Here’s where I see a difference. Uyghurs in China, and Caucasus peoples in and next to Russia, are primarily motivated by a desire for independence and nationhood. Islam’s role historically has been to provide a unifying force, and a way to gain allies with neighboring countries against the primary expansionist adversaries, China or Russia.
We should be sympathetic to peoples who do not want to be trampled and absorbed by China and Russia. Remember, it was not too long ago that Europe, Ukraine, Georgia and Tibet were threatened. We know what happened to Tibet and to dozens and dozens of now-nameless peoples in Russia; the jury is out on many other such countries.
Although the jihadi individuals in custody were fighting against us, their main beef may not be with us (in spite of all the world-jihadi unity talk).
So, let’s not throw them all under the bus as a group, but entertain the idea that some of them are really fighting for their own country’s independence.
The historical evidence shows nothing of the kind. To the contrary it is these islamic people who have been expansionist for hundreds of years attacking and invading Russia more recently, and China.
They follow the precepts of the cult book, motivated by hate and Islamic fervor. They are historically the first aggressive Al Quaeda having caused untold death and destruction over the last 1000 years. This latest “movement” is but the latest in a long line of expanionistic moves, terror which the peoples in Eurasia/Asia have not forgotten.
They must be detroyed not coddled like the west is doing.