NEW YORK — The overwhelming majority of peoples in four leading Muslim countries believe that the US is taking its global war on terror as a guise to undermine Islam and divide the Muslim world, a poll by the Washington-based WorldPublicOpinion.org showed on Tuesday, April 24.
"While US leaders may frame the conflict as a war on terrorism, people in the Islamic world clearly perceive the US as being at war with Islam," Steven Kull, WPO editor, said in a statement carried by Reuters.
The survey, conducted by WPO and Maryland University, was based on face-to-face interviews of between 1,000 and 1,200 people from December to February.
It showed that more than 70 percent of Egyptians, Moroccans, Indonesians and Pakistanis believe the US is trying to weaken and divide the Islamic world.
More than 40 percent thought that was the primary goal of the war on terror, while only 12 percent thought America's aim was to protect itself from future attacks.
Most Egyptians, Indonesians and Moroccans said establishing a Palestinian state was not a US goal.
Sweeping majorities in the four countries — including 89 percent in Egypt and 63 percent in Morocco — believe the US was controlling most or nearly all of what happens in today's world.
More than half of those polled believed the US was trying to spread Christianity, while nearly 60 percent thought one of its goals was to control oil resources.
A poll for the Arab American Institute last year showed that Arab attitudes toward the US grew increasingly negative after the Iraq war.
A January poll for the BBC showed that an overwhelming majority in 25 countries had negative views of US foreign policies.
Mixed
While many of the respondents disapproved of Osama Bin Laden and attacks on civilians, large majorities supported Al-Qaeda's goals, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"Only three in ten view Osama bin Laden positively," the poll found.
Large majorities (67 percent overall) believe Al-Qaeda attacks on civilians are contrary to Islam, but agree with some of the goals of the network.
Most agreed that Al-Qaeda goals included requiring a strict application of Shari`ah and throwing US military forces from Muslim countries — and most were supportive of those aims.
A full 91 percent of Egyptians and 69 percent of Moroccans said they approved of attacks against US soldiers in Iraq, while 61 percent of Indonesians disapproved.
Pakistanis appeared divided on the matter, with 31 percent for such attacks and 33 against.
The survey found similar responses with regard to US forces in Afghanistan and the Gulf.
The poll also found uncertainty about whether Al Qaeda was responsible for the 9/11 attacks.
On those responsible for the grisly attacks, which killed 3,000 people, the most common answer was "don't know."
A poll by the respectable British think-tank Chatham House showed in September that Al-Qaeda was losing sympathy in the broad Muslim world over discomfort about the association of Islam with violence and the indiscriminate civilian killings.
It noted, however, that the Iraq war has given a momentum to Al-Qaeda's recruitment and fundraising.
Personally I think that is paranoia.
I don't think the US-administration cares enough about Islam to purposely target them. Most of the time they have different motives such as gaining money and gaining power, whether or not the victims of their plots are Muslims doesn't matter that much, safe for the fact that given the current world-view, they can get away with targeting Muslims a lot easier. But don't think there' "out to get us" it's just a matter of practicality to them.
Personally I think that is paranoia.
I don't think the US-administration cares enough about Islam to purposely target them. Most of the time they have different motives such as gaining money and gaining power, whether or not the victims of their plots are Muslims doesn't matter that much, safe for the fact that given the current world-view, they can get away with targeting Muslims a lot easier. But don't think there' "out to get us" it's just a matter of practicality to them.
majority of the muslims think otherwise. I guess if you are on the receiving end or know someone or kin who is then you would think otherwise.
majority of the muslims think otherwise. I guess if you are on the receiving end or know someone or kin who is then you would think otherwise.
Perhaps, you're right, but I just can't see how "defeat of Muslims" would be a motive. Normally you'd expect that one questions drives them: "What's in it for me?". So what does US-government have to gain from defeating Muslims? Not much, so I doubt that is their motive. However, if their goal is only to gain wealth and gain power, and defeating Muslims is just something that unfortunately comes with it, then that makes a lot more sense in understanding their motives. And Allah subhana wa ta'ala knows best
Perhaps, you're right, but I just can't see how "defeat of Muslims" would be a motive. Normally you'd expect that one questions drives them: "What's in it for me?". So what does US-government have to gain from defeating Muslims? Not much, so I doubt that is their motive. However, if their goal is only to gain wealth and gain power, and defeating Muslims is just something that unfortunately comes with it, then that makes a lot more sense in understanding their motives. And Allah subhana wa ta'ala knows best
well there are number of things involved.
