Is Europe's 3/11 America's 9/11? (Must Read)

The Times of India ^ | THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2004 | RASHMEE Z. AHMED

[Betaille]

"I hate to say it but ignorant"
That's a bit snobbish of you. I lived in Madrid also pal. I know about ETA, I know they are real bad guys, but the fact is that this simply doesn't fit their profile. I agree with you that you can't "rule out" any group until further investigation. All I am saying is that the Spanish Government seems to be under the impression that all terrorism on spanish soil will come from ETA, ignoring the fact that ETA didn't claim responsibility(it always does when it is responsible), and also ignoring the fact that this fits the mold of an islamic terrorist bombing perfectly.

[nickcarraway]

They found something with verses from the Koran nearby.

[nickcarraway]

CNN REPORTS: Spanish interior minister says new line of Madrid blast investigation opened after police find van with detonators and Arabic-language tapes. Developing...

[nickcarraway]

(BREAKING) ARABIC TAPE AND DETONATORS FOUND IN VAN IN MADRID - SPANISH MINISTER

[traumer]

you meant "SPAIN'S 9/11... "

[nickcarraway]

Madrid Bombs Don't Match ETA Style - Europol Head

[VaBthang4]

BUSH'S FAULT!
What did he know and when did he know it?

[Betaille]

Al Qaeda just claimed responsibility.

[fortunecookie]

Britain significantly declared it to be "an assault on the very principle of European democracy". Will the rest of Europe dismiss it as ``Spain's Problem.''

Well, it figures. And I suspect they will dismiss it as Spain's problem. Spain staunchly stood by us, defying the European dismissal of 9-11 as somehow deserved. I'm waiting for the first loser to make that connection. And the UK was with us, at least Tony Blair and his supporters. I really doubt Europe gets it yet. What a sad day for Spain and the world. I've heard what Britain and Spain had to say, in denouncing this cowardly act of terrorism, but what of the rest of Europe, the EU? Prayer bump to the victims and survivors and their families.

[js1138]

You are in wishful thinking mode because you, and several other posters here, WANT to think its al qaeda.

There is a bit of evidence coming in now. Certainly there is no proof yet, but there is more than wishful thinking.

[Porterville]

fabulously inventive fools

Al Queda wants a war with the West not peace, they are asking for a united front in Europe to go to war with Islamics... that is the goal;

[Porterville]

fabulously inventive fools

Al Queda wants a war with the West not peace, they are asking for a united front in Europe to go to war with Islamics... that is the goal;

[Porterville]

Woa, guess you're wrong....

[ambrose]

bump.

[hoyaloya]

Personally, I "hope" it was al qaeda. That would buttress our position. My point was that we all wanted it to be al qaeda, but wanting something and having evidence of it are two different things. Many folks here immediately assumed that only al qaeda would do something like this . . . presumably because those ETA folks really "aren't so bad." (Just because most Americans aren't familiar with ETA doesn't mean they aren't capable of something like this.)

[hoyaloya]

Hmmm. I said that no one knew who did it and we shouldn't jump to conclusions. In response to some people's comments that the Spanish were going to whitewash this and only follow evidence linking it to ETA, I said that this was too big, they would follow whatever evidence they had.

[Betaille]

"Personally, I "hope" it was al qaeda."
IT WAS AL QAEDA. Why are you still speaking as though you were right and it was ETA? I agree that ETA is worse than most poeple realize, but they are not as bad as Al Qaeda and they do not try to maximize casualties the way Palestinians and Al Qaeda do.

[backslacker]

Gotta be the Islamakazis. Al-Queerda is mad at Spain for siding with us and being our loyal ally. Heck, some months ago I read how UBL was ranting on about “the tragedy of Andalusia.” In other words, that psychotic murderous freak has his turban in a twist about Ferdinand & Isabella kicking the Moors' a$$es outta there in 1492!

From: http://slate.msn.com/id/1008411/ - by Chris Suellentrop, Slate Magazine

"What's it have to do with Spain? Virginia Postrel proposes a "Bin Laden Doctrine": "that no Muslim territory should ever become non-Muslim." Bin Laden opened his videotaped statement with this sentence: "Let the whole world know that we shall never accept that the tragedy of Andalusia would be repeated in Palestine. We cannot accept that Palestine will become Jewish." The "tragedy of Andalusia" refers to the conquering in 1492 of the Muslim Kingdom of Granada by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. It was a central moment in the Islamic empire's quest for political and military power: Muslim expansion was not just checked; it was reversed. If Bin Laden truly wants to restore the original geographic dimensions of the caliphate, he may eventually look toward Spain. Of course, it's possible that Bin Laden's goals are more modest (modest being a relative word).

Bin Laden's two-front war? After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Bin Laden dropped the Russians as "Public Enemy No. 1" and focused on the United States. [Slate's] Explainer doesn't want to make too much of this World War I theory, but it's possible that Bin Laden thinks he defeated the Soviet Union. If the end of World War I is the central historical moment to Bin Laden, it's important to note that more than Britain and France were involved. After World War I, the Soviet Union occupied Muslim countries in Central Asia that had once been part of the caliphate. Bin Laden may figure he's already halfway on his way to completing his God-ordained mission. Now that he's almost done with the eastern front, it's time to focus on the western one."

[hoyaloya]

(A) When have I said ETA did this? I didn't. I said I didn't know who did it.

(B) We do not know who did this yet. I'm sitting at work and haven't had a chance to read all of the news, but I don't think that the Spanish government has said "AL QAEDA did this." Have they?

(C) We don't live in a static world. A typical modus operandi doesn't mean you stop investigating or close your mind down. People change. Tactics change.

[VRWCmember]

Do you know if GWB has issued a statement? I hope that he plans to return the support!

"... we weep with the families. We stand strongly with the people of Spain. I appreciate so very much the Spanish government’s fight against terror, their resolute stand against terrorist organizations, like ETA. The United States stand with them. Today we ask God’s blessing on those who suffer in the great country of Spain.”
--U.S. President Bush

Story: 'Declaration of war on democracy'