NEWS: US Embassy Assaulted In Indonesia By Protestors

Mass demonstrations and protests continue throughout the world as the people become bolder. Several hundred individuals marching in protest to the recently published offensive cartoon drawings of Prophet Muhammad attempted to storm the US Embassy. They managed to smash up the gaurd post but were unable to penetrate into the compound.



It is astonoshing that sheer number of worldwide protests by Muslims in response to the offensive cartoon depiction of thier Prophet. The way this has progressed, if Westerners continue to offend the Muslim cultures it may grow from mass global protests to mass global conflicts. From then on it would most likely become a war against their people.

What can we do now to find a solution to the growing tensions between the west and the offended Muslim nations?

why the US Embassy? Americans didn't draw the cartoon...

Clearly the protesters' anger isn't actually about the drawings. The US did not draw them. Not to say they don't have a right to be angry at the USA, but I believe their tactics are totally irrational and unreasonable.

I suspect their anger is more about their inability to control the rest of the world, or the "West".

What to do about it? I have no idea. They are confused.

But I think BushCo IS using the religion of Islam to gain support for this administration's agenda; Using the media to paint Muslims to be crazy jihadists with terrorism in their hearts and souls, while speaking publicly about how we respect all religions. Bah! I personally think BushCo is using Islam to get what they want as much as they're using Christianity to get what they want.

It's a terrible situation all around and I'm very frustrated about it all.

I think education and tolerance are the keys. But how do you educate and feel tolerance for a man with a bloody knife in his hand?

They are confused.

I think stupid is a better term.

Just like the idiots that followed Hitler.

Think people do what theyre told here? Heh... these fools kill on Holy command.

This is just nuts. It was bad enough when the attacked the Italian consulate in Libya (I think it was Libya, correct me if I'm wrong) seeing as the Italians didn't draw it either. But in this case I'm pretty sure the US actually denounced the cartoons.

In my opinion these people need to just grow up. Mindlessly throwing tantraums like this about something as small as a cartoon is the kind of thing I'd even put below my ten year old brother.

Bush has publicly stated that Islam is a religion of tolerance, and that the WOT is not a war on Islam:

BALI, Indonesia (Reuters) - President Bush praised the world's most populous Muslim nation on Wednesday for its support in the war on terror and said Islamic terrorists defiled one of the great faiths.

Bush, speaking against the backdrop of a palm-fringed beach and turquoise sea, expressed his gratitude after meeting President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Indonesian Muslim leaders critical of U.S. policies on the Middle East.

``We know that Islam is fully compatible with liberty and tolerance and progress because we see the proof in your country and in our own,'' Bush told a news conference on an island where Muslim militants killed scores in nightclub bomb attacks last year.

``Terrorists who claim Islam as their inspiration defile one of the world's greatest faiths. Murder has no place in any religious tradition. It must find no home in Indonesia.''

U.S. officials said Bush wanted to correct what he felt was a misconception that the war on terror was a war against Islam.
Islam

Emphasis added

I don't know how much more he is expected to say, short of becoming an apologist for them. If the western world views Islam as a bunch of fanatics, the muslims have only themselves to blame. How much more violence are we supposed to tolerate?

What can we do now to find a solution to the growing tensions between the west and the offended Muslim nations?

Well, what do they want? They want to murder those responsible for creating these cartoons. UNACCEPTABLE. They want the rest of the world to promise to never never do something like this again. UNACCEPTABLE.

They are the equivalent of a child throwing a temper tantrum. If you give in to the child, he will continue to throw tantrums to get his way. These fanatics need to be shown that we will not be bullied. They need to sit facing the corner for a long timeout.

[edit on 19-2-2006 by jsobecky]

But I think BushCo IS using the religion of Islam to gain support for this administration's agenda; Using the media to paint Muslims to be crazy jihadists with terrorism in their hearts and souls, while speaking publicly about how we respect all religions. Bah! I personally think BushCo is using Islam to get what they want as much as they're using Christianity to get what they want.

Islam is making itself known as the true religion it is. How is BushandCo causing them to burn down embassies, businesses and murder people during these riots?

They are only doing what the Moslem religion teaches, so is it a fact that you are suddenly scared and have no one esle to blame and are going back to your stand by, BUsh? Won't work here

As far as I am concerned, we should mobilize troops to any embassy where this occurs, and show them we will not stand for it with a show of force.
They are only making a worse case for themselves, and it is only a matter of time before there is a rally or protest in the States that goes bad. Islam hates the west, and even those in the US, if they are true followers, hate us. They may work beside you, but at the mosque it is different. They preach hate, they send money to Palestine and have used the criminals in this country. Ask if they are Sunni or Shia? We are in the middle of a war that has been raging for 1400 years.

I love the way the muslims are protesting at being labeled 'terrorists' by committing murder, arson, riots and protests.

Talk about mixed messages....

Islam is making itself known as the true religion it is.
...
They are only doing what the Moslem religion teaches,

You're blaming the riots and destruction on an entire religion instead of on the individuals who are doing it.

so is it a fact that you are suddenly scared and have no one esle to blame and are going back to your stand by, BUsh? Won't work here

Scared? I'm not scared. And I blame the individuals who are doing it. I'd put them in jail or worse.

My accusation of Bush (and the administration) is that he is USING it to his advantage. I'm not blaming him for what the people are doing, I'm blaming him for USING the media and the religion to gain the support of Americans for his war in the Middle East.

See how well it works?:

As far as I am concerned, we should mobilize troops to any embassy where this occurs, and show them we will not stand for it with a show of force.

