I have to agree Cooper72. I once had the immense pleasure of meeting Frank Gardner in London a number of years ago and I have to admit that, even then, he was incredibly well informed and extremely knowledgeable about the Middle East and the Islamic World. Ever since he met the great explorer Wilfred Thesiger when he was 16, Gardner has been travelling to the Arab World and learning of its diverse people. I find it extremely ironic that Frank Gardner can be heavily criticised for his views upon the Islamic World by a vast majority of people who know very little in comparison to him. There are too many people in this world today who simply swallow the prejudice of others rather than make up their own minds. I cannot possibly count the number of people here who have previously slated Islam and criticised its people for the most of bizarre of reasons simply for the fact that they fail to understand its truce teachings. Most people seem to believe that the ideology of Al-Qaeda and Ossama Bin Laden is the teaching of Islam and the Koran. People fail to realise that Bin Laden’s desires are essentially political and not religious and bear no resemblance to the true teaching of Islam and is a direct exploitation. It is very strange to see people criticise Frank Gardner for apparently ‘knowing little about Islam’ when he is the very one who spent years studying the religion including reading Arabic and Islam at University. He has read the Koran and other Islamic scriptures and in my opinion deserves more airway to speak about the current situation in the world today than others who have never even closely examined Islam. Frank Gardner is not delusional as some may suggest for he is quite the opposite. The world needs people like Gardner who know what they are talking about. I only know of two journalists who have ever tried to fully explain what groups such as Al-Qaeda want and what their motives are and they were Frank Gardner and Daniel Pearl. Nobody seems to want to know why Al-Qaeda does what it does and simply condemn them and swallow the simplistic views offered by cheap news stations, which care little of explaining. This does not mean saying that Al-Qaeda is somehow right or that their actions are justified – which they are not. But what turns – as Frank Gardner says – a young and intelligent man into a killer? What motive is behind his actions – should we address the issues? As an Irish citizen, what state would my country be in now if we never challenged or even reviewed the wishes of the IRA? Why do some American’s embrace Gerry Adams – a former IRA man – and donate money to IRA families who killed my innocent friends. Is this not like giving money to Al-Qaeda suicide bombers families and supporting terrorists like Bin Laden? Do you know how many deaths the IRA is responsible for in comparison to Al-Qaeda? 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? What state will the world be in years from now if we allow ourselves to succumb to the hatred and total misunderstanding brewing in our societies? I dread to think.
Seems like you only come on Free Republic to talk about Frank Gardner.
Look clearly he is a victim, but his statements are incredibly naive. There is no coherent way to explain Al-Qaida's demands. Their 'letter to America' is a bungled mess, and if they were truly sincere about their demands they would spend more time targeting Arab regimes.
Your IRA ranting is crazy. I've never understood why many Brits and Irish think that most Americans care a rat's ass about the problems in Northern Ireland. In any event, everyone there is at fault, so your attempt to turn that issue into a story about America is insane.
Golly, I wonder why there aren't more.
Ture teaching of Islam? You and him are in need of a refresher course!
So you are not a believer in Original Sin? You sound like one of our college professors.
Therefore why not challenge the House of Saud instead of pussy footing
This is what gets me about the left. The wax superior about being people of peace then they demand war when it's not necessary.
My eyes. My eyes. Paragraphs are our friends. I will read your post if you will kindly break it into paragraphs. Thanks!
I cannot possibly count the number of people here who have previously slated Islam and criticised its people for the most of bizarre of reasons simply for the fact that they fail to understand its truce teachings. Most people seem to believe that the ideology of Al-Qaeda and Ossama Bin Laden is the teaching of Islam and the Koran. People fail to realise that Bin Laden’s desires are essentially political and not religious and bear no resemblance to the true teaching of Islam and is a direct exploitation.
Surah 8:12 of the Qu'ran : ... I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: you smite them above their necks and smite all their fingertips off them.
Certainly sounds pretty clear to me. If I don't believe like they do, I am to be killed.
Do you refute this?
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?