Pardon my tongue—in—cheek headline, Sweetness & Light has noticed that in the latest a Qaeda tape running on Al Jazeera, the 9/11 hijackers mention that

their actions were inspired by an urge to avenge the suffering of Muslims in Bosnia and Chechnya.

Bosnia, as in the former Yugoslav republic where American forces rescued Muslims. Chechnya, as in the former Soviet republic where Muslim rebels seek independence from imperial Russia.

Nothing about Palestine. Nothing about US troops in Saudi Arabia.

This is rather stunning. It is also nearly incoherent. The only conclusion I can draw is that there is a foul brew of hatred and envy, a melange of assorted grievances on behalf of Muslims from which various individuals draw their revenge fantasies.

It does make clear that thinking that we can solve the problem by addressing real grievances is delusional.

Thomas Lifson   9 08 06