The following is primarily from Chapter 1 of SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity:
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The primary terrorist organizations in the Middle East are (mostly from Wikipedia):
o Al Qaeda (AQ), also spelled Al-Quaeda or Al-Qa’ida or Al Qaida or Al-Qaidah, among many variations is a Sunni paramilitary organization which was named, of all things, by the U.S. Justice Department. The literary translation is “the foundation or base.” While it’s really more than this, the popular story is that Osama bin Laden, a Saudi Arabian, met in 1979 with Ayman Al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian medical doctor, to form the group. Interestingly enough, the U.S. provided funds to this outfit in the 1980’s. After they “beat” the Soviets out of Afghanistan in 1989, the first Gulf War of 1990 provided another opportunity to rid the region of infidels, especially the U.S. By some accounts, this is when AQ really organized. The 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, killing more than 200 and wounding 5,000, and the 2000 attack on the U.S.S. Cole, killing 17 sailors, were by AQ. Their September 11, 2001 strike of the World Trade Center and Pentagon, slaughtering nearly 3,000, set the table for the second Gulf War in 2002. The 2005 London, Jordan and Egypt bombings resulting in more than 200 deaths, were reportedly AQ operated. Supposedly, 100,000 have received AQ training, but “only” 20,000 seem active world-wide.
o Al Qaeda (AQ), also spelled Al-Quaeda or Al-Qa’ida or Al Qaida or Al-Qaidah, among many variations is a Sunni paramilitary organization which was named, of all things, by the U.S. Justice Department. The literary translation is “the foundation or base.” While it’s really more than this, the popular story is that Osama bin Laden, a Saudi Arabian, met in 1979 with Ayman Al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian medical doctor, to form the group. Interestingly enough, the U.S. provided funds to this outfit in the 1980’s. After they “beat” the Soviets out of Afghanistan in 1989, the first Gulf War of 1990 provided another opportunity to rid the region of infidels, especially the U.S. By some accounts, this is when AQ really organized. The 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, killing more than 200 and wounding 5,000, and the 2000 attack on the U.S.S. Cole, killing 17 sailors, were by AQ. Their September 11, 2001 strike of the World Trade Center and Pentagon, slaughtering nearly 3,000, set the table for the second Gulf War in 2002. The 2005 London, Jordan and Egypt bombings resulting in more than 200 deaths, were reportedly AQ operated. Supposedly, 100,000 have received AQ training, but “only” 20,000 seem active world-wide.
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o The Taliban is an Afghanistanian, indigenous, Sunni movement that formed in the midst of the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic government being overthrown in 1992, leading to a civil war among American bankrolled warlords. There, however, also is an important connection to the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan, which received some funding from the American CIA. Yes, the U.S., thus, had a hand in establishing both AQ and the Taliban, and to boot, the Taliban were initially the good guys, bringing some military and economic stability to the country, including eliminating the payments businesses had to make to the warlords, and banning the growing of opium. In 1996, the Taliban established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, winning recognition from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in 1997. In what have become almost standard reverse operations, the U.S. succeeded in an international effort called Operation Enduring Freedom to depose the Taliban in 2001. While in 2001 opium had been reduced by 98%, after their fall, by 2004, Afghanistan was supplying 87% of the world opium supply. One practice objected to by the liberated world is that the movement believed women should stay at home and take care of the children. Hmmm, that’s not all, bad, actually. The Taliban is aligned with bin Laden through family marriage, and is an enemy of Shiite Iran, and also, now, the U.S. There supposedly are more Taliban fighters than AQ terrorists.
o The Taliban is an Afghanistanian, indigenous, Sunni movement that formed in the midst of the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic government being overthrown in 1992, leading to a civil war among American bankrolled warlords. There, however, also is an important connection to the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan, which received some funding from the American CIA. Yes, the U.S., thus, had a hand in establishing both AQ and the Taliban, and to boot, the Taliban were initially the good guys, bringing some military and economic stability to the country, including eliminating the payments businesses had to make to the warlords, and banning the growing of opium. In 1996, the Taliban established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, winning recognition from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in 1997. In what have become almost standard reverse operations, the U.S. succeeded in an international effort called Operation Enduring Freedom to depose the Taliban in 2001. While in 2001 opium had been reduced by 98%, after their fall, by 2004, Afghanistan was supplying 87% of the world opium supply. One practice objected to by the liberated world is that the movement believed women should stay at home and take care of the children. Hmmm, that’s not all, bad, actually. The Taliban is aligned with bin Laden through family marriage, and is an enemy of Shiite Iran, and also, now, the U.S. There supposedly are more Taliban fighters than AQ terrorists.
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o Hamas is an acronym corresponding to an Arabic word for zeal or fanaticism, has a meaning of courage, and is a Sunni organization that was democratically elected to govern Palestine in the 2006 elections. This legislative takeover was an embarrassment to the Bush Administration. Created in 1987, it is known for suicide bombings and acts against Israel. Their charter calls for destruction of the State of Israel. They have thousand of supporters, but only a small number of active soldiers. The lobbing of rockets from the Gaza Strip (at last count, more than 3000 this past year). Western logic does not work in understanding why the Hamas doesn't just stop sending bombs into Israel to end the turmoil.
o Hamas is an acronym corresponding to an Arabic word for zeal or fanaticism, has a meaning of courage, and is a Sunni organization that was democratically elected to govern Palestine in the 2006 elections. This legislative takeover was an embarrassment to the Bush Administration. Created in 1987, it is known for suicide bombings and acts against Israel. Their charter calls for destruction of the State of Israel. They have thousand of supporters, but only a small number of active soldiers. The lobbing of rockets from the Gaza Strip (at last count, more than 3000 this past year). Western logic does not work in understanding why the Hamas doesn't just stop sending bombs into Israel to end the turmoil.
