Originally posted by U2@NYC:
I am afraid that this is some sort of
'overpatriotism'. I see the 9/11 attacks as an attack on the world, and not just the U.S. People from 40 countries died in the attack and I am sure that is what the terrorists wanted. Even now, the UK, France, Germany and Australia are supporting the strikes... but all I hear is 'America'.
Although I agree that the attacks were on all civilized people, the fact is that Bin Laden and the Al Quaeda (sp?) network are basically waging this war against AMERICA. For proof, just read Bin Laden's speech from a couple of days ago (posted below). These guys are out to get the United States. That is why people- including the media- are focusing on AMERICA. Because that is the country that Bin Laden is out to destroy. His attacks are not aimed against the French, or German, or Chinese, or whoever- although I'm sure he wouldn't mind killing them, too). The main point is that he is *specifically* targeting Americans and Jews.
BIN LADEN'S SPEECH FROM OCTOBER 7th:
Text of Osama bin Laden's taped statement, aired on
an Arab television station after the US and British strikes.
The remarks refer to the September 11 terror
attacks on New York and Washington, but appear to have been
made before today's strikes.
"I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and
that Muhammad is his messenger.
There is America, hit by God in one of its softest
spots. Its greatest buildings were destroyed, thank God for that. There
is
America, full of fear from its north to its south,
from its west to its east. Thank God for that.
What America is tasting now, is something
insignificant compared to what we have tasted for scores of years. Our
nation
(the Islamic world) has been tasting this
humiliation and this degradation for more than 80 years. Its sons are
killed, its blood
is shed, its sanctuaries are attacked, and no-one
hears and no-one heeds.
When God blessed one of the groups of Islam,
vanguards of Islam, they destroyed America. I pray to God to elevate
their
status and bless them.
Millions of innocent children are being killed as I
speak. They are being killed in Iraq without committing any sins and we
don't hear condemnation or a fatwa from the rulers.
In these days, Israeli tanks infest Palestine - in Jenin, Ramallah,
Rafah,
Beit Jalla, and other places in the land of Islam,
and we don't hear anyone raising his voice or moving a limb.
When the sword comes down (on America), after 80
years, hypocrisy rears its ugly head. They deplore and they lament for
those killers, who have abused the blood, honour,
and sanctuaries of Muslims. The least that can be said about those
people, is that they are debauched. They have
followed injustice. They supported the butcher over the victim, the
oppressor
over the innocent child. May God show them His
wrath and give them what they deserve.
I say that the situation is clear and obvious.
After this event, after the senior officials have spoken in America,
starting with
the head of infidels worldwide, Bush, and those
with him. They have come out in force with their men and have turned
even
the countries that belong to Islam to this
treachery, and they want to wag their tail at God, to fight Islam, to
suppress people
in the name of terrorism.
When people at the ends of the earth, Japan, were
killed by their hundreds of thousands, young and old, it was not
considered a war crime, it is something that has
justification. Millions of children in Iraq, is something that has
justification.
But when they lose dozens of people in Nairobi and
Dar es Salaam (capitals of Kenya and Tanzania, where US embassies
were bombed in 1998), Iraq was struck and
Afghanistan was struck. Hypocrisy stood in force behind the head of
infidels
worldwide, behind the cowards of this age, America
and those who are with it.
These events have divided the whole world into two
sides. The side of believers and the side of infidels, may God keep you
away from them. Every Muslim has to rush to make
his religion victorious. The winds of faith have come. The winds of
change have come to eradicate oppression from the
island of Muhammad, peace be upon him.
To America, I say only a few words to it and its
people. I swear by God, who has elevated the skies without pillars,
neither
America nor the people who live in it will dream of
security before we live it in Palestine, and not before all the infidel
armies
leave the land of Muhammad, peace by upon him.
God is great, may pride be with Islam. May peace
and God's mercy be upon you."