1. oil
2. spread of islam
3. end of US rule over the world.
Why else would US bomb a place like somalia with the excuse of "al qaeda" hiding there, and why else would the help the fake gov't there agaisnt the islamic courts and help ethopians invade somalia. Ethopians ban hijab in somalia and ripped it off of anyone who wore it in publilc. There is mass rape going on now there as well. US is afraid if shariah worked in a place like somalia then other countries will follow. Then no more puppet rulers to do their bidding and kill their own citizens like musharaf, barak, saudi, jordon and what not. Big things come into play if you look at the whole picture.
And if you look around, this war on terror (islam) is directed towards Muslims onlyl. How many BJP hindu extremists have been arrested, what about zionists war criminals or russian or others that are committing war crimes. why not US on political people that have qualified as war criminals by international and US laws.
Selam aleykum
Brother aren't you now saying the exact same thing as I said 2 posts ago? Namely that it's not about fighting Muslims, it's about gaining wealth and gaining power. And Allah subhana wa ta'ala knows best
Selam aleykum
Brother aren't you now saying the exact same thing as I said 2 posts ago? Namely that it's not about fighting Muslims, it's about gaining wealth and gaining power. And Allah subhana wa ta'ala knows best
wa'alaikum as'salaam
i think #2 and 3 relates to musilms. why is it that a muslim with beard or hijabi or niqabi is thoroughly checked and even frisked at security and non-hijabi and cleaned shaved muslims go w/o trouble?
Just a heads up, but fighting wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan isn't cheap. There is no profit being made from it. It has only added to the already out of control U.S. debt. The only way the U.S. would make any profit from these conflicts would be to completely take over the oil resources and the economy in general. That is not happening at all. This is not a colonization.
Then one can address the issue from a more practical side. The U.S. is home to a fairly large Muslim community. They are free to practice their religion without limitations. The U.S. doesn't even debate the issue of veils or any garb with religious significance. The only minor event involving this issue was about drivers licences.
The only reason this issue is being brought up is because the U.S. is involved in a conflict against terrorism and extremists that haven't exactly been minding their own business. Afghanistan is a perfect example of that. Iraq is a different matter, but the target there was Saddam Hussein, not Muslims.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
Just a heads up, but fighting wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan isn't cheap. There is no profit being made from it. It has only added to the already out of control U.S. debt. The only way the U.S. would make any profit from these conflicts would be to completely take over the oil resources and the economy in general. That is not happening at all. This is not a colonization.
Then one can address the issue from a more practical side. The U.S. is home to a fairly large Muslim community. They are free to practice their religion without limitations. The U.S. doesn't even debate the issue of veils or any garb with religious significance. The only minor event involving this issue was about drivers licences.
Well don't forget there's a difference between personal gain and public gain. It might be true that this war has added debt to the US as a nation, but coincedentially it has also generated money for certain individuals and company's from within the Us, the same company's and people who have a proportional amount of power in the US government. So they are not only damaging the Muslims for there personal gain, but in a way you could see it as bleeding dry their own country.
Ps: islamirama, got a beard and a cap on my head, and never had any problems on planes. sure there have been some incidents especially in the US, but in this case I say they have just cause to do check ups.
Last edited by Abdul Fattah; 05-01-2007 at 03:21 PM.
Well don't forget there's a difference between personal gain and public gain. It might be true that this war has added debt to the US as a nation, but coincedentially it has also generated money for certain individuals and company's from within the Us, the same company's and people who have a proportional amount of power in the US government. So they are not only damaging the Muslims for there personal gain, but in a way you could see it as bleeding dry their own country.
