Curt, Mike’s A and myself have all posted on the fate of the Gitmo Uighurs. You remember them, right? Those “innocents” types who just happened to have the misfortune of parking their butts in an AQ terror training camp, but really had no ties to AQ and were deemed not a threat to the US?
When Obama… desperate to find them homes… parked them in Bermuda where they plan to open the first Uighur restaurant, I found myself pondering what anyone had to lose in today’s economic environment by enrolling in a terror camp in hopes of being relocated to an island paradise on the taxpayers’ dime.
Well, evidently AQ takes care of “their own”… even when “their own” insist upon distancing themselves after time in Gitmo. Today Jane Maccartney reports in the London Times al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), has publicly thrown in their support with the Uighurs against China, citing Beijing’s treatment of Muslim Uighurs. And just as America has found itself in the position of choosing sides between warring tyrants before … as the Dems love to remind us that the US supported Saddam in the past against Iran… we once again find ourselves watching a battle between two extremely unsavory elements.
al Qaeda… brave fighters that they are… haven’t changed their MO. They aren’t taking the battlefield to the Chinese mainland, but instead issue their threats against Chinese citizens in North Africa.
Al-Qaeda has issued its first threat against China with a vow to attack Chinese workers in North Africa in retaliation for Beijing’s treatment of Muslim Uighurs.
The threat, issued by the Algeria-based al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), highlights the risks faced by China as it expands its economic investments overseas.
“Although AQIM appear to be the first arm of al-Qaeda to officially state they will target Chinese interests, others are likely to follow,” an intelligence report from Stirling Assynt, a London-based risk analysis firm, says.
The warning followed deadly unrest in China’s westernmost region of Xinjiang last week, when 184 people died and 1,680 were injured — most of them Han Chinese killed by Uighurs.
Granted, it’s hard to pick a side to support here. Other than listening to SOS Hillary, triaging China’s human rights record to a lower level in order to insure the money flow for Obama’s eye popping spending, there’s little that is defensible about China’s treatment of their citizens… regardless of their religion. Certainly Chinese Muslims can claim no monopoly on oppression.
On the flip side, one can’t legitimately throw any kudos to AQ for involving themselves in the Chinese Muslim battles either. It’s not like they’ve got a human rights record to stand on either.
Instead what now becomes a bizarre twist of alliances, AQ plans to “aid” the Uighurs by setting their sights on 50,000 Chinese workers in Algeria, as well as Chinese projects and workers across northwest Africa…. including Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.
AQ remains consistent in their chosen warfare that singles out terrorizing citizens intead of military personnel. But they started out slow on wasting human lives with their first attack three weeks ago, issuing a warning first.
Three weeks ago, AQIM attacked an Algerian security convoy protecting Chinese engineers on a motorway project, killing 24 paramilitary police. While the Chinese were not injured, the assessment notes: “Future attacks are likely to target security forces and Chinese engineers alike.”
Qin Gang, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said that the Government remained opposed to all forms of terrorism. “We will keep a close eye on developments and make efforts with relevant countries to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of overseas Chinese institutions and people.”
According to the Times article, western counter-terrorism experts have been keeping a careful eye on the developments, and believe it’s enjoyed a boost because of the AQ affiliated fighters leaving Iraq, and seriously in need of a new blood lust cause they have a better chance of winning. And this could be the global PR boost they need to correct their brutal murders of Iraqi Muslim, which was broadcast world wide for years.
Oddly enough, this turn of events for a battle manifesting between two unsympathetic factions, neither with respect for human rights and freedom, may put Obama in a position that resembles his erroneous call on Honduras… where he sides with Venezuela’s leftist despot, Chavez. Only in this case, he’ll find himself in the same camp as al Qaeda.
Without naming names, al Jazeera brings this embarrassing possibility to light in an interview with Rebiya Kadeer – a leading Uighur rights activist. Key is her criticism of Muslim countries, silent on Chinese Muslim’s treatment at the hands of Beijing…. and her demand the sympathetic US intercede on behalf of the Uighurs in China.
