Green Energy
9/11/01. I was waiting for my father to pick me up from school. Had to walk to the center of the city in which my high school was, there he would come from his work and we'd drive home together.
So, I was sitting on a bench, waiting. My father arived. His head was red, car radio on... "the US has just been attacked. Someone flew planes in the World Trade Center". "What?! Do they, how is this... God. How bad is it?". "I don't know exactly yet, get in the car, we can find out more at home".
At home my mother was watching it on TV. We just sat down in shock and... watched. We saw people who jumped out of the buildings, escaping the fire but, of course, to their deaths nonetheless.
It did not take long for anger to take over: yes were are not Americans, but the Dutch, every single Dutchman, felt incredibly with the US. Every Dutchman was in shock and more than just angry. At first rumors here had it that the guilty ones were Palestinian terrorists.
Later, word came out that it was a fellow names Osama Bin Laden, a Muslim extremist from an incredibly wealthy family, supported by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
There was no doubt about it in my mind: the West should strike back immediately. This wasn't just an act of war committed against one of our NATO allies, it was driven by extreme hatred, not just hatred towards America, but hatred towards the entire West.
I had (have) a lot of friends who were / are Muslims. I 'knew' that they would be just as angry as I was.
Well, what I 'knew' wasn't entirely correct.
It began when, in Amsterdam, youth from Moroccon decent celebrated the attacks against America. My Muslim friends are / were different. They did, of course, not celebrate it. But, they also did not respond like I thought they would. They were... not happy with the attacks, sure, some said that they should not have killed civilians, but they were not really angry either. In fact, so they argued, they understood Osama's motives very well. Be it, as I said, that "he shouldn't have killed civilians".
But they were not really speaking out against Osama Bin Laden. Yes, when asked they said he should not have killed civilians, but they were much too 'understanding' of this terrorist leader and his followers.
They shocked me. I thought that they would have said that Osama Bin Laden raped the Islam, that his extremist views were entire incorrect, that he was nothing but a cold-blooded murderer.
This culture gap was something I was never aware off before 9/11. This was a, terrible, wake-up call.
-
This is what comes from banging your head on the floor several times a day. . . BBC: Osama Bin Laden was tender and kind, Zawahiri says Osama Bin Laden has been described as both "tender" and "kind" in a video released by the new head of al-Qaeda. Ayman...
- In Which Abdoos Tell The Infidels A Joke And The Infidels Actually Think It Is Funny
Yes, that's right! Abdoos told a joke, and I laughed out loud. Here it is: As Osama bin Laden entered the afterlife, he was astonished to be greeted by George Washington, who floored him with a vicious right hook to the jaw. "You will answer for your...
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Taliban Leaders, Wealthy Arabs Visited Bin Laden At His Home, But Pakistan Knew Nothing …(Telegraph) — Osama bin Laden received visits from Taliban leaders and wealthy Arab supporters while he was hiding out in a fortified compound in a Pakistani...
-
Pakistanis burn U.S. flags; backlash over death grows... Bin Laden had 'extensive support network' in Pakistan, claims CameronPM insists 'searching questions' must be asked about help given to Al Qaeda leader but says it is in national...
- Osama's Bodyguard Speaks
From Drudge: In the First Television Interview of an Al-Qaeda Member Close to Osama Since 9/11, Abu Jandal Offers First-Hand Details About the Most-Wanted Man in the World. A former personal bodyguard of Osama Bin Laden says he is certain the al-Qaeda...
Green Energy
Remembering 9/11: Wake-Up Call
9/11/01. I was waiting for my father to pick me up from school. Had to walk to the center of the city in which my high school was, there he would come from his work and we'd drive home together.
So, I was sitting on a bench, waiting. My father arived. His head was red, car radio on... "the US has just been attacked. Someone flew planes in the World Trade Center". "What?! Do they, how is this... God. How bad is it?". "I don't know exactly yet, get in the car, we can find out more at home".
At home my mother was watching it on TV. We just sat down in shock and... watched. We saw people who jumped out of the buildings, escaping the fire but, of course, to their deaths nonetheless.
It did not take long for anger to take over: yes were are not Americans, but the Dutch, every single Dutchman, felt incredibly with the US. Every Dutchman was in shock and more than just angry. At first rumors here had it that the guilty ones were Palestinian terrorists.
Later, word came out that it was a fellow names Osama Bin Laden, a Muslim extremist from an incredibly wealthy family, supported by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
There was no doubt about it in my mind: the West should strike back immediately. This wasn't just an act of war committed against one of our NATO allies, it was driven by extreme hatred, not just hatred towards America, but hatred towards the entire West.
I had (have) a lot of friends who were / are Muslims. I 'knew' that they would be just as angry as I was.
Well, what I 'knew' wasn't entirely correct.
It began when, in Amsterdam, youth from Moroccon decent celebrated the attacks against America. My Muslim friends are / were different. They did, of course, not celebrate it. But, they also did not respond like I thought they would. They were... not happy with the attacks, sure, some said that they should not have killed civilians, but they were not really angry either. In fact, so they argued, they understood Osama's motives very well. Be it, as I said, that "he shouldn't have killed civilians".
But they were not really speaking out against Osama Bin Laden. Yes, when asked they said he should not have killed civilians, but they were much too 'understanding' of this terrorist leader and his followers.
They shocked me. I thought that they would have said that Osama Bin Laden raped the Islam, that his extremist views were entire incorrect, that he was nothing but a cold-blooded murderer.
This culture gap was something I was never aware off before 9/11. This was a, terrible, wake-up call.
-
This is what comes from banging your head on the floor several times a day. . . BBC: Osama Bin Laden was tender and kind, Zawahiri says Osama Bin Laden has been described as both "tender" and "kind" in a video released by the new head of al-Qaeda. Ayman...
- In Which Abdoos Tell The Infidels A Joke And The Infidels Actually Think It Is Funny
Yes, that's right! Abdoos told a joke, and I laughed out loud. Here it is: As Osama bin Laden entered the afterlife, he was astonished to be greeted by George Washington, who floored him with a vicious right hook to the jaw. "You will answer for your...
-
Taliban Leaders, Wealthy Arabs Visited Bin Laden At His Home, But Pakistan Knew Nothing …(Telegraph) — Osama bin Laden received visits from Taliban leaders and wealthy Arab supporters while he was hiding out in a fortified compound in a Pakistani...
-
Pakistanis burn U.S. flags; backlash over death grows... Bin Laden had 'extensive support network' in Pakistan, claims CameronPM insists 'searching questions' must be asked about help given to Al Qaeda leader but says it is in national...
- Osama's Bodyguard Speaks
From Drudge: In the First Television Interview of an Al-Qaeda Member Close to Osama Since 9/11, Abu Jandal Offers First-Hand Details About the Most-Wanted Man in the World. A former personal bodyguard of Osama Bin Laden says he is certain the al-Qaeda...