the threat of al-qaeda?

how many people here actually believe al qaeda are a genuine threat to the world?

i personally don't, on average they perform an attack once a yearband have only really gained infamy since 9-11, before that you needed a very good memory to remember they were to blame for the african bombings. we were told that they had bunkers in the tora bora mountains, huge things with their own power supply, food to last a year, entry for tanks. this of course wasn't true.

i don't believe that al-qaeda are even that large or powerful. technically al-qaeda never planned 9-11, sheikh mohammed planned it when he was part of another organisation and came to bin laden and zawhirri for money which they gave him and also gave him their support for the operation.

the idea that there are thousands of these people world wide plotting world domination all seems ridiculous to me, does anyone here actually know al-qaeda's history? what they are fighting for? or why they attack the US?

i'm sorry but i don't believe in the polticians claim that these people are ready to take over the world and we are in grave danger. is this all because since the 1990's we've not had to fear the "great threat" of communism or before that facism.

do politicians sieze and exagerate the small fears we might have and attempt to scare us in order to gain our support by using this underlying human need to fear?

your comments please.

I don't think Al-Qaeda are the significant threat that the Western Governments want the public to believe they are, however it cannot be denied that they still are a threat to innocent civilians. There is little doubt that its members have been brainwashed into harbouring a hatred for the West and they are more than willing to sacrifice their lives to inflict heavy damage and high amounts of casualties.

I think Al-Qaeda, and perhaps all Islamic-based terrorists are the new faceless enemy - rather like the threat of Communism during the Cold War, just like you said. They need to build on the fear of this unknown in order to remain in power and to push through certain legislation. However, while their power has been greatly exaggerated by the authorities, there is still no doubt in my mind that they are a dangerous organisation and appropriate measures need to be taken to prevent them from committing any terrorist attrocities.

To say they're no threat whatsoever would be stupid, but they aren't nearly as dangerous as they're made out to be. They're dangerous, they HAVE bombed things in recent years and killed people, they ARE Muslim extremists...but are they as deadly as George Bush makes them out to be? Nah.

The reason al Qaeda hasn't been as dangerous or prominent since 9/11 could be because:

a) they never really were that dangerous to begin with, and 9/11 was pretty much an "all-or-nothing" attack.
b) they're laying low now because they know someone's going to have a bomb sight on their rears the moment they show their faces.
c) we've managed to kill, capture, or demoralize a majority of their members.

i want to try something here

i will be very impressed if someone who replies to this post can tell my why al-qaeda attacked america. two hints it's not jealousy and it's not to convert you all to islam.

if someone can actually give a moderately informed answer to that i will be stunned.

it's a point that we are fighting an unknown enemy who's cause we don't know.

I may be wrong, but I always believed that the attack on America occurred due to America's continued support of Israel in the Arab-Israeli dispute over Palestine, and perhaps also to draw global attention to their cause.

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i will be very impressed if someone who replies to this post can tell my why al-qaeda attacked america. two hints it's not jealousy and it's not to convert you all to islam.

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Partly because of our foreign policy. We support the Saudi Arabian monarchy, which Bin-Laden veiws as corrupt.(With justification) :mad: He also objects toour troops being stationed in Saudi. Then theres also Israel.

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Originally Posted by Psychotic

I don't think Al-Qaeda are the significant threat that the Western Governments want the public to believe they are, however it cannot be denied that they still are a threat to innocent civilians.

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Wow. U sir read my mind before i even thought about it. Whatever sense that makes. But what u said is perfectly correct.

The above posters are correct, to the best of my knowledge. Much of it has to do with US involvement in certain aspects of the Middle East.

In other words USA asked for it? Nice...doesnt surprise me though. Pretty sure many people have a negative view on US's foreign policy.

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Originally Posted by Cloud No.9

i want to try something here

i will be very impressed if someone who replies to this post can tell my why al-qaeda attacked america. two hints it's not jealousy and it's not to convert you all to islam.

if someone can actually give a moderately informed answer to that i will be stunned.

it's a point that we are fighting an unknown enemy who's cause we don't know.

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According to Osama Bin Laden himself, the reason stems from an American led attack on Lebanon in 1982:

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...C36E87F61F.htm

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Originally Posted by Osama Bin Laden

I couldn't forget those moving scenes, blood and severed limbs, women and children sprawled everywhere. Houses destroyed along with their occupants and high rises demolished over their residents, rockets raining down on our home without mercy.

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In other words USA asked for it? Nice...doesnt surprise me though. Pretty sure many people have a negative view on US's foreign policy.

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I don't recall anyone on this thread saying we asked for it, but our foreign policy is flawed. And, lets face it, our government is full of hypocrites. :mad:

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Originally Posted by Cloud No.9

i want to try something here

i will be very impressed if someone who replies to this post can tell my why al-qaeda attacked america. two hints it's not jealousy and it's not to convert you all to islam.

if someone can actually give a moderately informed answer to that i will be stunned.

it's a point that we are fighting an unknown enemy who's cause we don't know.

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I thought it was really because he was angry that the Saudi's didnt want him and his army to defend the holy land, and the opted for US troops in their place. He sees it as a corruption and the US invading the Holy Land. Not because they hate freedom or something, thats for the grunts to hear.

Now i havent spoken to Bin Laden, (call off the FBI strike team) but based on the information ive seen i am pretty sure that was the last straw in his mind. I could however be wrong.

the actual reasons for al-qaeda's formation actually aren't anything to do with bin laden but his right hand man and the founder of the organisation al zawhirri (i know i might have spelt his name wrong). he's a very strong islamist and was involved in the iranian revolution and wanted to see the rest of the middle east follow suit. he tried in many countries and they ended in bloody failure and he retired to afghanistan (where he would later met bin laden). there it occured to him that it might be a better idea to impress the muslim world, this resulted in the attacks in africa.

there was a show here which documented the emergence of al-qaeda and the way in which they have been presented as a threat. if i can find a link to it i'll post it here. (apoligies in advance if i double post to give the link)