I enjoy reading both phil's and ober's posts.<br />They're both on the same frequency, just 90 degrees out of phase :-)<br /><br />The way I see it,<br />yes I understand hitler's perspective of the jews. The justifications for his actions are questionable. There is a good movie out staring Robert Carlisle, about Hilter. <br /> His actions helped create the state of Israel. Worse still it is a right wing jewish state. Some of their actions reflect that they learned a lot from Nazi Germany very well.<br /> The creation of Israel is part of the issue which is just so far gone. You just can't put that genie back in the bottle. So now you have to deal with it. And so I can understand why the Arabs are pretty pissed off with Israel's actions over the years.<br /> This has been hijacked and turned up into an islamic cause. The corperate greed of America combined with their backing of Israel and internal jewish political pressure, has made them a ally of Israel and thus part of the enemy to the Arabs. They in turn have had a knee jerk reaction and now anybody who looks like they side with uncle sam is on the hit list.<br /><br />Step right up, every one's a looser !!<br /><br />So we've come full circle since the last cold war. There were reds under your bed. The communists infiltrated everywhere, and though it sounds silly these days, the treat of communism was very real. Governments manipulated the political scene in dubious ways to ensure stability and save their own skins.<br /><br />Now we have towel heads in your beds.<br />We have McCarthism powder keg all over again just<br />waiting for a spark. Tension has been building for many years. Muslims say that they do not support terrorism, but there are very few people that believe that all that glistens is gold.<br /><br />I know of several disturbed individuals living in the Sydney area who spout bullshit in the name of Islam. (and other religions) What I see is that other muslims hear them loud and clear but do not try to stop or correct them. Their inaction suggests they are either scared, in a minority or supportive. Further more the bad apples are influencing more and more young people and putting them on the wrong path and filling their heads with more crap and hate because they are down trodden. (sounds like communism again ?) <br />So instead of breaking free of their sterotype they just further rebell and re-enforce it.<br /><br />I do not like to point the finger, but you'd be extreemly naieve to think that the Islamic community in Australia is not brewing and harbouring or at very least funding terrorists.<br /><br />It is Israel's extreem right wing approach that we as western countries are far too soft on Muslims and their freedom. The stance looks to me that if we won't do something about it, they will.<br /> They know the risks of being caught spying in other countries. But the risks obviously do not outweigh the advantages to them.<br /> A couple of agents stuff up and spend a few years in prison in a 'soft' country is a price they are quite prepared to pay.<br /><br />I'm sure that the police and ASIS have people in Islamic circles like they have people in organised crime to monitor activity and undermine it through inteligence and leaked information.<br /><br />Phil has the idea that Israel's actions are just as provocative as the terrorists. They're not part of the solution, they ARE part of the problem !<br /><br />Ober has the point that Isreal being the enemy of my enemy, does not make them our friends.<br /> They are simply an unwanted solution to an unwanted problem !<br /> <br /> <small>[ 25. August 2004, 10:44 AM: Message edited by: trash ]</small>