced in heavily censored Arab rhetoric.
"Most perpetrators of suicide operations in buses, schools and residential buildings around the world for the past 10 years have been Muslims," wrote Abdulrahman al-Rashed, general manager of the Al-Arabiya TV channel.
In a blunt column in the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, he listed attacks carried out by Muslims in Iraq, Russia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. "Our terrorist sons are an end-product of our corrupted culture," he wrote. "The picture is humiliating, painful and harsh for all of us."
Russian officials said 10 of the guerillas who seized the school in Beslan were "Arabs", though this could not immediately be verified.
Chechnya has long figured prominently among the battles listed by radical Islamists of "jihads", or holy struggles. Like Palestinians, Iraqis and Kashmiris, the predominantly Muslim Chechens are generally viewed sympathetically by Arabs, and their plight is often seen as proof that Islam is under fire worldwide.
Virtually all Arab governments and Iran put aside any Chechen sympathies and condemned the hostage-taking and later carnage in Beslan. King Abdullah II of Jordan, who was visiting President Vladimir Putin in Russia last week, called the siege "criminal and cowardly".
The Saudi daily Arab News blasted Mr Putin but saved its harshest condemnation for the guerillas, "who had put themselves in a position where no one would shed tears when the punishment came. They reached a new low when they chose toddlers as bargaining chips."
| Muslims denounce terrorism Calgary Sun, Canada - By AP. CAIRO -- Muslims worldwide are the main perpetrators of terrorism, a humiliating and painful truth that must be acknowledged ... |
| Acts taint Islam image Newsday, NY - By SUSAN SEVAREID. CAIRO, Egypt - Images of dead, wounded and traumatized Russian children being carried from the scene of a rebel ... |
| Arab World Condemns Slaughter of Russian Los Angeles Times (subscription), CA - By Megan K. Stack, Times Staff Writer. CAIRO, Egypt — Expressions of shame and self-reproach swept the Arab world Saturday as Muslims ... |
| Muslim leaders condemn killers Guardian, UK - Islamic leaders in the Middle East yesterday denounced the slaughter of children in Russia as 'unIslamic', as commentators asked unusually soul-searching ... |
| Muslims' painful truth Straits Times, Singapore - IMAGES of dead, wounded and traumatised Russian children being carried from the scene of a school siege horrified Middle-Eastern Muslims, prompting forthright ... |
| School siege prompts horror, self-criticism in Arab world Times of India, India - CAIRO: Images of dead, wounded and traumatized Russian children being carried from the scene of a rebel school siege have horrified the Arab world, prompting ... |
| Siege Prompts Self-Criticism in Arab Media Kansas City Star (subscription), MO - CAIRO, Egypt - Images of dead, wounded and traumatized Russian children being carried from the scene of a rebel school siege horrified Arabs, prompting ... |
| School siege prompts self-criticism in Arab media National Post (subscription), Canada - Muslims worldwide are the main perpetrators of terrorism, a humiliating and painful truth that must be acknowledged, a prominent Arab writer and television ... |
| Arab leaders decry Russian school slaughter Al-Jazeera, Qatar - Arab leaders have strongly condemned the siege of the Russian school by an armed group, who a top Islamic figure described as "criminals, not Muslims". ... |
| School siege prompts horror, self-criticism in Arab world (updated ... China Post, Taiwan - Images of dead, wounded and traumatized Russian children being carried from the scene of a rebel school siege horrified Middle Eastern Muslims, prompting ... |
| Russian school siege prompts horrified self-criticism in Arab ... San Diego Union Tribune, CA - By Maggie Michael. CAIRO, Egypt – Muslims worldwide are the main perpetrators of terrorism, a humiliating and painful truth that ... |
| Russian siege prompts self-criticism Boston Herald, MA - By Associated Press. CAIRO, Egypt - Muslims worldwide are the main perpetrators of terrorism, a humiliating and painful truth that ... |
| Muslim Leaders Condemn School Terrorists Scotland on Sunday, UK - Muslims worldwide are the main perpetrators of terrorism, a humiliating and painful truth that must be acknowledged, a prominent Arab writer said today, as ... |
It isn't disgust, its been going o for years without a word said to stop it. It is fear, they fear the terrorists have gone to far and good people will do what the governments are failinng to do, eliminate the problem and those that preach it.
>>Many Arabs found themselves in an increasingly common quandary: struggling to reconcile their sympathy for a political cause with growing revulsion at the wrath levelled by self-described "holy warriors" against the innocent.
Probably a false statement. I've heard others report they're secretly cheering them on.
Give that "revulsion at the wrath levelled by self-described "holy warriors" some Miracle Grow. My revulsion is huge.
Get your act together, Muslims.
I will believe this when the behaviour changes, not a moment before. Words cost nothing, but actions speak lounder than words...
Islam, a Religion of Peace® ? Click this picture:
As long as it's against infidels, the islam followers could care less.
Thanks for the post and the list.
I put it in my favorite places for a reference.
"As long as it's against infidels, the islam followers could care less."
Exactly right!
Where are the mass protests in the streets like when they have when one of their terrorists leaders is killed.
Your kind words are appreciated- thank you.
Something just occurred to me. I first heard of this story on CNN. Notice how many news outlets have picked up this story. My skeptical nature impels me to suspect an ulterior motive.
One is they are afraid that more will join those of us who realize that terrorism may not be an aberrational part of Islam. More of us may want to do something other than wring our hands and blame the U.S.
Another is the Left knows that their chosen candidates' chances are diminished if the 'swing voters' are also outraged at civilization's enemies.
It might be seen as making the case that pre-emptive action is both warranted and necessary -- and that Bush was right all along.
Horrors!
Tell it to the Israelis,they've been losing their children for decades!
Other posters on this thread are right...this is fear driven.
Now it's the religion of peace? Okeedoakee. < sarcasm/off >
No more talk.
Produce terrorists.
Produce the Saudi billionaires that fund Al Qaeda.
Produce Fatwahs and back them up with arrests.
Even all the above won't prevent the coming Russian response, but it might prevent the whole rst of the world from piling on with them.
No promises.
I like it... pure fear speaking on their behalf. We all know its bull. In another breath a British cleric says its ok and its Russia's fault. Bush, Putin and armed civilians scared the Arabs.
I told my DH we would be starting a new gun collection. Enough to let terrorists know we mean business here on our soil. For my part, I will join a rifle club and practice.
Maybe CNN should show a buncha USA moms with sniper rifles.. as a determent. I bet they would hate being sniped by a WOMAN...LOL
Implement Operation Global Pheonix.
Now.
Talk is cheap.
More empty words from people who teach their children to hate and kill in their schools and mosques. When the turn them in, when they purge their schools and mosques of the hate teaching then we can begin to believe their words. Not before.
...Preparing women for combat can be appropriate, but only for Homeland Defense. In this Age of Terrorism, police officers of both sexes should receive robust training and be properly equipped for major urban warfare. The State National Guard units should also be similarly prepared. It is most appropriate that the Coast Guard has females amongst their crews. If a large-scale conflict erupts, the men deployed abroad could take comfort in knowing that the women left behind are capable of defending hearth and home rather than sitting there helpless.
Despite the way the debate is being framed in the Media, most of us who object to women serving in combat do not do so because of any doubts of their resilience, competence and/or bravery...
When things go badly, the perps are "criminals not Muslims". However, if they had gotten what they wanted without much bloodshed, there would not have been any Muslim outrage.
Iran condemning terrorism? This is ridiculous beyond belief!
They're just getting adept at politically correct speech when they sense they've got an inconvenient image problem. You've nailed it: Actions speak louder than words!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.