MSNBC - Why would terrorists want to attack Norway?

[OmahaBlueDog]

Norwegian special forces have been fighting in Afghanistan for many years and Ayman al Zawahiri, al-Qaida's new leader after the death of Osama bin Laden, has been threatening Norway since 2003, warning that its participation in the U.S.-led military campaign against radical Islam in Afghanistan would result in an attack on the Norwegian homeland. Norwegian special forces operate in central Afghanistan, near Kabul.

On July 9, 2010, three Norwegians were indicted for planning an attack on targets in Oslo, apparently Chinese targets. Two of the three, a Uighur (Chinese Muslim) and an Uzbeki, were arrested in Norway, while a third, an Iraqi with Norwegian residence, was grabbed in Germany. The detentions were coordinated with arrest in New York of Najibulla Zazi, an Afghan-American man who wanted to blow up New York City subways. The two plots were believed to have been put together by al-Qaida’s central command in Pakistan -- Osama Bin Laden and Zawahiri.

Read more at: http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/22/7142933-why-would-terrorists-want-to-attack-norway

[hifiguy]

1. Religulous insanity.

twas ever thus. The human race must put an end to religion or it will put an end to the human race.

N.B. Confucianism and Buddhism are NOT religions. No angry, vengeful godhead to placate, merely systems of ethics.

[gratuitous]

2. No

Insanity hiding behind religion for palatability is quite a different kettle of fish than religious insanity. But don't put away the broad brush bigotry on anyone's account; it's a perfectly acceptable prejudice at DU.

[riderinthestorm]

5. Bigotry?? Religious beliefs are not and should not be immune from critique. nt

[hifiguy]

9. Precisely the argument Richard Dawkins has made

so forcefully. Rational discussion of everything else is permitted, but once "religion" is invoked any sort of idiocy is beyond critique or analysis, it simply must be "accepted" no matter how imbecilic or counterfactual it is.

[11 Bravo]

12. A blanket conflation of religion with insanity is not a "critique". It is, in fact, bigotry.

[hifiguy]

13. Given the astonishing historical record of bloodshed

in the name of religion, it is not bigotry, it is learning from the past.

More human beings have been slaughtered throughout history in the name of "religion" than for any other reason.

[LanternWaste]

19. Also in the name of borders, governments, money, greed, selfishness, etc.

Also in the name of borders, governments, money, greed, selfishness, etc. So we should maintain intellectual consistency and call each and every government, each and every border, etc. insane also.

"More human beings have been slaughtered throughout history in the name of "religion" than for any other reason..."

Incorrect-- nationalism is the answer.

[hifiguy]

24. Nationalism did not exist as a concept

until after the rise of the nation/state. Religion-inspired slaughter, at least in the Western world, goes at least as far back as the Crusades, which were centuries before the rise of narionalism or the nation/state.

[valerief]

14. Blind faith isn't exactly sane. nt

[riderinthestorm]

16. I didn't read that post as a blanket conflation.

:shrug:

I read it as the terrorism (in Norway) is a product of a person/s gripped by religious insanity. Since right now an Islamic jihad group is claiming responsibility, I don't see the problem with labeling them as religiously insane.

[Lucian]

23. + infinity.

[LanternWaste]

18. I imagine we should prohibit all imaginary thinking...

I imagine we should prohibit all imaginary thinking... philosophy, government, the arts, etc., rather than simply the imaginary thinking you yourself are displeased with. Twas ever thus (which is just as valid in this context as in yours...)

[hifiguy]

20. It would be nice if we could educate people

away from magical thinking as is most destructively manifested in religion. If people had a respect for logic and the scientific laws of proof/disprovability it would do nothing to limit the imagination, rather, it would unchain the human mind from its folly of pursuing the demonstrably false.

[uppityperson]

26. Buddhism is NOT a religion because no angry god? I do not think that word means what you think it

means.

[LeftishBrit]

27. Also, the concept of divine retribution can occur even in non-theistic religions

Notoriously, Mayor Ishihara of Tokyo, who is a Buddhist and Shintoist said that the earthquakes and tsunami were punishment from heaven for the 'greed' of the Japanese. (He was forced to apologize for that.)

Indeed, many people who are otherwise atheists believe that people can be punished by 'karma'.

On the other side, some forms of Christianity reject the concept of a vengeful God.

[Warpy]

3. "My Little Norway" reported that one person was arrested at the youth camp

so let's hope they got the shooter alive and will get some answers out of him for that part of it, anyway.

The bomb looked like a pro job, requiring knowledge and organization to put together.

[riderinthestorm]

6. An Islamic jihad group is claiming responsibility

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1548140

[Warpy]

25. That might not be the case, at all

Because of the type of targets, they're thinking more that it's domestic terrorism by some far right fringe group.

We'll see as they question the guy they caught slaughtering children.

[Ezlivin]

4. Trying to slow down Thor Hushovd and Edvald Boasson Hagen?

The Norwegians are doing very well in this year's Tour de France.

[WillowTree]

7. I heard on the radio...

....that this group that's claiming responsibility for the attacks said that it's in retaliation for Norwegian publications that printed those Mohammed cartoons back when. No idea if that's accurate, just what I heard in one report.

[KharmaTrain]

8. As Always The First Leap Is Al Queda...

I saw some coverage earlier and the first leap is that somehow Al Queda is involved...giving that Americo-centric spin of things as if everything that goes on in the world revolves what the U.S. does or thinks. It's Pavlovian that any attack somehow has a Middle East connection. There's a part of me that hopes it's some old white guy whose pissed cause someone took his MTV.

[Zax2me]

11. There's a reason for that

Islamic terrorism is prevelent, despite your best wishes it is 'some old white guy'.
Could be an old white Muslim man, but somehow I don't think that would fit your ideal 'hope'.

[LanternWaste]

21. I imagine many people were very disappointed...

I imagine many people were very disappointed when Jim Jones and Tim McVeigh turned out to be white non-Muslims as it didn't fit their ideal hope either...

[The Straight Story]

15. A terror group, Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami, claimed responsibility earlier:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1548140

[SCantiGOP]

22. more reason

A Muslim cleric was indicted, and he threatened attacks if he is deported out of Norway. Don't know where they planned to deport him to. On the other side, the person arrested at the island was described as tall, blond and speaking Norwegian.

[LeftishBrit]

29. Al Quaeda is by no means only anti-American

They are against lots of people. In fact, most victims of Al Quaeda have been Middle Eastern Muslims.

Of course, one should not assume it's Al Quaeda just because it often is. But it was a reasonable starting guess, especially as Norway - unlike the UK for example - does not have a long history of home-grown terrorism.

ETA: It does look as though the terrorist is a native Norwegian. This does not mean that he couldn't be linked to Al Quaeda; but it increases the likelihood of other possibilities.

[KharmaTrain]

30. That's My Point...

I don't discount that there are terrorists from Arab countries (as there are from many others) and that Norway's involvement in the Afghan situation may be a reason for some kind of attack, but I'm more refering to the knee-jerk reaction the U.S. corporate media in specific has to play the Al Queda card on any attack before the literal smoke settles. It perpetuates the boogie man/fear game that's been a constant mantra in the American media for the past decade that provides support for the ongoing military interventions in that region.

I'm just pointing out this predictable game...and one that diminishes the real purpose and tragedy of this attack.

Cheers...

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. I have a problem accepting at face value anything in the MSM

Which is really a sad state of affairs.

[Posteritatis]

17. If the group was born locally, it'd just be a matter of convenience

If it wasn't, the shock value of going after a place as comparatively innocuous as Norway would be worth considering.

[LeftishBrit]

28. Indeed. It really is a shock.