FBI surrounds house of Saudi student after sightings of him with pressure cooker pot

[KhainiWest]

Regardless of whether or not they had a "lucky punch," Latino terrorists do not seem to be attempting grand operations intending to kill thousands upon thousands of Americans.

Again, I do not consider organized crime terrorism. When I think of terrorists, I think of people who are undertaking violent operations in order to raise public/governmental awareness concerning a political issue that they are trying to change or bring to fruition. While Mexican cartels may be a large threat, they are not trying to overthrow the U.S. government or trying to get some favorable political outcome. The cartels just want to expand their business and rake in more profits. What they are doing has little to do with Islamic terrorists or terrorism as a whole.

I am getting pretty done arguing this. Clearly, we have diverged from the original topic and this seems to be going nowhere.

Then you're using the wrong word's.

Noun

The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.


Drug cartels manipulate the black market of essentially drugs and weapons, use the money and influence to pay off authorities. Look at mexico, that is terrorism, what exactly does Muslim zealots want? They have no demands besides "die", that sounds more like a genocide issue.

Which kind of defeats the point of gun regulation since they have no problem smuggling tons of cocaine through Canada let alone high powered rifles.

[CrazyForDex]

Then you're using the wrong word's.

Noun

The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.


Drug cartels manipulate the black market of essentially drugs and weapons, use the money and influence to pay off authorities. Look at mexico, that is terrorism, what exactly does Muslim zealots want? They have no demands besides "die", that sounds more like a genocide issue.

Lol, you really are very condescending when you post. The definition you just provided is exactly what I said (although I admit more eloquently stated). Fine. I can see how they could be engaging in some terrorism considering they need to change the political climate of Mexico in order for them to successfully keep trafficking their drugs. However, it seems to me that their primary goal is to keep selling their drugs and weapons, where they only want political power/control in order to ensure that their quotas are met.

What do Muslim extremists want? Idk specifically, but maybe you should do some more research on the issue. Considering the U.S. has been involved in Middle Eastern affairs for decades (and more heavily in this past decade), they may want us to leave them to their own devices. Clearly the U.S. entering Afghanistan and supporting moderate Muslims over Taliban extremists (just one example) is going to piss some people off.

Then there is also the issue of Israel. Many Arab nations feel that the Jews stole Palestine from them and want it returned to the Muslim people. Considering the U.S. is Israel's primary supporter on the international stage, maybe they are pissy over that?

Or maybe it could be that Muslims abroad feel threatened by U.S. interests? Our first world, Christian, democracy against their fundamental Muslim regimes? There is quite a bit of anti-Islamic sentiment in this country and that is guarenteed to scare some people into action. (Of course I am generalizing here because there are so many different Middle Eastern countries that hate us for a lot of reasons that I don't know who to specifically talk about).

[Words]

I wanted to post earlier but had class and now I see that, as usual, the discussion is sorta off-topic.
However, I think the disagreement some you have towards Justin's opinion is unjustified. His point, which comes off as racist, is valid, not for being rational, but because of our nature. We tend to associate things for many reasons, one of them, and the one that applies in this case, is survivability. We're always doing it and just because it's politically incorrect in some cases we won't stop doing it. It may be racist, it may be irrational but is one tool we need to make sense out of the world, out of other people.
I think it's pretty hypocrite to criticize that kind of association, just because it's politically incorrect, when we've been educated in doing similar or worse ones, ie: pretty people= good, ugly people= evil. And that's just one example, because people do it with anything.
In my case, I avoid people in the street that uses certain kind of clothes and have certain looks (usually poor people's looks) because I associate them with robbers. Sure, it seems as classicism but every time I've been mugged it's by someone that looks that way. Sure, I might be wrong sometimes, but I'm not idiotic and I won't take any chances; mainly because I don't like it when people rob me or because they can be dangerous. It's basically the same in this situation and, as Justin said, the kid should be prepared for such assumptions because it's dumb to think that people will stop doing them.

[KhainiWest]

Lol, you really are very condescending when you post. The definition you just provided is exactly what I said (although I admit more eloquently stated). Fine. I can see how they could be engaging in some terrorism considering they need to change the political climate of Mexico in order for them to successfully keep trafficking their drugs. However, it seems to me that their primary goal is to keep selling their drugs and weapons, where they only want political power/control in order to ensure that their quotas are met.

It's essentially street lobbying.

What do Muslim extremists want? Idk specifically, but maybe you should do some more research on the issue. Considering the U.S. has been involved in Middle Eastern affairs for decades (and more heavily in this past decade), they may want us to leave them to their own devices. Clearly the U.S. entering Afghanistan and supporting moderate Muslims over Taliban extremists (just one example) is going to piss some people off.

Then there is also the issue of Israel. Many Arab nations feel that the Jews stole Palestine from them and want it returned to the Muslim people. Considering the U.S. is Israel's primary supporter on the international stage, maybe they are pissy over that?

Or maybe it could be that Muslims abroad feel threatened by U.S. interests? Our first world, Christian, democracy against their fundamental Muslim regimes? There is quite a bit of anti-Islamic sentiment in this country and that is guarenteed to scare some people into action. (Of course I am generalizing here because there are so many different Middle Eastern countries that hate us for a lot of reasons that I don't know who to specifically talk about).

I think a fair assessment is when the United States gave aid to Iraq against the soviest I believe, tried to force western culture (We built small communities only for them to have their camels sleep in them) in Osama's eyes "sacred" ground. That's what spawned his hatred specifically to America, rather than Christianity/Jewish religions which aren't the true religion. So really this has been a seed from 198x-2001.

In the end they want eradication, nothing less, I don't know how that has any political or any general gain to begin with.

[Corn]

Wait wait guys I have a point.

What bright terrorist will carry around a pressure cooker right after the Boston marathon bombings? Herp derp, it worked 2 months ago, surely people won't be vigilant towards Muslims carrying pressure cookers?

[CrazyForDex]

I think a fair assessment is when the United States gave aid to Iraq against the soviest I believe, tried to force western culture (We built small communities only for them to have their camels sleep in them) in Osama's eyes "sacred" ground. That's what spawned his hatred specifically to America, rather than Christianity/Jewish religions which aren't the true religion. So really this has been a seed from 198x-2001.

In the end they want eradication, nothing less, I don't know how that has any political or any general gain to begin with.

Right, that kind of thing also happened in Afghanistan. I agree that it has been an issue for decades now that is still continuing today. I think that the extremists want to see the defeat of our way of life and the continuation and ascension of theirs. Your point that the U.S. tends to push its culture on other countries is also be a reason that Muslims feel threatened and could be reacting negatively. There is no way that they only want to see the completion of a "western" genocide because I would like to believe that they could not possibly be that stupid and mindless. I have already listed several political outcomes that they could want to achieve besides just trying to kill people and I think many of those have been used to rally people into their jihad on the west.

[DeanNim]

what exactly does Muslim zealots want? They have no demands besides "die", that sounds more like a genocide issue.

wait omg what. youre not being serious are you.

[valhala556]

Akin to calling on someone having anything on a plane post 9/11. I agree. While it was a radical conclusion and an unfortunate circumstance for the kid, crying wolf after a wolf attack isn't a bad look.

you know maybe he didn't even know a pressure cooker was used in the bombing, I know I didn't.