Let us assume for a moment that the parcel bombs sent to Jewish targets in Chicago were viable devices and this was a real attack by anti-Jewish, and probably Islamic, terrorists. There are other possible explanations, but it is not improbable this was a real attempted attack.
We are looking at low level, workaday terrorism. Parcel bombs were not infrequent in the UK in my youth, and the Unabomber caused extraordinary levels of alarm in the United States. Any loss of life is deplorable, but the scale of this threat appears to have been small.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE69S37420101030?pageNumber=1
It is hard to believe that a parcel bomb would have killed more than a couple of people – there have been a large number of parcel bombs used over decades, and they do not cause mass casualties. Now two or three dead or injured people is too many, but the worldwide media coverage is completely disproportionate to the threat – if they covered every two or three actually, not potentially, dead Afghans in this depth, they would never cover anything else.
It is of course possible that the media coverage was the aim rather than two or three unfortunate people in Chicago. The easy and extremely detailed tip off from the Saudi security services is very interesting. If publicity rather than death was the aim, that rather widens the field of people who might have been behind it.
“I can therefore only assume that a goodly proportion of you are actually quite supportive of blowing up some old rabbi in Chicago.”
Don’t be so daft, man.
Thanks, Alan, I appreciate you replying. I share your suspicion, actually.
But how come you seem to support – please correct me if I’m wrong – the military ‘interventions’ in Iraq and Afghanistan? I’m trying to scry the logic of your position. Thanks again.
‘attempted terrorist outrages planned by religious extremists’
‘two small parcel bombs planted by madmen of whatever persuasion’
Perhaps it’s living abroad which gives you this perspective, alan. Here, we are, as you see, inclined to laugh, despite or because of the fact that it is *our* radio which is suddenly being swamped by US ‘experts’ intoning nonsense; and *our* freedoms which are going to be further stamped on; and *our* lives which are increasingly adopting the feeling of trying to fight the enormous and invisible jelly which is the hype of terror.
To assume that people here are broadly supportive of blowing up some old rabbi in Chicago as a result is quite funny in itself. Heck, one of us probably is some old rabbi in Chicago.
Just love how the Liberati dismiss the genuince concerns of ordinary people as – racist, conservative, neocon etc. You really don’t know how out of touch you are, do you?
But anyway, back to the latest attempted terrorist attacks and religious extremism in general, why don’t you all sign up to the following:
“I condemn attacks carried out on civilians by religious extremists of whatever religion.”
Yes or no?
Actually I don’t support our interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Complete waste of money. However, that doesn’t mean I romanticise Saddam and his insane sons or the Taliban and AQ.
Not sure if the rush to downplay the terrorist attacks is sad, pathetic or funny. Impossible that there are some false-flaggers out there that want to do bad things to innocent civilians and blame others. But then again, the Muslims aren’t innocent. Just ask Rham Emannuel and his dad and some of the posters on here.
And I don’t lightly dismiss the threat from religious extremists. You see I think the reason Craig, and many posters on here, automatically downplay the threat is because it doesn’t fit the Pilgerist narrative: USA and Western values always bad; anything against USA and Western values always good.
..and God forbid that we should dare to criticise people of another religion who might also have slightly darker skin than us. Relativist silliness. Call me old-fashioned, but I’ll always be more Nye Bevan than Tariq Ali.
@ alan campbell 2:39 – but it’s OK for daily Mumbai’s in Pakistan. Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan and increasingly Iran? Teach the darkies a lesson in civility hey?
Alan Campbell,
I signed up to the worst terror attack in my history (about sixty years) is was called ‘shock & awe’ and still leaves children dying in extreme agony. It was carried out with the blessing of Christian hypocrites.
No, it isn’t. They’re all wrong. So how about condemning the lot of them and stop pretending?
Actually I’d say Ernest Bevin. The other Bevan got a bit too leftie in the end.
I condemn attacks on civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Now, over to you guys…
Come on, it’s not difficult.
