Article

2002-10-24 Caucasus

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred Pruitt 2002-10-24 10:19 am|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 First a French oil tanker, then a Russian theater, is China next?

They seem to be targeting security council countries opposed to the US war with Iraq.

Posted by PJ 2002-10-24 12:05:28|| 2002-10-24 12:05:28|| Front Page Top

#2 That would make no sense at all, would it? Sounds pretty Islamic, so you might be right...

Posted by Fred 2002-10-24 13:01:48|| 2002-10-24 13:01:48|| Front Page Top

#3 I don't think they would do anything in China. These thugs only understand violence and the overwhelming use of force. The know that China would kill them, kill their families, kill their entire village without thinking twice about it. Just to set an example to any other Jihadi wannabes that the Chinese government will not tolerate that kind of behaviour.

I think they are just practicing their version of "diplomacy". You are right about the pattern-like a pack of dogs they are making sure the sheep do not stray from where the dogs want them to go. And you know dogs-they are not going to get all kissy faced with their sheep. They will threaten them with barking and biting. They might even kill a couple of sheep to make sure all the others get the clue.

The events in Bali were another version of this. They view Australia as the "softest" of the allies of the US. The one who (in their minds) they could put into the herd of sheep if they bit it real hard. Unfortunately for them-they guessed wrong.

On a side note-watch the upcoming meeting between Schroeder and Putin VERY carefully...

Posted by Just Lurking 2002-10-24 14:31:31|| 2002-10-24 14:31:31|| Front Page Top

#4 China has had some incidents (bombings) attributed to their (Muslim) Uigher minority in the north. I wouldn't put it past the Islamaniacs to link up with Uigher rebels to stir something up in China too.
http://latelinenews.com/ll/english/1223043.shtml

Posted by Aracona 2002-10-24 14:36:40|| 2002-10-24 14:36:40|| Front Page Top

#5 I had heard that the Muslims in China were mostly just wanting their freedom of religion, while a few among them went nuts and started being real terrorists, allowing China the chance to call them all terrorists and stomp on them all. This seems quite possible, given China's reputation of clamping down on religion and the example of Indonesia's moderate Muslims to show that there actually is such a thing...

Posted by Just John 2002-10-24 17:34:44|| 2002-10-24 17:34:44|| Front Page Top

#6 My take on the latest attacks:

Al Qaeda (which while murderous and fanatical has adopted a number of Western management techniques including after action assessments, i.e. lessons learned) attacked the center of American power assuming that such an attack would break US will and that we'd roll over and surrender. They failed. They have re-assessed and have decided to isolate America politically by attacking our allies under the assumption that our allies are much less committed to the war on terror, so maybe they'll roll over and surrender, thus stretching us beyond our capabilities. I think that they have also come around to Omar Torrijos' way of thinking (one of the most underappreciated strategists of the 20th century) who said in regards to fighting the US: "You can jerk the chain but never touch the monkey." In other words, grind the US down through a series of small, terroristic actions overseas. Never touch the homeland. Never kill large numbers of Americans. Jerking the chain worked for Giap and Ho Chi Minh as well as Torrijos. Touching the monkey got the Japanese and Al Qaeda's respective asses kicked.

Again, don't underestimate these folks. They are evil, but not incompetent.

Posted by 11A5S 2002-10-24 17:38:08|| 2002-10-24 17:38:08|| Front Page Top

#7 I completely agree with PJ. Our propaganda effort has been decidedly subpar.

Posted by Chris Durnell 2002-10-25 10:57:33|| [thirdrail.blogspot.com] 2002-10-25 10:57:33|| Front Page Top

12:34 flash
12:22 JHare
10:57 Chris Durnell
10:54 Chris Durnell
10:54 Charles Tupper Jr
09:19 Thoth
00:56 PJ
22:51 daddyo
17:38 11A5S
17:34 Just John
16:18 T. Schultz
16:02 Frank Martin
14:36 Aracona
14:31 Just Lurking
13:01 Fred
12:49 Aracona
12:48 Aracona
12:46 Aracona
12:05 PJ
11:13 Aracona
11:12 Aracona
08:52 Anonymous
08:51 Frank G