Why does Al Qaeda hate us?

[Mark1031]

Why does Al Qaeda hate us?

I find that this is never really explored in depth at least in the US news media. How did a multimillionaire Saudi businessman become a cave dwelling leader of a group employing terrorist tactics against Western governments? What is the genesis of this thinking? What are their specific grievances? Some possibilities that I have heard:

1.They hate freedom (silly phrasing probably somewhat true)

2. U.S. air bases in Saudi Arabia (seems like a relatively minor complaint and I think we're removing them)

3. Support for corrupt Arab dictators (well let's see we don't currently support dictators/kings in Syria,Lybia, Iran. Iraq Yemen, Sudan but do in Saudi Arabia (small gulf states?), Egypt, Jordan?-- seems like a decidedly mixed bag)

4. Support for Israel (I suppose but the primary groups fighting Israel have not attacked outside Western powers why does Al Queda pickup this tactic).

5. Cultural/economic invasion on Arab culture (I suppose but the French complain about this too)

6. A crusade for religious conversion outside middle east (I thought Islam is a religion of peace)

7. Crusade for religious purity within the middle east (Why not attack Syria?)

8. Ego, pride, jealously (sounds possible for the leaders but how do they get the recruits?)

 

[Yom]

It's because of our freedom. It leaves a bitter taste in their mouth. They prefer their freedom medium rare, while ours is deep fried.

 

[sysyphus]

#8, fabricating #s 1-7 to recruit their sacrificial lambs.

 

[.Shane.]

Most likely our massive support of Israel, to a lesser degree the potential Westernization of Arab culture. But, add to that the egomania and psychopathy of the terrorist mindset and you about have it.

 

[Stylesjl]

Because your not an extreme muslim

Because Westerners are more free

Because they are stupid

 

[Elrohir]

Their fanatics. Hating is what they do. It's their job.

 

[ybbor]

#4, a tiny bit of #1, #4, a bit of dislike for chrisitans in general for not believing, #4, more #4, supprot for people who support israel, #4, support for people who support support for Israel, #4.

 

[Mark1031]

Because your not an extreme muslim

Because Westerners are more free

Because they are stupid

Because your not an extreme muslim
Why not attack China they have many more non-extreme muslims

Because Westerners are more free
Why not just stay here once you are in the country instead of suiciding into a building?

Because they are stupid

Well they were able to evade western intelligence, learn to fly jumbo jets, find their targets and coordinate their attacks to occur within 1 hour of each other. They are at the very least well organized.

The lack of thoughtful discussion of the motives and genesis of terrorist groups puts us at a big disadvantage in coming up with ways to counter them IMO. The knee jerk--they are stupid/evil/hate freedom is counterproductive.

 

[GenMarshall]

They are terrebly alergic to freedom

 

[Mark1031]

They are terrebly alergic to freedom

Well there are many non-free places in the middle east for them to move so this does not really make sense.

 

[ybbor]

They are terrebly alergic to freedom

The true irony is their opposition to Allegra

 

[Stylesjl]

Because your not an extreme muslim
Why not attack China they have many more non-extreme muslims

Because Westerners are more free
Why not just stay here once you are in the country instead of suiciding into a building?

Because they are stupid

Well they were able to evade western intelligence, learn to fly jumbo jets, find their targets and coordinate their attacks to occur within 1 hour of each other. They are at the very least well organized.

The lack of thoughtful discussion of the motives and genesis of terrorist groups puts us at a big disadvantage in coming up with ways to counter them IMO. The knee jerk--they are stupid/evil/hate freedom is counterproductive.

1) Because the west is far more decadent and meddlesome

2) See no 3

3) Because they learned some skills but are still too stupid to know that terriosm never suceeds regardless of morality

 

[BasketCase]

I think the most likely reason is our friendly relations with Saudi Arabia. Osama is known to hate the Saudi government.

 

[luiz]

There is no well defined reason. Why did the nazis hate the jews? Why do so many people hate homossexuals, or blacks, or whatever?

Hatred is irrational and does not need a reason. Of course the jihadists and their apologists will try to find excuses, just like the nazis had excuses for hating the jews and modern skinheads have excuses for hating gays and etc. But they're only excuses.

 

[Sickman]

Hatred is irrational and does not need a reason.

Exactly.
Tool to make people join to serve your cause against whatever needed. The real reason is hiding.

Hate is just disguise, however part of that fear can come from jealousy, fear and frustration.

Fundamentalists leaders just add some fuel to the fire to get people do what they want in order to achieve their political goal.

Another good word and tool for the same purpose is "freedom".

 

[sysyphus]

@ Luiz

The sooner people can face the reality behind the violence, the sooner we can curb it.

 

[Nobody]

israel, iraq , afganistan,

 

[wilbill]

In early 1998, bin Laden stated three reasons for jihad against Americans in his "Fatwah Urging Jihad Against Americans"

The reasons:

1 - Presence of US troops in Saudi Arabian territory ("the holiest of places")

2 - American support for the UN sanctions agains Iraq and enforcement of the "no fly zone."

3 - American support of Israel.

Although he didn't list it as a separate reason, he railed against US support for and meddling in the affairs of "all the states of the region such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Sudan" and efforts to turn them "into paper statelets" and promoting "their disunion and weakness."

We did pull our troops out of Saudi Arabia, but later used air bases there as staging areas during the most recent Iraq war. I would imagine that OBL also considers Iraq and Afghanistan (and probably any part of any Muslim nation) to be a "holy place."

I doubt that caving in on all these points (pulling all US troops out of Muslim countries, ceasing to support Israel, and keeping our hands completely out of the governments of all Muslim nations) would make much difference to OBL at this point, if it ever would have.

I do think, though, that it would be beneficial to recognize that US policies have, to some extent, contributed to Muslim extremists hatred of us. Policies can be changed, altered, modified, or abandoned. Constantly relying on "they hate us because of our freedom" seems to lead to acceptance of warfare and terrorism into the distant future.

 

[Blackbird_SR-71]

Simple they hate people that oppose them. They want to kill. They want to murder innocent. They want to bring Islamic Theocracy to every country. They want bloodshed. They want to be the most powerful force in the world. They hate Christians and Jews (the last one, how ironic :crazyeys: seeing as all of them come from the same city)

 

[Sickman]

I doubt that caving in on all these points (pulling all US troops out of Muslim countries, ceasing to support Israel, and keeping our hands completely out of the governments of all Muslim nations) would make much difference to OBL at this point, if it ever would have.

To OBL?
No, he is too deep in the psychosis.
Nothing but his cause left to follow which is a personal crusade and vendetta towards the West and especially US.

Excellent post BTW