This may be a good thing, though. I think they are realizing that the monster can't be controlled.
Here are a few quotes.
*Woops! Hit the wrong button. Quotes coming up.*
quote: The bombing of a housing compound whose residents were almost entirely Arab and Muslim late on Saturday has appalled Saudis far more than other terrorist attacks, evaporating expressions of support for Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda network that were vaguely whispered or occasionally even shouted over the last two years.
This is in Saudi Arabia, where the monarchy is seen as too westernized and corrupt. From other things in the article, it appears as if the Saudis want a democracy.
quote: "At that time it was seen as justifiable because there was an invasion of a foreign country, there was frustration."
quote: In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, there were reports of a certain celebratory air
quote: "They can no longer say they are more or less raising the banner of jihad," said Saad A. Sowayan, a professor specializing in Bedouin poetry at King Saud University, sipping orange juice in a hotel coffee shop. "Jihad is not against your own people."
quote: The fact that the targets were fellow Muslims lent the sense that the attackers might just be pursuing pure chaos.
quote: But killing Muslims shattered the illusion that somehow the violence, however misguided, was vaguely connected to the idea of pushing reform.
quote: "For Al Qaeda, reform is not an issue, they want radical change...they want to set up a Taliban regime in Saudi Arabia."
quote: Those who joined were often referred to as the youths of jihad, their excesses written off as misguided.
I think we do the same thing with our military.
quote: "Reform, participation, democracy and freedom of speech could help contain the frustrated youth who are potential members of Al Qaeda," he said. "We could make it difficult for Al Qaeda to convince new youth to join if there is more freedom and jobs."
quote: "We were supporting all these extremists thinking we were safe from them, and suddenly they turn on you," said Mr. Sowayan, the professor.
posted
I wouldn't usually try to push a topic, but I really am curious. What do people think about the fact that
a) terrorism was accepted and success was even celebrated except now that Muslims are being hurt.
b) they do seem to fear a Taliban regime and want freedom yet they also fear western influences and seem to feel (with some validity, I might add) that becoming more westernized will lead to decadence.
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posted
On the one hand, I'm glad that their opinions are changing. On the other hand, it's kind sad (as in pathetic) that they didn't change their minds until it became a problem for them, too.
Of course, you could probably point the same finger at us. :/
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quote:b) they do seem to fear a Taliban regime and want freedom yet they also fear western influences and seem to feel (with some validity, I might add) that becoming more westernized will lead to decadence.
It's not just decadence, though, Ami. I haven't read the article, but I know people and have read material from the Mid-East, and there are many people that have no problem with the region becoming more metropolitan (again), and in fact encourage this. The idea of becoming more westernized is distasteful mostly because many in the region don't want to become either dependant or have to rely on a part of the world that is very different from them culturally and historically. In other words, they don't want to be told what to do.
Interestingly, it's very much like the early United States in that respect. Considering the history of the region over the last century or so, it's easy to see why, too.
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posted
Look how fast we've gone from being patriotic to loving the veterans but not the war. Actually, I think the two extremes have always been present, but there is that middle group whose perceptions shift easily that throw weight one way or the other.
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