November 9, 2003
OVERPLAYING A BAD HAND:
Saudis assail militants after bombing (Reuters, 11/09/2003)
Shocked and angered at an apparent suicide bombing against Muslim families in the midst of the holy month of Ramadan, ordinary Saudis said the bombing on Sunday would destroy any lingering support for Muslim militants.BOMBARDED BY brutal television and newspaper images of carnage caused by a midnight explosion at the housing compound of Muhaya, on Riyadh’s desert outskirts, many were united in condemning the second deadly attack in their capital in six months.
“What Islam is this? They are terrorists,” said Hamdan Youssef, a 39-year-old businessman.
What would we do without al Qaeda to help us win this war? Posted by Orrin Judd at November 9, 2003 3:13 PM
Hamdan Youssef's words (with his name) should be emblazoned on banners in Paris, London, Kuala Lumpur, ........
Posted by: old maltese at November 9, 2003 5:06 PMUnfortunately, I wonder whether the Saudi 'man in the street' really matters in this bloody calculus. Funding (from a minority of Saudi princes) and fervor (from a minority of Wahhabi mullahs) are the problem. Will either be influenced even if a majority of Saudis recoil in horror?
Fred Jacobsen
San Francisco
This just provides the pretex to take down
the Saud's to protect the oil when it is clear
that wild eyed dervishes are going to take over.
Fred:
If the general culture makes being Wahhabi less popular, then it'll cut down on recruitment.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at November 10, 2003 11:46 AMI wonder how much of this was covered by al Jazzera?
Posted by: Genecis at November 10, 2003 12:11 PM