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Arab world harshly condemns slaughter of Russian children
Seattle Times ^ | 9/5/04 | Megan K. Stack

Posted on 09/05/2004 4:19:05 PM PDT by freedom44

CAIRO, Egypt — Expressions of shame and self-reproach swept the Arab world yesterday as Muslims mourned the deaths of Russian schoolchildren and voiced unusually critical condemnations of the social ills widely blamed here for breeding terrorism.

The Arab world has watched with mounting disgust in recent weeks as a wave of civilian hostages — some of them Arabs and Muslims — were slaughtered by masked insurgents in Iraq. This weekend, newspapers and satellite channels were dominated by pictures of bloodied, naked children in southern Russia fleeing armed guerrillas suspected to be Islamic rebels supporting an independent Chechyna.

Many Arabs faced an ever-more-common dilemma: struggling to reconcile their sympathy for a political cause with growing revulsion at the wrath leveled by self-described "holy warriors" against innocents.

Ahmed Bahgat, an Egyptian Islamist and columnist for Egypt's leading pro-government newspaper, Al-Ahram, wrote that the TV and newspaper images "showed Muslims as monsters who are fed by the blood of children and the pain of their families."

In an editorial, the Saudi Arab News condemned the school hostage-takers, "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."

Grand Sheik Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, Egypt's highest-ranking cleric, also railed at the attackers.

"What is the guilt of those children? Why should they be responsible for your conflict with the government?" Tantawi said 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."

Tantawi's refrain was a familiar one among Muslims who've felt unfairly tarred by the bloodbaths carried out by fellow believers: This wasn't Islam.

Yesterday, some prominent Arabs came forward with a more sobering interpretation: Corrupt, repressed Arab and Islamic societies have turned into breeding grounds for terrorism. It's a judgment often heard among Western critics, but 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 television channel. In a blunt column in the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Rashed 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."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: arabworld; butnotcair; cair; cairsilentonchechnya; ossetia; silenceissupport; silenceofcair; whereiscair
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To: freedom44

Who gives a bloody damn if they condemn it, WTF are they going to do about it is the question????


21 posted on 09/05/2004 4:32:17 PM PDT by Ursus arctos horribilis ("It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" Emiliano Zapata 1879-1919)
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To: freedom44
Many Arabs faced an ever-more-common dilemma: struggling to reconcile their sympathy for a political cause with growing revulsion at the wrath leveled by self-described "holy warriors" against innocents.

Yeah, these folks look like they're "struggling" real hard. Poor things.

Arabs as a rule seem to suck at "struggling".

22 posted on 09/05/2004 4:32:47 PM PDT by asgardshill (GWB throws heat. JF'nK throws spitballs.)
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To: freedom44

One step on the road to reformation.


23 posted on 09/05/2004 4:32:52 PM PDT by Libertina (Thank God we have President Bush in the White House.)
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To: AlaskaErik
"Arab world harshly condemns slaughter of Russian children."

"Bad ZOOT, naughty Zoot." How many times do we have to tell you, you don't HAVE TO stab, rape and shoot them. According to Islam and mohamed; children get sold into slavery. "Bad ZOOT, naughty Zoot."

24 posted on 09/05/2004 4:33:35 PM PDT by Jmouse007 ("Negotiate and die!" Brought to you by "Islam the Religion of Peace tm")
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To: All
I think most if not all of us (regardless of my above post) know that not every single Muslim is an animal. Many if not most are good and decent people. But if they are going to turn a blind eye to the sick bastards in their society then they share guilt. There is no less blood on their hands than on the hands of the terrorist.

If there are any Muslims out there (and I am sure there are) who from the very beginning have preached peace and done everything they could in their limited power to stop terrorism than I apologize to that person. I just don't think I will have to spend long apologizing...the list will be short.
25 posted on 09/05/2004 4:35:10 PM PDT by Artemis Webb
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To: Ursus arctos horribilis

".....WTF are they going to do about it is the question????"

I agree. The facts are, they know they are in hot water now, given that this was school kids and the pictures are everywhere and graphic. So they are covering their ass. But it is too little too late, and too disingenuous as far as I'm concerned. I hope the Russians lay the wood to them.