I know of a way to make the fanatics angry as hell while keeping the moderates rather satisfied. Everytime they attack we simply defend agains tthe attackers, maybe destroy them. But after that we just give our good ol Christian forgiveness for their sins and prey for the well being of their souls! This will also satisfy the moderates and peaceful followers of Islam because we won't follow up by raiding their neighborhoods or bombing heir mosques. which we probably should not be doing anyways!

[edit on 2/19/2006 by DYepes]

It is common sense to protect your own citizens? do you disagree, it would seem with your answer that your are.

If you believe that every Moslem in the US is friendly, than you have no understanding of these people, or this religion. If you look at the outside, it seems OK, but it is a religion of hate. Christians, Moslems and Jews have been fighting since the "inception of Islam". This is a fact. This is a war 1400 years in the making. If there are riots over cartoons and t-shirts, what will happen when the first laser guided bomb hits a bunker dropped from an Israeli f-16. You may see bloodshed in the streets of cities all over the world. And if you think it can't happen, turn on the TV.

Christians, Moslems and Jews have been fighting since the "inception of Islam". This is a fact.

Here's another fact, Christians have been fighting since the inception of their religion, and everybody's been persecuting the Jews for the last 3000 years or more. You can't slander the entire faith because of the actions of extremist individuals. If that was allowed, everybody on the planet would be guilty, white folks, black folks, Hindus, Muslims, Jews.

Governments love a boogeyman because he distracts citizens from the rampant corruption and inefficiency of domestic institutions.

If there are riots over cartoons and t-shirts, what will happen when the first laser guided bomb hits a bunker dropped from an Israeli f-16. You may see bloodshed in the streets of cities all over the world. And if you think it can't happen, turn on the TV.

No need to freak out! Israeli forces rocket buildings on a fairly regular basis, and nobody has started world war 3 yet.

if Westerners continue to offend the Muslim cultures it may grow from mass global protests to mass global conflicts

Its already global and its only a danish newspaper that has done this. These rioters in Indonesia are idiots, the US is one of the few nations that have actually put the cartoons in a poor light.

There's absolutely no reason to hold the silly little religious ideas favoured by any particular set of people with some sort of reverence. There's no reason for non-muslims to not make drawings of mohammed. The whole islamic idea of it being prohibited is to prevent idolatry. Obviously danes aren't in any danger of worshiping idols of mohammed!

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I suspect their anger is more about their inability to control the rest of the world, or the "West".

That's actually very probably the case. While I condemn their actions and find it utterly counter-productive, I do understand their position.

I've spoken to a number of Indonesians who profess to be muslim on the subject and that seems to be the consensus, that is, they are angry at the west in general. I asked them what exactly about, and they stated the double standard. I asked them for further clarification and they cited the case of Timor-Leste and Acheh.

As you all know, Timor-Leste gained full independence in 2002. Acheh on the other hand only gained partial autonomy. There's not much going on right now in Acheh of late because the Tsunami disaster had the effect of providing a tentative peace agreement between Acheh and the Indonesian government.

What is this double standard the Indonesian muslims speak about? Well, Timor-Leste received a lot of western help in gaining it's independance while Acheh was left to continue fighting. Timor-Leste is predominantly Catholic whereas Acheh is predominantly muslim. That is seen by a lot of Indonesian muslims to be a double-standard.

There are other reasons, I'm sure, but this was one reason that I was told.

They do nothing but incite the hatred that is already growing against all muslims... not just extremists...

We on the other side, have to keep the lines drawn...

they would have us hate all muslims
we would like to only hate extremist muslims, and be tolerant and respectful of "peaceful" normal muslims...

if they win, they double there numbers...
If we persevere in keeping the line drawn, then we double ours...

the hearts and minds of the moderates is what is at stake here... and the whole world is in threat at the outcome...

My friends and brothers... I encourage you to not fall victim to these groups spiteful attempts at drawing fire at the moderates... that is what they want...

and again... if they win, then it does become the religious war, that the world should fear...
no longer a war on terror, but against islam itself... and that is unnacceptable
the world should never see anoither crusade...
the last one made both religions ashamed of there own actions... neither God nor Allah, want that...

[edit on 20-2-2006 by LazarusTheLong]

The US has publicly denounced the cartoons and sided with moderate Muslims on this issue. Attacking the US over this issue makes someone look either like an idiot or misinformed IMO. I would like to think many people in that part of the world are misinformed rather than total idiots. I believe the radical Muslim side has been winning points as far as propaganda goes and they have convinced some populations to believe anything bad that happens is a result of something the US did. They only hear the radical Muslim side or don't believe anything spoken by others in my opinion. I guess a picture is worth a thousand or more words in the Middle East though and the pictures have not been that good lately.

The protests aren't against any silly cartoon. Nobody can still believe that.

this is a concerted effort to protest the West. Bring about the next Great Jihad, if it is possible. Strike fear in the hearts of Westerners everywhere; cause us to give in to all demands.

Is this what every protestor thinks? Nope; most have no idea; they are sheep. We know the term, don't we?

Be careful; your 401(k) is about to be messed with. Next might be your cable TV, and then you'll be forced to act!

Be careful; your 401(k) is about to be messed with. Next might be your cable TV, and then you'll be forced to act!

I don't have either. Can I still pull a Cheney on them?

Sorry... I'm sorry... it had to be done.

I think that is going to become part of American venacular, "Pull a Cheney."

Things are moving fast, the world situation is so fluid and volatile right now, I'm not sure if there is time for the new saying to make it to every household.

We are seeing the affects of organised religion first hand. Untill people learn to think for themselvs we will continue to face the same situations that we have faced throughout history. It dosnt matter if its Islam or some other reglion the all have the same intend that is controlling the masses.