Speaking after a day of unrest in Xinjiang left at least 150 people dead, Kadeer pointed to the lack of response from Muslim countries to the violence and the situation faced by the Uighurs.
“Muslim countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and a number of other Muslim countries as well as the central Asian states like Kazakhstan Kurdistan and Uzbekistan – they all deported Uighurs who had fled Chinese persecution for peacefully opposing Chinese rule, for writing something, for speaking something,” she said.
“Those sent back to China were either killed or sentenced to life in jail.”
She said the lack of action from Muslim countries contrasted with support given by other governments.
“Our only friend is in the West – Western democracies are supporting us and we are very grateful,” Kadeeer, who heads the World Uighur Congress, told reporters.
~~~“We hope that the United Nations, the United States and the European Union will send teams to investigate what really took place in Xinjiang,” she said.
“We hope the White House will issue a stronger statement urging the Chinese government to show restraint, and also to tell the truth of the nature of the events and what happened, and to tell the Chinese government to redress Uighur grievances.”
Two things are obvious from these events. China, heretofore relatively immune and disinterested in the west’s battle with the jihad movements, now finds itself a target along with the rest of us. And Obama? He’s no stranger to odd bedfellows already early in his term… But now he may find himself aligned with the strangest bedfellow of all… America’s #1 targeted enemy.
Vietnam era Navy wife, indy/conservative, and an official California escapee now residing as a red speck in the sea of Oregon blue.
I would like to see Tibet and Xinjiang free from China. Let the people of these regions decide in a referendum whether they wish to remain as part of China or not. Or course voting and the Chinese Communist Dictatorship don’t mix.
And you could historically support Irish Free State and even today support a united Ireland without supporting the sickening terrorist methods of the IRA.
SMOOTH MOVE IF HE DOES
Yeah, let’s get the CHICOMS ticked off at us, especially when we need them as a creditor for O’Bunglers fiascos, and at a time when they are building their military and we are weakening ours.
He’ll probably do the wrong thing. And if he doesn’t? It’ll be an accident.
And, speaking of Muslims, such a sense of humor they have…
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9O0Fh4dvRwg/SiwHNV4AoGI/AAAAAAAAABo/0VBpgNQ_w7c/s1600-h/sjx1afks3gfqzl9gy4pp.jpg
Whoa, here’s another cake…
http://forum.ozkorallah.com/up/75/1199613594.jpg
What is it, Osama’s birthday?
Just thinking out of the box?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/5810767/Iran-linked-to-Iraqi-group-holding-British-hostages.html
Iran ‘linked’ to Iraqi group holding British hostages
Iran’s regime is linked to the group holding the remaining British hostages in Iraq and this factor is complicating efforts to secure their release, according to British sources.
By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
12 Jul 2009
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5810703/Muslim-who-justified-killing-British-troops-back-at-Treasury.html
Muslim who justified killing British troops back at Treasury
Azad Ali, a Muslim civil servant suspended after comments appeared on his personal website justifying the killing of British troops in Iraq, has returned to work at the Treasury.
By Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent
Published: 4:32PM BST 12 Jul 2009
Ali, an IT worker and president of the Civil Service Islamic Society, was suspended on full pay for six months following comments on his blog.
In one post Mr Ali said he found ‘much truth’ in an interview with an Islamic militant who said: “If I saw an American or British man wearing a soldier’s uniform inside Iraq I would kill him because that is my obligation
http://www.mosnews.com/military/2009/07/10/ukrcruise/
Ukrainian police impound Russian Navy cruise missiles
10 Jul, 03:40 PM
Police in the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol on Wednesday evening detained a column of heavy duty trucks carrying Russian Navy cruise missiles without the necessary permits, the UNIAN agency said.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/11/27/iran-plane.html
Elite Iranian soldiers killed in plane crash
Last Updated: Monday, November 27, 2006
HAVE TO SAY THEY ARE GETTING BETTER AT STAGING WHAT LOOKS LIKE PLANE CRASHES?
JUST ASK HOLLYWOOD HOW EASY IT IS?
