Reverend I understand the cause and effect scenerio you are speaking of...but this cannot distract you from the nature of Al Qaeda, you can't forget who you are dealing with and quickly blame their actions on the U.S. You quote:
"Only because they are reacting to US foreign policy."
So basically your ignoring their nature and blaming their reaction on U.S foreign policy? It's not that simple!!
Here is a context taken from Encarta encyclopedia, this states their mission:
"Al-Qaeda seeks to incite a global jihad (holy war) to overthrow regimes with predominantly Arab or Muslim populations that al-Qaeda considers corrupt and anti-Islamic. It wants to replace these regimes with a single Muslim nation or empire strictly governed according to sharia (Islamic law). Al-Qaeda sees the United States and other Western countries as blocking this goal because they are allied with many of the countries al-Qaeda considers corrupt."
Okay, so how is the U.S the only country responsible for their behaviour again? Also, their mission shows that they have a religious motive, not just a reaction to foreign policy. Also, as crearly stated from above it is obvious they see the U.S standing in their way of a strictly Sharia society. It's not just U.S policy once again, its the fact these regimes rule by a different nature and that Al Qaeda disaproves of that.
"A 1998 fatwa, issued in the name of “The World Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Jews and Crusaders,” declared that “the ruling to kill the Americans and their allies—civilian or military—is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it.” Bin Laden regards the U.S. military presence as a continuation of the Crusades, a series of wars during the Middle Ages in which Western Christians sought to capture the Holy Land from Muslims."
Okay, so not only is it mostly religious motives but also anti-semite and deeply engraved in past historical events which have long passed. We all know that the Isralei's have no where to go and that the U.S is not continuing the crusades from when they took place a thousand years ago. Hmm, so Reverend justifies 9/11 for these misconceptions that Al Qaeda holds?
"During 2002, for example, terrorist incidents linked to al-Qaeda occurred in places as diverse as Tunisia, Pakistan, Jordan, Indonesia, Kuwait, the Philippines, Yemen, and Kenya. Its targets have included Australian, German, and Israeli tourists, and French engineers and a French oil tanker"
According to Reverend "they are only reacting to U.S foreign policy". Hmmm, wait, which one of these countries or people are part of the U.S again? Wait, France targeted? Aren't they the ones most opposed to U.S foreign policy? I think Al Qaeda must of targeted the wrong country. Geez.
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/search.aspx?q=wha+bism
"Actually the United States has at least peripheral involvement with every one of those, either through ties to the governments, supply of weapons and/or aid, or corporate involvement in the economy."
Wait, Kosovo, India/Pakistan, Russia and Indonesia have these Islamic conflicts because of the U.S? Is this what your saying? Your kidding me. Are you saying that the U.S caused all thse conflicts?
"Yup. It's a reaction to their policies too."
What?? no no, your not keeping an eye on world news. Here for example:
"The Dutch government has stepped up measures against alleged Islamic extremists, amid calls for Queen Beatrix to unite the people.
It comes as ethnic tensions mounted after a siege in The Hague on Wednesday in which four police officers were hurt by a grenade and two suspects arrested.
The Dutch parliament has begun a debate over the murder of a film-maker last week by a suspected Muslim radical.
It set off a series of retaliatory attacks on Islamic and Christian sites."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4004313.stm
Wait wait wait...what does this have to do with U.S foreign policy again??
