Seven years after the Sept. 11 attacks, there is no consensus outside the United States that Islamist militants from al Qaeda were responsible, according to an international poll published on Wednesday.
The survey of 16,063 people in 17 nations found majorities in only nine countries believe al Qaeda was behind the attacks on New York and Washington that killed about 3,000 people in 2001.
U.S. officials squarely blame al Qaeda, whose leader Osama bin Laden has boasted of organizing the suicide attacks by his followers using hijacked commercial airliners.
On average, 46 percent of those surveyed said al Qaeda was responsible, 15 percent said the U.S. government, 7 percent said Israel and 7 percent said some other perpetrator. One in four people said they did not know who was behind the attacks.
The confusion reaches into our presidential candidates, too:
[blockquote]We must also engage, however, in the more difficult task of understanding the sources of such madness. The essence of this tragedy, it seems to me, derives from a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers: an inability to imagine, or connect with, the humanity and suffering of others. Such a failure of empathy, such numbness to the pain of a child or the desperation of a parent, is not innate; nor, history tells us, is it unique to a particular culture, religion, or ethnicity. It may find expression in a particular brand of violence, and may be channeled by particular demagogues or fanatics. Most often, though, it grows out of a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair.
–Barack Obama, Hyde Park Herald, Sept. 19, 2001.[/blockquote]
Well, at least one of them:
[blockquote]“This is obviously an act of war that has been committed on the United Statesâ€
– John McCain, September 12, 2001
“I say to our enemies: We are coming. God may have mercy on you, but we won’t.â€
John McCain, on September 13, 2001[/blockquote]
Well, now we know why the world supports Obama, don’t we?
Why is opinion in Kenya and Nigeria different? More hostility (among Christians) to Islam there?
Sidney, get off it. Obviously, Obama’s nuanced answer was during a lengthy interview. He has repeatedly stated that Bin Laden and AlQueda were behind 9/11, and that we should have focused our efforts on hunting them down in Afghanistan, instead of being distracted by Iraq.
The quote from McCain was from a speech. Differing arenas which call for a different style of response. I’m sure McCain could has also talked at length in an interview situation.
The article does not give the exact wording of the question. Therefore, we don’t really know what people were asked. There are some who would say that the US government’s support of Israel (and the Palestinian situation; the CIA’s support of the Shahs of Iran, etc.) was the reason ‘behind’ the 9/11 attacks. It would be along the lines of ‘if the US wasn’t taking the wrong sides in the Middle East, they would not have been attacked’.
Surveys can be very tricky, we need to know what question (or questions) were asked before we can accurately analyze the answers.
What an absurd statement: “Seven years after the Sept. 11 attacks, there is no consensus outside the United States that Islamist militants from al Qaeda were responsible, according to an international poll published on Wednesday.” A verifiable event occurred, we know who did and a media concern is asking about consensus! Let’s have a poll to determine if white is really white around the world. This is but another example of the media creating a news story. This is merely an excuse to create doubt about the facts and divert attention from Islamic extremism and shift blame toward the US. Disbelieve the facts at your own peril.
I was responding to the original article, not Jeffersonian’s post.
No consensus? How about THIS for example: Worldwide Islamic terrorists inspired or led by al Quaeda. Remember this Muslim slogan……death to the infidels? Well, guess who the infidels are: Everyone who isn’t a Muslim!
i remember hearing about a poll that said the majority of Americans believe that Saddam Hussein was behind the terrorist attacks.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-09-06-poll-iraq_x.htm
for as many times as the bush administration implied it on television(i sure didn’t hear media questioning it on network stations) it sure seemed like he was personally involved.
“Disbelieve the facts at your own peril.” indeed.
#8 it is funny how people will believe what they wish. For years Americans would equate:
“Saddam pays for terrorists to attack Israel.”
With
“Saddam supports terrorism.”
With
“Saddam morally supported the 911 attacks.”
With
“Saddam planned and practically supported the 911 attacks.”
The first three are correct. The last isn’t. But in politics, it was all smeared together.
So the world isn’t sure who knocked over the Towers, but they’re darn sure they want Obama as the next US President.
It reminds me of school lesson years ago when the physics master explained why man had not landed on the moon – all a hoax apparently.
And then there was the mathematical proof that elephants could not exist.
#7 Cennydid I agree with you 100%. Course I still wonder why Bill Clinton didn’t totally condemn Lebanon for the attack at the airport that killed ~200 Americans.
The goal of Islam is the same now as it has been from its founding: The subjugation or annihilation of Christians, Jews, and everyone else on this earth who isn’t a follower of Allah!
There is a thing called “lulling your opponent to sleep,” and it is the unstated policy of so-called “moderates” among the Islamic leaders to “go along to get along” with the West, “befriend them,” while at the same time continuing to spread Islam all over the globe and plotting to supplant Christianity and Judaism, which they see as their mortal enemies.
“Know your enemy, and use his weakness to destroy him.” Those who ignore this do so at their mortal peril.
Any wonder why they support Obama as president?