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o The Sunni Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement (PIJM), also called Al-Jihad, has dual goals to liberate Palestine and destroy Israel. It was founded in the 1970’s as a branch of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, which today is led by Ayman al-Zawahri, the second in command of AQ. While far smaller than Hamas, the PIJM specializes in suicide bombers, using even women and teens. It is most famous for assassinating Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, is headquartered in Damascus, the capital of Syria, and receives financial aid from that country and Iran. It has several hundred hard core members.
o The Sunni Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement (PIJM), also called Al-Jihad, has dual goals to liberate Palestine and destroy Israel. It was founded in the 1970’s as a branch of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, which today is led by Ayman al-Zawahri, the second in command of AQ. While far smaller than Hamas, the PIJM specializes in suicide bombers, using even women and teens. It is most famous for assassinating Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, is headquartered in Damascus, the capital of Syria, and receives financial aid from that country and Iran. It has several hundred hard core members.
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o The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was created in 1964 by the Arab League to form an independent Palestinian state. It is recognized for their 1972 Black September splinter group’s attack on the Israeli Olympic squad in Munich. Known to be extremely wealthy, the PLO has $50 billion in secret investments in Zimbabwe and Somalia. Mohammed Abdel-Raouf “Yasir” Arafat, a Sunni, the man with the checkered kaffiyeh, became chairman in 1969. In 1988 Arafat renounced terrorism and gained metastable peace through the Oslo Accords of 1993. He, along with Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. While President Bill Clinton got personally involved in the peace process, President George Bush the Younger refused to meet with Arafat. After surviving numerous assassination attempts and illnesses, he finally succumbed to a blood ailment in 2004. But the PLO lives on as a quasi-terrorist organization still dedicated to the dissolution of Israel. The current leader is Mahmoud Abbas.
o The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was created in 1964 by the Arab League to form an independent Palestinian state. It is recognized for their 1972 Black September splinter group’s attack on the Israeli Olympic squad in Munich. Known to be extremely wealthy, the PLO has $50 billion in secret investments in Zimbabwe and Somalia. Mohammed Abdel-Raouf “Yasir” Arafat, a Sunni, the man with the checkered kaffiyeh, became chairman in 1969. In 1988 Arafat renounced terrorism and gained metastable peace through the Oslo Accords of 1993. He, along with Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. While President Bill Clinton got personally involved in the peace process, President George Bush the Younger refused to meet with Arafat. After surviving numerous assassination attempts and illnesses, he finally succumbed to a blood ailment in 2004. But the PLO lives on as a quasi-terrorist organization still dedicated to the dissolution of Israel. The current leader is Mahmoud Abbas.
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o Hezbollah or Hizbullah or Hizballah or—this is a bit more complicated, as the spelling varies with grammatical usage—but let us use the most common, Hezbollah, a Shiite political party and military organization. Ayatollah Khomeini was the founder in the early 1980’s. Most Iranians are Muslim and 90% of them belong to the Shia community, which also is Lebanon’s largest religious group, about 40% of 3 million citizens. Financial aid unofficially comes from Iran and Syria. Hezbollah is credited with the 1983 suicide bombings of the U.S. Embassy, killing 63, and the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, with 299 slain, plus the 1994 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in London. Hezbollah is to Lebanon as Hamas is to Palestine, and Hezbollah supports the Hamas’ death to Israel policy, noting that the former is Shiite and latter Sunni. Israel overrides religious differences here. However, the Sunni-Shiite split is why Al-Queda and Hezbollah had strained relations…until the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon erupted in 2006. Then, Ayman al-Zawahri weighed in with a call for all Muslims to rise up in a holy war against Israel. There are several thousand supporters, but only a few hundred Hezbollah warriors.
o Hezbollah or Hizbullah or Hizballah or—this is a bit more complicated, as the spelling varies with grammatical usage—but let us use the most common, Hezbollah, a Shiite political party and military organization. Ayatollah Khomeini was the founder in the early 1980’s. Most Iranians are Muslim and 90% of them belong to the Shia community, which also is Lebanon’s largest religious group, about 40% of 3 million citizens. Financial aid unofficially comes from Iran and Syria. Hezbollah is credited with the 1983 suicide bombings of the U.S. Embassy, killing 63, and the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, with 299 slain, plus the 1994 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in London. Hezbollah is to Lebanon as Hamas is to Palestine, and Hezbollah supports the Hamas’ death to Israel policy, noting that the former is Shiite and latter Sunni. Israel overrides religious differences here. However, the Sunni-Shiite split is why Al-Queda and Hezbollah had strained relations…until the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon erupted in 2006. Then, Ayman al-Zawahri weighed in with a call for all Muslims to rise up in a holy war against Israel. There are several thousand supporters, but only a few hundred Hezbollah warriors.
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You could just as well also add Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the above list. In many countries, George W. Bush is cosidered to be the world's leading terrorist.
You could just as well also add Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the above list. In many countries, George W. Bush is cosidered to be the world's leading terrorist.
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The Dow Jones Industrials slipped an additional 143 to 8599, with minor exceptions, following world markets. 2008 was the worst year for jobs since 1945, with 2.6 million losses, most of them over the past four months.
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Crude oil dropped another buck to $40.62/barrel, but at the start of the day was below $40/bbl. Gold fell $2/toz to $853.
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