Posted on 10/17/2001 4:21:08 AM PDT by Mr. Mulliner
The legend of Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden is that of the world's richest terrorist, a business-savvy nomad who has used a vast inheritance and a constellation of companies to finance a global network of violence.
[snip]
In Sudan in the 1990s, bin Laden engaged in construction and agriculture.
[snip]
Ever since his days as a student of economics and finance at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, bin Laden has shown a special affinity for raising and managing money.
[snip]
After the Soviet pullout from Afghanistan, bin Laden moved his activities to Sudan, but also spent time in Saudi Arabia, working for the family construction business.
[snip]
In Sudan, bin Laden invested in a variety of businesses -- including construction, farming and banking. He built bridges, an international airport and a major roadway. He harvested peanuts, fruit, sesame, white corn, sunflowers and wheat. He dealt in imports and exports.
[snip]
He paid $50 million for part ownership of a Khartoum bank, and he ran Taba Investment Co., which invested in global stock markets. He formed ventures with members of Sudan's ruling National Islamic Front, using his wealth to win favor and protection.
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Like I said, he's a capitolist.
It must take a lot of effort to miss the main point, which was quite clear.
Of course the Islamic fundamentals don't dwell on the nuances, and may not even be aware of them.
They are merely the shock troops of the larger army.
As to the world-wide wealth redistribution element? is it any suprise that even the ex-First Rapist now repeats that need shamelessly?
Maybe Merriam-Webster can clear things up for you:
Main Entry: cap·i·tal·ist
Pronunciation: -ist
Function: noun
Date: 1792
1 : a person who has capital especially invested in business; broadly : a person of wealth : PLUTOCRAT
2 : a person who favors capitalism
I'll need an explanation of this one to make sense of it. People can have money, not give it away, spend it on whatever they want...and that doesn't make them a capitalist.
The Cato institute does not support nor advocate unregulated and unrestricted immigration. The problems with immigration being discussed here are mainly a result of the Clinton/Gore administration's corruption. They weakened and overloaded the INS in order to get more Democrat voters into the country. They knew we were getting many other undesirables but voters were more important than national security.
It was a fact during the boom of the late 80s through the 90s that we needed more qualified workers than this country was producing, thanks in large part to the Democrats destruction of our education system, the welfare state, and the demands of labor unions. We needed not only the cheap labor described but also educated, intelligent, and willing workers for our high tech industries. Many of those came from India, Pakistan, Israel, and other countries in that area. Unfortunately, our overworked, undermanned, and politically manipulated INS could not do the necessary job of keeping up with all these people so many bad guys got in and stayed.
Most of the Hispanics I have met personally are conservative thinkers and hard woprkers. I know some are lefties and many are willing to exchange votes for welfare, but I don't see Hispanics as a longterm threat to our society.
The anti-capitalist, I guess that is more politically correct than my term "lefties", do permiate all areas of this country. Faulty thinking is non-discriminating.
These days; [Especially, SY, in our part of the world] since criminally-inspired prohibitions have seen to it that all of the really BIG money finds its way into the clutches of the world's most Evil people; the probability is extremely low that anyone ostentatiously cash rich is a Capitalist.
Most of the world's liquid wealth is in the hands of [Drugs, arms, prostitution-racketeering] criminals; of those [Bankers -- including America's "Fed," which manipulates the money supply to allow for drug trafficing -- lawyers and accountants] who launder and "invest" their ill-gotten gains -- and in the hands of the [Politician] owners and operators of the gummints; including most, at every level, of America's and Europe's -- and all of Asia's; which facilitate all of the above!
Osama isn't looking through our eyes, though. When he looks at the WTC, he sees a physically large target which is easy to hit by beginner pilots, containing a large number of non-believers to murder, centered in one of our largest population centers for maximum fear factor.
You said it. I agree with you.
In the contemporary world, what is called capitalism is nothing but socialism given a different name. We have large "communes" (called "corporations") with sophisticated "re-distribution of wealth" schemes (only instead of "each according to his ability to each according to his need" it is "each according to his job description to each according to his shares") and underneath it all we have the same dehumanizing mechanisms where INDIVIDUALS are accorded second place status (only instead of the "good of the community" we have individuals being sacrificed for the "good of the shareholders").
Let's remember that bin Laden's family controls one of the biggest construction companies in the world. When the Taliban falls and the IMF "loans" the new Afgan government 10 billions dollars to rebuild, there's little difference between the people who will get the money and the people who did the destruction. And, through all this destruction and re-building, it is not the business world that will be doing the bulk of the suffering. (Sure, some US companies may go under. But others will profit to the tune of billions.)
It's not a war of capitalism vs. anti-capitalism. It a war of this bunch of global socialists against that bunch of global socialists and NONE of them care about individuals per se...
Mark W.
Take the good life away from them and they will change their tune. Just don't take me down with you.
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