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Arabia
Saudi official: Teaching, not poverty, root of terrorism
2005-02-13
Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi blames 'indoctrination that teaches young people they can kill justifiably'. Countering the assertion of many in American academia, a Saudi official said extremist teachings, not poverty or unemployment, are the root causes of terrorism in the kingdom, the homeland of billionaire Osama bin Laden and 15 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers.
Ignorance and poverty may manifest themselves in violence, which is why places like rural Bolivia have high incidences of people killing each other. Terrorism is different from plain old background noise violence: it's cultivated and directed, whether by the KGB or by holy men. It doesn't happen spontaneously.
At a news conference in Riyadh, Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi blamed the spread of terrorism on the "indoctrination that teaches young people they can kill justifiably" and training in Afghan camps, reported Arab News, an officially sanctioned Saudi newspaper.
How'bout these pinacles of mooselimb educayshn--madrassas? You reap what you sow.
"I don't believe that terrorist movement has anything to do with unemployment," the minister said. Al-Gosaibi, noting the wealth of bin Laden and his associates, said "I am not aware that somebody has been driven to terrorism simply because he could not find a job."
So, do you think he will make the quantum leap to the idea that the culprit may be the Messenger and his merry holy men? They just don't pull the message from their sphinxters.
Posted by:Sobiesky

#7  In the long term, it is less about "teaching", which works off the assumption that these "teachers" just come up with this on their own, and more about their government promulgating a version of Islam that isn't overtly or subtly xenophobic and ultraviolent. The obvious solution is for the Saud family to replace the Wahabbis with Sufis, in a slow, methodical, and determined manner. Start by declaring "factionalism" illegal, denying Wahabbis identification with their cult. 'We are all Muslims, there is no such thing as "Wahabbis" or "Sufis", and to call yourself such is heresy.'
Posted by: Anonymoose   2005-02-13 6:39:16 PM  

#6  First cousins marriages, not teaching, is the root of terrorism :-)
Posted by: gromgoru   2005-02-13 12:56:08 PM  

#5  Well, he is stating the obvious, but that is quite unusual for a Soddy official [to understate it and look ma, no jooos] . Therefore, he does deserve a flying pig moment, imho.

Posted by: Sobiesky   2005-02-13 12:48:08 PM  

#4  I'm trying not to overwork any particular graphic. But the 72 virgins have been idle lately. I don't like that...
Posted by: Fred   2005-02-13 12:42:01 PM  

#3  LOL. That road sign fits perfectly. What we need is more rain in Riyadh. Maybe then others in the Magic Kingdom would also come to realize the obvious.
Posted by: GK   2005-02-13 11:43:53 AM  

#2  One thing I always wanted to do, before leaving the Magic Kingdom, was to get a hold of a school curriculum. An American woman married to a Saudi pulled her daughters out of Saudi Public school because she was horrified at the amount of time the teachers spent spreading hatred. The poor woman had to sent her girls to private school in Bahrain because they (and all saudis)are not allowed to attend the International School(American Curriculum) beyond Kindergarden. God forbid that their experience there would contradict what has been drilled into their brains from birth.
Posted by: TMH   2005-02-13 10:31:56 AM  

#1  I preferred the "Master of the Obvious" icon.
Posted by: AJackson   2005-02-13 10:15:28 AM  

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