Thread: Explosions

> I also wonder how feasible it is to really stop these people.

Pretty un-feasible (it's a word now, dammit). To do that, you'd have to remove whatever it is they're mad at. First of all, we won't do that, and second of all, they'll probably just find another thing to be mad at.

I agree with you.

they would be mad that we refuse to be Muslim. Islamic extremists (and I stress extremists as opposed to other muslims) believe in enforcing a global islamic state. They only target the "aggressors" right now because it's the most obvious obstacle to establishing a global islamic state.

It'd be interesting to find out what makes them think blowing people up will make others convert to any religion. If anything it appears to strengthen the faith of those who have it.

Originally Posted by Fordy

They think that the explosion on the bus may have been a suicide bomber

Reminds me of the IRA a few years ago - a guy blew himself up by accident while travelling on a bus with his bomb-in-a-bag. I think it was late at night so it was just his giblets and a can-opened London bus; no-one else was hurt, thankfully. I'm just wondering if that's what happened today - maybe this particular 'suicide bomber' was on his way to plant the bomb elsewhere, but it accidentally went off (all of the other explosions seem to involve the underground).

edit: Al Jazeera are remaining understandably non-partisan in their reporting but I'd expect an 'opinion' article from them in due course.

Originally Posted by Govtcheez

It'd be interesting to find out what makes them think blowing people up will make others convert to any religion. If anything it appears to strengthen the faith of those who have it.

They can't force them to believe it. But they can certainly force them to practice it. This has been done before.

edit:
"Conversion by the sword" is their mantra. It may be out of context, but its in the Koran and they believe it strongly.

Originally Posted by Ken Fitlike

Reminds me of the IRA a few years ago - a guy blew himself up by accident while travelling on a bus with his bomb-in-a-bag. I think it was late at night so it was just his giblets and a can-opened bus; no-one else was hurt, thankfully. I'm just wondering if that's what happened today - maybe this particular 'suicide bomber' was on his way to plant the bomb elsewhere, but it accidentally went off (all of the other explosions seem to involve the underground).

I think these people are different from the Irish Loonies that used to maim and kill during our childhood. They dont seem to mind being destroyed in the attrocities they commit.

A bus is probably as good a target as any - they want to shock everyone who sees what they have done, and a bus ripped to shreds on a public street is more shocking than knowing that explosions happened under the ground in places where you cant get decent photographs. Regardless of the number of casualties compared to the tube bombings, that picture of the bus will in future symbolise what happened today.

Originally Posted by FillYourBrain

They can't force them to believe it. But they can certainly force them to practice it. This has been done before.

I think that's the goal. Jihad isnt a matter of forcing the Muslim faith, it's about forcing Muslim power.

Originally Posted by FillYourBrain

They can't force them to believe it. But they can certainly force them to practice it. This has been done before.

edit:
"Conversion by the sword" is their mantra. It may be out of context, but its in the Koran and they believe it strongly.

That's true, but they'd have to delusional to think that by killing a few people they'll be able to take over the world.

Wait, I answered my own question

Going back to the Jihad thing, I remember reading that during the time when the Moors occupied Spain, they allowed Christians and Jews to live and worship as they did, as long as they didnt live amongst Muslims, and as long as they knew who was in charge.

Also, galley slaves that the Ottomans held were not forced to convert, but then it was better for them if they did.

So again, it's extending control, not faith. If faith follws control, then that's all well and good, but it's not the main aim.

Originally Posted by Govtcheez

...they'll be able to take over the world.

cue pinky and the brain music

Originally Posted by Fordy

I think these people are different from the Irish Loonies that used to maim and kill during our childhood. They dont seem to mind being destroyed in the attrocities they commit.

A bus is probably as good a target as any - they want to shock everyone who sees what they have done, and a bus ripped to shreds on a public street is more shocking than knowing that explosions happened under the ground in places where you cant get decent photographs. Regardless of the number of casualties compared to the tube bombings, that picture of the bus will in future symbolise what happened today.

That's the problem, though - we really have no idea at this point who 'these people' are although it seems a reasonable first conjecture to suggest militant islamic fundamentalists, as the authorities seem to be doing. There only seems to be one organisation claiming responsibility at the moment but that, in my view, will need clarification and verification.

The symbology of the wrecked bus works for both sides, though; I'm just not convinced that was the intended target - it seems more likely to me that the underground transport system was the target. But what do I know? I only hope that if they are 'suicide bombers' that they're removing their disturbed and disturbing genes from the genepool as they're committing these atrocities.

I see that the english police originally drafted into G8 duty are being returned south of the border - perhaps there's more troubles to come.

Originally Posted by Ken Fitlike

That's the problem, though - we really have no idea at this point who 'these people' are although it seems a reasonable first conjecture to suggest militant islamic fundamentalists, as the authorities seem to be doing. There only seems to be one organisation claiming responsibility at the moment but that, in my view, will need clarification and verification.

True, but I struggle to convince myself that anyone else would be responsible.

Time will tell, but you'd have to admit, there arent many other suspects who are known to operate this way and have on numerous occasions threatened to do just this.

Even if I turned out to be wrong, I dont see that I would need to apologise to a bunch of maniacs who have already killed countless people in this way.

It's all very sad really - only yesterday Londoners and to a lesser extent the rest of the UK, were celebrating a successful Olympic hosting bid and now, today - this.

antics like this make me want to grab my m-16 and spread a little democracy...

i am ready for war.