No, re. the rabbi vignette, etc., obviously, most of us would never support such a thing, killing people, absolutely not, that is actually why we post here, I suspect.
Or: I condemn the persecution of women and homosexuals by religious high-priests of whatever faith.
“Heck, one of us probably is some old rabbi in Chicago.”
It’s Larry!
Alan Campbell,
thanks for your posts that reveal something of your perspective. I think you’d find that most commenters here, myself included, deplore all bombings and attempted bombings, no matter who is behind them; it sort of goes without saying. There also seem to be enough mainstream sources voicing condemnation already, voicing it loudly and frequently, while ignoring or downplaying or justifying much greater Western atrocities. I think it is right to get these things into perspective. If we’re downplay this matter here, I think you’ll find our counterbalance in the mainstream media.
We still have nothing but the mutterings of our government rune readers as to who attempted this yet. Or why.
boo, scared yah didnt I, and remembers its halloween.
So just how many people died in the past 2 days on the road, from smoking blahdy blahdy blahdy.
Mybe someone press should speend more time of a more worthwhile news story.
Google Hollie Crieg….
Then why do I have this sneaking suspicion that a lot of posters on here, whenever they hear of an attack or attempted attack, be it Bali, Mumbai, 7/7, Atocha etc are thinking: yeah, we/they deserve it.
I could be wrong. I just have this feeling.
“Actually I don’t support our interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Complete waste of money.” & “I’m of the old-fashioned working class left”.
that would be the old fashioned working class left that departed after Manchester all those long three years ago.
Thanks again, Alan. Nye Bevan it is, then! Or Ernest, even.
I do agree that among some leftist/ liberal circles, there is an unwillingness to confront what is actually deeply oppressive infiltrative ideology, esp. within Muslim communities in the UK and elsewhere. People in places like Pakistan are confronting it all the time – they have to. I’ve argued that for many years and been frustrated by the situation.
Also, though I oughtn’t really have to, since you’ve been kind enough to do me the courtesy, I shall make a response to your phrase: “I condemn attacks carried out on civilians by religious extremists of whatever religion.” Absolutely, 100%.
It’s also very good to know that you do not support the military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thank you for making that clear as well.
Now, where were we…?
“Heck, one of us probably is some old rabbi in Chicago.”
“It’s Larry!”
Me too. And this is the last time I order cheap toner cartridges off e-bay.
well done, Suhayl and Clark. Now don’t we all feel better for that?
“I condemn attacks carried out on civilians by religious extremists of whatever religion.”
Do you also condemn attacks carried out on civilians by people who are not, in the normal sense of the term, religious extremists?
“Or: I condemn the persecution of women and homosexuals by religious high-priests of whatever faith.”
Absolutely. But you already know this about me. I mean, if you’ve read what I’ve written here and in books/mags/newspapers/on the web, there can be no doubt about my positions of these matters.
Hey – I’m glad we all having this conversation, btw!
Alan Campbell at 3:43 PM,
because we all need to have that feeling – it is our guilt as members of a so-called democracy calling to us to remember our part of the responsibility.
“Then why do I have this sneaking suspicion that a lot of posters on here, whenever they hear of an attack or attempted attack, be it Bali, Mumbai, 7/7, Atocha etc are thinking: yeah, we/they deserve it.”
Your problem, Alan, is that you don’t read here often enough. If you did you’d realise how stupid that remark is. Really, really stupid.
Technicolour at 3:17,
“…the feeling of trying to fight the enormous and invisible jelly which is the hype of terror”. Yep. Very well put, and really made me laugh.
I have never seen anyone here glory in the injury or death of any person, anywhere. Or say they deserved it.
Gosh, challenged to condemn all violent attacks and violent discrimination – yes, I think I can just about manage it.
Surely, alan, you’re being disingenuous? In case you’re not, I think you’ll find your feeling is mistaken, happily. Grand if this leads you to engage in more depth.