Why do Islamic terrorists hate us? Well, not because of Iraq, Palestine or any of the other popular reasons thrown about. At least that’s the convincing case made by Olivier Roy in this New York Times op-ed piece.

So why do they hate us?

Iraq/ Afghanistan? Nope. The Americans went to Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11, not before.

The presence of “infidel” troops in Islam’s holy lands? Nope. Osama Bin Laden was already a veteran fighter committed to global Jihad when that happened.

Palestine. Not likely.  9/11 was plotted well before the second intifada began in September 2000, at a time of relative optimism in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

In justifying its terrorist attacks by referring to Iraq, Al Qaeda is looking for popularity or at least legitimacy among Muslims. But many of the terrorist group’s statements, actions and non-actions indicate that this is largely propaganda, and that Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine are hardly the motivating factors behind its global Jihad.  

It is also interesting to note that none of the Islamic terrorists captured so far had been active in any legitimate anti-war movements or even in organized political support for the people they claim to be fighting for. They don’t distribute leaflets or collect money for hospitals and schools. They do not have a rational strategy to push for the interests of the Iraqi or Palestinian people.

Even their calls for the withdrawal of the European troops from Iraq ring false. After all, the Spanish police have foiled terrorist attempts in Madrid even since the government withdrew its forces.

So why do they hate us?  Primarily because they are a lost generation, unmoored from traditional societies and cultures, frustrated by a Western society that does not meet their expectations. So in response, they try attack it the same way the ultra-leftists of the 1970’s cast their terrorist actions in the name of the “world proletariat” and “Revolution” without really caring about what would happen after.

Hat Tip: Hedgehog Central

Technorati: Al Qaeda Terror

This entry was posted on Monday, July 25th, 2005 at 5:00 am by Insider and is filed under War. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.