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/07/15/iran-airplane-crash512.html
Iranian jet crash kills all aboard
Caspian airlines craft was bound for Armenian capital Yerevan
July 15, 2009
Footage from the scene on state-run Press TV shows a deep trench smashed into an agricultural field
BBC has footage crop looks really bad?? This footage shows more about how bad the rust has infected their wheat crop??
Just thinking out of the box?
Just a little trashy
Catherine
Missing the relevance here, Catherine. Care to explain?
Disgusting. There was a time, when conservatives stood against communist regimes who persecuted ethnic minorities. Now it seems, if they’re muslim, the commies can do what they like to them.
Boy! What to do? What to do? Betray my Musilm religion to appease my Communist masters?? Tough one……
Gaffa, for multiple admins, the US policy for Tibetan Buddahists and Xinjiang Muslims has been to encourage China to “talk”. You know, that hip “diplomacy” thing? Altho it can be said the US has made verbal mutterings for Tibetan autonomy, while they have remained silent on Xinjiang. Perhaps the most overt action was Condi Rice helping secure the release of the subject of this post… Ms. Rebiya Kadeer.
Both areas want independence…. but honestly, other than token lip service, Asian Free Radio broadcasts into Xinjiang one hour a day, and Congressional funding of the Uyghur Human Rights Project, the US keeps a hands off approach because of our reliance on Chinese money and trade. That financial dependence is even more true under Obama with his already extraordinary additions to the national debt, and his other plans currently being shoved down our throats.
Notice also that AQ isn’t throwing their weight behind Tibet, just Xinjiang and Muslims. They’d behead the Buddahists with nary a second thought.
The question is, with AQ’s widening their scope to include Chinese citizens, and the bloodbath we can expect after watching AQ’s Iraq warfare, will Obama make any changes in the historic “hands off” policy towards both areas? And if he does, will he only lend aid to Muslim Xinjiang, and vote present on Buddahist Tibet?
If he and the int’l community are forced into action because of AQ genocide that cannot be ignored, we have just cofirmed their violence and “terror” is a successful campaign. They got the west and the world on their side by terrorist acts. That is one dangerous precedent, and this is the different from your analogy of supporting united Ireland without supporting the IRA terror tactics.
INRE the IRA and Britain, we do not have the financial dependency there that we have on China. Therefore rilng up Tony Blair… which Clinton did… was small potatoes with little repercussions. So Clinton made a few phone calls to the Brits encouraging the chat, but it was obvious the US lent support to the Irish cause. In the end, Clinton refused to lean on Sinn Fein and the IRA (the latter being on the list of US recognized terror groups). The Good Friday Agreement left out the all important decommissioning of terrorist arms.
China will not be as pliable with either Uighurs or Tibetans as Britain was with Finn Sein and the IRA. They are no dummies… China is well aware that he who controls the purse strings has the power.
My first instinct is that the big Zero will prefer to do nothing to bite the hand that feeds his “remaking of America”. AQ, however, may give him no choice but to pick a side of the line drawn in the sands.
yonason,
Yeah, let’s get the CHICOMS ticked off at us, especially when we need them as a creditor for O’Bunglers fiascos, and at a time when they are building their military and we are weakening ours.
————–
“CHICOMS”?? …..Oh! I thought you were talking about *CHICAGO* COMMUNISTS! Ops.
I guess Al Qaeda is slipping – what, no invite to the Chinese to convert to islam before AQ attacks them? isn’t that a violation of islamic tenets?
@ mynameis I could care less about any muslim being ‘persecuted’ anywhere in the world. They want to convert, subjugate, or kill every last person on earth, including you. Muslims do not deserve sympathy. Muslims are the enemy of non muslims, not because I say so, but because of they are commanded to be in the koran. But dont take my word of it, research it yourself.
Missing the relevance here, Catherine. Care to explain?
Sorry a bit eary before coffee forgot?
The point about Iran is look at the crops in the wheat field not looking good and Russia wheat crop also not looking good.
And with winter 3 mo.s early well 2+2=
China is also having crop problems.