No doubt there are individuals and companies who benefit from war, that has always been the case in every country. However, it still takes congressional approval to declare war or to sanction the use of force. It isn't like the president can simply wake up one day and "We're invading Iraq". I don't have much respect for President Bush either, stemming from other issues, but I don't believe he started a war for personal profit or profit for his business interests. Haliburton, which is usually the company people point to as making money from the war, has actually lost money on the reconstruction because the chaos there makes it impossible to really get a project started.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
Has anything positive come from these wars?? I think they've just added fuel to the flame.
I remember watching a programme which said the biggest pofiters of the war were the people making the ammunition and those who hold shares in the companies.
No doubt there are individuals and companies who benefit from war, that has always been the case in every country. However, it still takes congressional approval to declare war or to sanction the use of force. It isn't like the president can simply wake up one day and "We're invading Iraq". I don't have much respect for President Bush either, stemming from other issues, but I don't believe he started a war for personal profit or profit for his business interests. Haliburton, which is usually the company people point to as making money from the war, has actually lost money on the reconstruction because the chaos there makes it impossible to really get a project started.
But the president did wake up and said, we're declaring war. saddam had been in power for decades and no body cared, why the need to take him down now? and who has the authority to take a sovereign down of another nation? i think the following videos show quite well how much of it is a war against Muslims....
Has anything positive come from these wars?? I think they've just added fuel to the flame.
I remember watching a programme which said the biggest pofiters of the war were the people making the ammunition and those who hold shares in the companies.
There is nothing "positive" about war, only goals. The war in Afghanistan achieved its goals except for the death of Bin Laden, but the Al-Qaeda safe haven was largely destroyed, not to mention many enemy fighters. It is a little unclear what the goal was in Iraq, as the mission turned into a nation building exercise.
I'm sure ammunition companies are making a profit, but that isn't unusual or shocking.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
If the US were against muslims then how come, if for example my employer told me to take off my hijaab, I could rightfully sue the youknowwhat out of him and win since it's my legal right to wear hijaab and since our laws say that there is no discrimination against religion.
You'd think they'd start at home first if that were the case.
There is nothing "positive" about war, only goals. The war in Afghanistan achieved its goals except for the death of Bin Laden, but the Al-Qaeda safe haven was largely destroyed, not to mention many enemy fighters. It is a little unclear what the goal was in Iraq, as the mission turned into a nation building exercise.
I'm sure ammunition companies are making a profit, but that isn't unusual or shocking.
funny thing is that al-qaeda never were in afghanistan. It was a nation being ruled by talebans, who came to power by the demand of the public against the war lords that were ravageing the country. And iraq was invaded us of WMD which turned out to be a big lie, so why is the occupation still there?
If the US were against muslims then how come, if for example my employer told me to take off my hijaab, I could rightfully sue the youknowwhat out of him and win since it's my legal right to wear hijaab and since our laws say that there is no discrimination against religion.
You'd think they'd start at home first if that were the case.
In home they are limited becuase not everyone is with them. Why else do you think they feel the need to ship "suspects" to torture cells in europe and egypt and other states?
This has nothing to do with religion, it is only fanatics and terrorist that involves islam into it. Its about creating demcracy and take the murderers and terorrists away.
But the president did wake up and said, we're declaring war. saddam had been in power for decades and no body cared, why the need to take him down now? and who has the authority to take a sovereign down of another nation? i think the following videos show quite well how much of it is a war against Muslims....
Actually that is incorrect. The U.S. had been striking Iraq since the first Gulf War. Iraq was very high on President Clinton's list of priorities, but he was so concerned with opinion polls that he didn't do what his military advisors suggested that he do, which was remove Saddam Hussein. As for who has the authority...Saddam could have and probably should have been removed after he invaded Kuwait. However, there was a cease-fire agreement, and the U.N. mandate didn't give the Coalition the authority to invade Iraq. This was back when people actually took the U.N. seriously. Since the first Gulf War Iraq had provoked Coalition planes in the no-fly zone, had resisted weapons inspections, and on and on. So no, President Bush didn't just wake up one morning and decide to invade Iraq.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
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