There is nothing wrong with trying to understand the enemy!

[lildreamer316]

I'm speaking of Al Queda/Jihadist organizations,not the RW (there is no comprehending them). Some here are attacking others who are seeking to educate us on how these people got so organized and angry in the first place.I don't know about you, but understanding where their ideology comes from helps me get the bigger picture better.
Come on, guys. Let us get the answers to the questions.
Hell,looks like we'll have about 12 years to do it; plenty of time to get educated, wouldn't you say?:sarcasm:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. a wise person knows his enemy

if one doesn't, how can one effectively battle them?

Personally, I have spoken to folks from the Middle East who now live here. This includes people who are Iraqi refugees from Saddam's regime. One thing I found interesting is that even these folks are always talking about Palestine. The injustice they perceive towards the Palestinians is, in my experience, universal; also the idea that the US is prejudiced in favor of Israel.

Other factors in the anti-Americanism that can foster terrorism is the meddling of Europe and the US in Middle Eastern affairs, starting with the fall of the Ottoman Empire after WWI when France and Britain carved up the Middle East, creating the countries we know now. They see US/Europe as having exploited their countries, enriching the few and taking the oil without thought of insisting on democracy (come on, the US installed the Shah of Iran to replace a democratically elected government).

[wurzel]

2. The question is: Why did they become"the enemy".

That covers a history of over 100 years where the "West" has decided that what is good for the "West" is good for the "Middle East". Until the last 5 years there is almost no evidence of the Middle Easteners" deciding what shape of country and form of governmet is good for us. Perhaps it is a simple matter of us minding our own business in our own country! If we want oil, then trade for it.

[malaise]

3. Did they become the enemy before

the US set up bases in Saudi Arabia where their holiest sites are located?

[wurzel]

5. They became the "enemy" when oil was discovered.

We installed governments that served our interests rather than the Arabs. We armed and kept those governments in power no matter what they did to their people. Saddam and the Saudi family could not have lasted a day without Western and US support. As we have just demonstrated. The bases in Saudi Arabia turned the problem from political and economic to religious. Since the West has always had a basic contempt for religions other than Christianity they totally underestimated the reaction. To the West all "Holy Sites' are in Palestine.

[uppityperson]

4. A personal rant about "al queda" spelling

If you are going to try to understand them, please try to use the most translatable spelling al Qaeda. We are used to putting a "u" after a "q", but there is none in their name. Proununciation-wise "qu"=kw, as in queen=kween while "q"=k as in cat. They are al Qaeda= al(softish k)eye-da, no Queda "kw". Please. I know it may seem nitpicky to some, but please try to go with the closest translatable way of saying the name.

It is the same problem that Mumar Kadafi/Khadafi/Qadafi had. But he was never Quadafi as this puts it back to "kw". Arabic does not translate well, French doesn't, German doesn't, at least the last 2 use the same alphabet. But please drop the "u". Thank you. Sorry for being ranty, this was not aimed at any one person but in general.