Must read - BBC Correspondent shot by Al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia last June gives his first interview

The Guardian ^

[Irelander]

BBC Correspondent gives his first interview

[JimRed]

Maybe he saw in me President Bush, Tony Blair, Ariel Sharon, Donald Rumsfeld, all rolled into one. I don't know. He didn't see me as a non-partisan reporter who's simply just trying to report what's going on. He saw me as the enemy."

He saw an unarmed Infidel, and that was reason enough to kill you.

[cooper72]

He saw an unarmed Infidel, and that was reason enough to kill you.

Yes he did say that too, so what is your problem?

[Hildy]

Geez..of course there are many, many good Muslims. Happy???

[cooper72]

Why did it take you so long then? :-)

[Hildy]

Man, you're hard to please. The truth is I actually left my computer to go to the pharmacy! Then Blockbuster. Rented Hotel Rwanda. Aren't you glad you asked??? :)

[JimRed]

Yes he did say that too, so what is your problem?

My "problem" is that the assailants are true followers of Islam, who feel it is their duty to enslave or kill all those who believe differently than they do. The "live and let live" Muslim is no more true Muslim than Teddy Kennedy is a true Catholic.

[Bennett46]

"Are all muslims bad?"


Well, you see that is the dilemma we infidels are up against.

According to mohammed's teaching in the koran; good muslims are to be ready to answer the call to jihad at all times.

The good muslims are instructed to practice al-taqiyya when dealing with infidels...so we infidels cannot really trust what they say to us, can we?

On the other hand, bad muslims who are just trying to get along and keep a low profile among us infidels are in the same danger as we infidels.

Now these folks 'the just trying to get along muslims' are in between a rock and a hard place because they are considered to be just as despicable as infidels.

So how do we infidels react to muslims in general?

With extreme caution at all times, with all muslims.

[saleman]

Best I can tell, he thinks that Muslims are a kindly group of people who wouldn't harm anyone especially someone who is trying to get their message out. It must have been a mistake! If they would just send me a note telling me how sorry they are, then my world would be OK! These poor misunderstood people would play right and behave if only the terrible policies of the US were changed. Yep, Islam is the religion of peace, can't everyone see that?

Hi newbie

[saleman]

Oh, and most are not "judging" Frank. Just judging the heathen, murdering, lying,beastial, cowardly, misogynistic, worthless, numbnuts, asswipe, scum-of-the-earth, egocentric, sorry cameljockeys who did this.

It sounds to me like you keep changing the subject to cover for the monsters who did this. Do you know Frank Gardner personally? No one is attacking him just his naivete. No where have you said anything negative about the criminals who did this. Do you empathize with them?

[cooper72]

Best I can tell, he thinks that Muslims are a kindly group of people who wouldn't harm anyone especially someone who is trying to get their message out. It must have been a mistake! If they would just send me a note telling me how sorry they are, then my world would be OK! These poor misunderstood people would play right and behave if only the terrible policies of the US were changed. Yep, Islam is the religion of peace, can't everyone see that?

The problem with simplifying difficult problems is that it sounds good and makes you feel good. Most muslims in the world are not terrorists or bad people. The problem with Islam is that it is more conducive to producing the nutters in this day and age.

You talk as if all muslims can be classed as the same and are an enemy to America, of-course except for the new free Iraqi and Afghani muslims who even though they are exactly the same religion as before are lauded as friends of America.

For if muslims are a priori bad, why free Iraq and Afghanistan?

As for sarcastically decrying the thought that Islam is a religion of peace and why can't others see that, then why not condemn President Bush who said openly:

"Islam is Peace!"

I don't remember Frank Gardner saying that, but if he did say what your President said you would condemn him. Do you condemn Mr Bush?

[Colosis]

but if he did say what your President said you would condemn him. Do you condemn Mr Bush?

GROAN! What a drama queen.

[cooper72]

Well if people condemn others for saying "Islam is peace" why not Mr Bush who said the exact same?

And if you are going for personal insults on the internet, it belittles you. I wonder why you personally attack me when I am defending someone shot by terrorists? This is not uncommon on the British Isles though is it my friend? :-)

[Colosis]

There are many here who, quite rightly, disagree with GWBs 'Islam is Peace' statement, but we are not going to condemn Bush for saying it. Why, my nephews used that 'do you condemn Bush for ...' line on me just yesterday. They were acting like drama queens.

I wonder why you personally attack me when I am defending someone shot by terrorists? This is not uncommon on the British Isles though is it my friend?

Conjecture. I was not 'attacking' you because you are the great defender of the innocents against terrorism, and anyway, your barking up the wrong tree. Read my previous posts on the IRA etc.

[cooper72]

The point is the double-standards. I have no interest in Bush being condemned for sayong "Islam is peace", but it is hypocrisy of the highest order to say Frank Gardner is a terrorist apologist by people who don't have the least clue what they are talking about, when he actually said nothing wrong.

The fact is all those people who have special powers and somehow know his "beliefs" from one article he didn't even write would have absolutely slaughtered him if he said "islam is peace.".

[GVnana]

Can anyone tell me the difference between the IRA and Al-Qaeda? Sure, of course on the basis of ideology they differ but they are both ruthless terrorists organisation. Nobody is born evil – nobody – but they lives are shaped by their environments. Therefore why not challenge the House of Saud instead of pussy footing – why not challenge Arab states such as Saudi Arabia. What state would my country be in now if we simply hated the IRA and never sought to understand their aims?

The BBC correspondent didn't deserve what happened to him. The 4,000 American civilians didn't deserve what happened to them on 9/11.

Whether a person is born evil or not, evil does exists. In a civilized society we don't go looking for the evil in others. That leads to witch hunts.

Evil is properly curbed by applying the level of force necessary to stop evil acts--not what someone symbolizes, or thinks. Saudi Arabia is not an openly avowed enemy of the United States. Al Qaeda is. Therein lies the difference.

As far was what state Ireland would be in if the Irish did not attempt to understand the IRA's aims--that's a rather lofty question for an American reader, since most Americans wouldn't have a clue what you're talking about. Simply because a few wealthy Americans have donated money to the IRA doesn't mean that their aims are supported by the American public at large. I would have to ask, what state is your country in by understanding the aims of the IRA?

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Fisk alert. What a freaking idiot.

Indeed!

Robert Fisk: "I would attack Robert Fisk".

Or;

"I met Osama Bin Laden".

Worse again;

"The Arafat that I Knew".