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This is decidedly odd: it's been Muslim northerners in Afghanistan who have done most of the ground fighting. It is unquestionably true that the US has aided them significantly but it's Muslims fighting against Muslims, so in practice this means that they are praying for the defeat of fellow Muslims. Of course, it's unlikely to make any difference in as much as it is unlikely that God is going to start fighting on the side of the Taliban. (If He had that intention, you'd think He would have proved it by now -- a few lightining bolts or a convenient earthquake or something like that.) More disturbing is that this is happening in such friendly nations as Indonesia and in particular Saudi Arabia. Earlier this week the Saudi government spent a lot of money putting multi-page full color advertising into several US newspapers to try to make Saudi Arabia look moderate and friendly to average Americans. (It doesn't seem to have had any effect that I've heard of, but Americans are more than a bit jaded with publicity fluff at this point.) That money would have been much better spent trying to convince average Saudis that the US is friendly and should be supported with ad spreads in Saudi newspapers. Oddly enough, that would have had a much greater effect on American public opinion. The problem is that the Saudi government is now and has been for a long time talking out of both sides of its mouth. Internally to its own people it excoriates the US, but outside to us it talks friendly. It's blatant hypocrisy, and one way or another it's going to end soon. (Most likely by the government of Saudi Arabia being deposed.) (discuss) |
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