26 posted on 09/05/2004 4:36:05 PM PDT by raptor29
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To: freedom44

While I'm sure that some folks over there are completely disgusted by what has taken place in Russia, we have to remember that their own holy book commands them to lie to infidels. I believe these statements are lies.


27 posted on 09/05/2004 4:36:12 PM PDT by TheSpottedOwl ("In the Kingdom of the Deluded, the Most Outrageous Liar is King".)
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Comment #28 Removed by Moderator

To: Wonder Warthog

I say the Russians should load every attack fighter aircraft, and bomber they have and should hit a differant mosque for each victim of the terror they just suffered in the last two weeks.

But hit the mosques on fridays when they are full. As to the one they've got captive that claims to have children, find them and his wives. Make him watch as the families of his victims take out their rage on his children and wives. Then make him watch them covered in pig blood before he is turned over to them.

Take terror home to the terrorists and those who support them and terror may, just may go away.


29 posted on 09/05/2004 4:39:24 PM PDT by stumpy (M)
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To: Ursus arctos horribilis

If I was Putin, I'd blow Chechnya off the map.


30 posted on 09/05/2004 4:40:47 PM PDT by TheSpottedOwl ("In the Kingdom of the Deluded, the Most Outrageous Liar is King".)
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To: freedom44
Let's see now. Hardly a day goes by that some mo-slime terrorist doesn't use a bomb to murder a U.S. soldier in Iraq. Or, for that matter, other Iraqis. Hardly a week goes by that some palie doesn't murder Jewish women, children, and infants. That's been going on awhile.

In fact, we can go back 1,000 years and is-slime has maintained remarkable consistency as a murderous cult that delights in torture, rape, and murder.

And now, they're shocked at the murder of children?

Nonsense. The only thing they object to is that pictures got out. And their friends in the U.S. media are doing their best to suppress those.

There is only one way to end this reign of terror - and that is to end is-slime.

31 posted on 09/05/2004 4:41:25 PM PDT by neutrino (Globalization “is the economic treason that dare not speak its name.” (173))
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Comment #32 Removed by Moderator

To: Artemis Webb
They condemn it with their mouths and fund the terrorist with their bank accounts. F**K em all.

You got that right! The moon-god worshiper's 'holy book' tells them its OK to lie to the infidels while they plot our destruction!

A few will act outraged while they continue funding the baby-raping jihadists.

33 posted on 09/05/2004 4:45:40 PM PDT by Walkin Man
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To: freedom44

media's going all out apology mode.


34 posted on 09/05/2004 4:46:05 PM PDT by Kornev
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To: freedom44
...Islamic rebels supporting an independent Chechyna.

Am I wrong or aren't these the people Bill Clinton and the democrats went to war for?

35 posted on 09/05/2004 4:50:54 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: Ursus arctos horribilis
Don't ever forget that Putin was (and always will be) a KGB operative. These guys are used to playing by a set of rules of their own making. Rules that facilitate the most unspeakable retributions against an enemy.

As we speak, phones of former KGB special operatives are ringing in Moscow:

"Hello Comrade.....it's your old friend.....I have a special job for you....."

I wouldn't be surprised if this tragic event awakens the bear and foments a revitalized nationalism.

36 posted on 09/05/2004 4:55:22 PM PDT by Partisan Hack
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To: TexasCajun
those were the Kosovars - who as far as I know haven't pulled shit like the Chechnyans have.
37 posted on 09/05/2004 4:56:03 PM PDT by sassbox
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To: TexasCajun; All

I've said it before: We supported the wrong side in Bosnia.


38 posted on 09/05/2004 4:57:16 PM PDT by Partisan Hack
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To: Partisan Hack
I wouldn't be surprised if this tragic event awakens the bear and foments a revitalized nationalism.

I concur, it is already in motion

39 posted on 09/05/2004 4:57:54 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: freedom44
Expressions of shame and self-reproach swept the Arab world yesterday as Muslims mourned the deaths of Russian schoolchildren and voiced unusually critical condemnations of the social ills widely blamed here for breeding terrorism.

As they should. Now let them turn in the terrorists and let Muslim fight Muslim.

40 posted on 09/05/2004 4:57:54 PM PDT by af_vet_1981
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