The photos from the downed liner look fake to me more like staged not to say Iran didn’t kill 169 people just that they didn’t go down in a plane.
And we know whos side bho will take the State department has already sided with the killer muslums.
Sorry Blond brai spins a lot.
Catherine
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/5811104/China-bans-public-mourning-in-Urumqi.html
China bans public mourning in Urumqi
The Chinese authorities banned public displays of mourning in the western city of Urumqi on Sunday as they sought to prevent further unrest one week after race riots claimed 184 lives.
Malcolm Moore in Shanghai
12 Jul 2009
Snip
The ban hampered families of the Chinese victims from mourning publicly on the seventh day, in accordance with Chinese tradition. Usually, families visit temples, burn fake money or invite monks to their homes to chant
Snip
Security forces in Urumqi remain deeply concerned about the possibility of further violence, one week after a public protest by Uighur Muslims descended into mass violence and bloodshed. It took three days to restore calm, as mobs of both Uighurs and Han Chinese rampaged through the streets.
The official Xinhua news agency raised the number of injured from the riots to 1,680 yesterday. The government has also clarified that Han Chinese accounted for the majority of the dead.
Snip
Zhou Yongkang, the security minister, toured Xinjiang province yesterday, visiting the restive cities of Kashgar and Hotan. The authorities believe that a large number of the rioters in Urumqi, the provincial capital, migrated from these two poorer cities. “A large part of the criminals in the July 5 rioting were from cities 1,500km away, like Kashgar and Hotan, which shows it was organised and planned in advance,” said Li Zhi, Urumqi’s Communist Party secretary.
[Hotan is where all those earthquakes have been and pretty close to the border of Afghanistan where we are fighting so we should help the Chinese I hate to say to take care of these terrorist.
Maybe these are the f—s who are fighting our guys remember it was wee gurs who bho sent to Burmuda? ]
@MataHarley
Good post. I appreciate it is a fine line to walk. And I’m not advocating that the US or West do particularly any actions to encourage independence within those regions beyond expressing the principle and desire for communities around the world should be free to choose their own path. US President Wilson – did something along these lines and got himself in all sorts of trouble but nevertheless it is still a good ideal for the world to strive for. However I don’t think the West has any obligation to push such matters. In the meantime any terrorist attack on innocents in trying to gain indepedence can be heartily condemned by US and the West – as well as ensuring that these terrorists don’t have money, networks etc within the US etc.
In the end each country has to balance whether it is worth getting involved in ‘localised’ issues and if so to what degree. Genocide in Sudan – for instance – I suggest should of provoke more condemnation and intervention than it did. The rest of Africa was pretty poor at this. The EU failed Bosnia. In Ireland – since 1969 – it would of been better had the US stayed out but due to the Irish lobby in the US this gave them an excuse to meddle. And in China – the West is pretty much powerless. Al-Qaeda and Chinese Dictatorship – both have blood on their hands – but you don’t have to support either of them. I’m more thinking what the average/majority of those living in Tibet and Xinjiang want.
Either you condemn terrorist and their terrorist acts and stand and fight them or you will be taken over by them. What happen in China is black and white no matter what your feelings. The muslums went on a rampage and killed people who were non muslums.
They lit buildings on fire when the people came out the muslums attacked them.
What is that saying about the guy at the bar as they take other because it had nothing to do with him but in the end when they came for him there was no one left to speak out to stop them?
Catherine
The first quip to cross my mind would be “arms and ammo”… but then don’t think the Tibetan find that conducive to their religion. Muslims? Heck yeah…
No, Catherine. The reason for the conundrum is because it is not black and white. The Han Chinese have been abusing the Uighurs (Muslims). Then again, the Uighurs got the best of the last street fight since most of the 1000+ dead were the Han Chinese. (of course, when I read that, I thought there may be quite a few AQ terror camp grads in their midst…)
This is another scumbag regime v scumbag rebel situation. Only this time one of those scumbags is the US prime banker.
@MataHarley
Well you can also do what happened in WWII between Hitler & Stalin. Sit back and let ’em fight it out.