Comments on: Al Qaeda’s Fantasy Ideology?

By: Dave Schuler

Dave Schuler — Thu, 05 Aug 2004 20:19:35 +0000

As I commented over at Winds of Change "magical thinking" isn't the explanation. According to Salafist thought the World Trade Center, Wall Street, and the Pentagon are objects of our idolatry as surely as the giant Buddhas were historically objects of idolatry in Afghanistan. Destroying these idols are acts of piety.

Inspiring terror is a useful side effect. Perhaps this provides useful insight on traditional Islam's attitudes towards pagan idols.

By: Backcountry Conservative

Backcountry Conservative — Thu, 05 Aug 2004 19:24:58 +0000

Thursday's Terrorism Wrap-Up
I'm posting this now before I head out to take my last final exam for summer school. Please add links to this post from any and all terrorism-related posts you made today (Thurs. Aug. 5) and send a trackback (manually...

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 05 Aug 2004 19:16:14 +0000

The fact that al Qaeda is willing to murder thousands of people in order to achieve goals that are fantastic does not, however, make them necessarily "irrational." They honestly believe they brought down the Soviet Union through their resistance effort in Afghanistan and see no reason that they can't topple another superpower in this decade.

Maybe that first part does not make them irrational but boy that second part does.

Yes, they chased the Soviets out of Afghanistan (with pounds of our help) but to say that toppled the Soviet Union is plainly irrational.

By: Winds of Change.NET

Winds of Change.NET — Thu, 05 Aug 2004 18:50:22 +0000

Al-Qaeda's "Reverse Cargo Cult" Mentality John Farren thinks al-Qaeda is a "reverse cargo cult". It's a great insight, and Lee Harris' famous article "al-Qaeda's Fantasy Ideology" fleshes it out. This idea set also applies beyond al-Qaeda.

By: Joe Katzman

Joe Katzman — Thu, 05 Aug 2004 18:41:25 +0000

Robin Burk's recent article "The Terror Web" might actually serve as an excellent companion article, as it details a group within al-Qaeda who certainly seem to have political goals. But even they seem rather prone to having fantasy ideology take over their thinking process, if their published works are any guide... because their stated goals go FAR beyond those stated in "Imperial Hubris."

http://windsofchange.net/archives/005325.php