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Explosion in central Oslo

bbc.co.uk

11–20 of 83 posts

Re: Explosion in central Oslo

#11
post #8

apparently the shooter on the island was nordic, tall, blonde in appearance. (according to tv2.no news)

That doesn't necessarily rule out al qaeda involvement, there have been caucasian taliban et al before. But we shouldn't jump to conclusions until we have the facts regardless.

Arabs tend to be caucasian as in Europoid - they're semitic, and semites are usually Europoid. I don't have a word for what you wanted to say readily available, sorry.

Re: Explosion in central Oslo

#13
post #3

Is there any reason to want to terrorize Norway?

I'm curious, why would you imagine that al qaeda et al wouldn't want to attack Norway?

I suppose bad people do bad things, regardless of an honorable ideology. Still, I see Norway in the same way as I see Canada. They do not take strong statements for or against others, they do not engage in the affairs of others, they have had a long (modern) history of peaceful relations/intentions. The most aggressive thing they've done is commit handfuls of troops to a multinational "peacekeeping" missions.

I guess I just feel like they have more important enemies, from their perspective, to attack.

Re: Explosion in central Oslo

#16
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious, why would you imagine that al qaeda et al wouldn't want to attack Norway?

I suppose bad people do bad things, regardless of an honorable ideology. Still, I see Norway in the same way as I see Canada. They do not take strong statements for or against others, they do not engage in the affairs of others, they have had a long (modern) history of peaceful relations/intentions. The most aggressive thing they've done is commit handfuls of troops to a multinational "peacekeeping" missions. I guess…

> I guess I just feel like they have more important enemies, from their perspective, to attack.

What do you believe their motivations are?

Re: Explosion in central Oslo

#17
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious, why would you imagine that al qaeda et al wouldn't want to attack Norway?

I suppose bad people do bad things, regardless of an honorable ideology. Still, I see Norway in the same way as I see Canada. They do not take strong statements for or against others, they do not engage in the affairs of others, they have had a long (modern) history of peaceful relations/intentions. The most aggressive thing they've done is commit handfuls of troops to a multinational "peacekeeping" missions. I guess…

Their more important enemies are also probably more difficult to attack.

Re: Explosion in central Oslo

#18
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious, why would you imagine that al qaeda et al wouldn't want to attack Norway?

I suppose bad people do bad things, regardless of an honorable ideology. Still, I see Norway in the same way as I see Canada. They do not take strong statements for or against others, they do not engage in the affairs of others, they have had a long (modern) history of peaceful relations/intentions. The most aggressive thing they've done is commit handfuls of troops to a multinational "peacekeeping" missions. I guess…

Often, schoolyard bullies attack peaceful bystanders of high status, if they think they can get away with it. Often, they even think of some justification for themselves. I think the same principle applies here.

Re: Explosion in central Oslo

#19
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious, why would you imagine that al qaeda et al wouldn't want to attack Norway?

I suppose bad people do bad things, regardless of an honorable ideology. Still, I see Norway in the same way as I see Canada. They do not take strong statements for or against others, they do not engage in the affairs of others, they have had a long (modern) history of peaceful relations/intentions. The most aggressive thing they've done is commit handfuls of troops to a multinational "peacekeeping" missions. I guess…

And if your out to sow terror, then why not attack someone like Norway. If they can get countries as 'moderate' or whatever the word is as Norway (or Canada) to panic, and clam up, and think twice about international engagement (Norway does/did have a non trivial presence in Afghanistan as others have pointed out), then they're good.

I mean really, what is Norway going to do to you that America can't?

For a really twisted and super simplified frame of reference, think of the Joker's plan in Dark Knight. Put some 'innocents' in a screwed up situation to bring out the worst of them.

Re: Explosion in central Oslo

#20
post #14

I Can't understand. Why this happened to such a peaceful nation ?!

The problem with distributed command & control, is that sometimes small groups of people working on their own initiative can talk themselves into wacked-out stuff. There is a lesson here for startups.

EDIT: And by "wacked-out" I mean, "wack by even the standards of Al Qaeda." 9-11 didn't help their cause in my eyes, but I can see how they justified it to themselves. Whoever bombed Oslo - is a WTF on top of a WTF.

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