The
CEO of the institute that I currently work for,
Hauptman-Woodward Medical Reasearch Institute (
HWI) has been in the media twice in the past several months to discuss some of the work that we are involved in. Both times he has said
something to the effect of:
"They made me say things that I didn't say."
"They made me seem like my opinion was the complete opposite of what it is."
Personally, I don't trust the media. This is one of the reasons why I have killed my television. If your really interested in why try reading Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander.
What does this have to do with the price of rice in china, you ask? Osama bin Laden is no different from the CEO that I have mentioned. His opinion is not in agreement with the media's opinion. His needs and desires are quite simple, but still despised. They are:
1. Get those stinking American soldiers out of my country.
2. Those countries who claim to be Islamic countries better act it.
I'm not going to tell you that Osama bin Laden isn't a bad man. I'll let you decide for yourself. What I am going to do is try and give you the other side of the story. I will admit that since I am a Muslim, and agree with Osama bin Laden's goals it will be slightly biased. On the other hand, unlike the media, I have nothing to gain if you believe me. So, why should I lie?
I don't have much to say about the first request, since I am not very much into politics. I do know one thing though, America needs to stop playing world police. The second request is the topic of this discussion.
Those countries who claim to be Islamic countries better act it.
Islam is described in its node as a religion. It is really more than that. It is a complete way of life. I will use the word dean instead of religion. The dean of Islam touches on every topic in ones life that one needs to sustain his life, it is an instruction book from God if you will. Included in this dean is a system of government, punishment for crimes and many other laws that must be imposed an Islamic country. Islam has no problem with other countries, such as America, doing as they wish. As long as they don't have a law in their country that says kill Muslims, we are fine with them. When we come to your land, we will follow your laws and when you come to our land, you follow our laws. You don't like it, get out of our country. Here is probably a good place to note that it is required that a muslim move out of a country who's laws do not allow him to practice dean. So therefore Islam itself orders "if you can't follow their laws, get out of their country".
Saudi Arabia (and many others) claims to be an Islamic countrie. But when it comes time to get the punishment for a crime they look at how much money you make. If you are poor you get your hand cut off, if you are rich, nothing. This is not Islam, this is oppression. Many muslim scholars are locked up in Saudi Arabian jails because they spoke against the government. This is not Islam, this is oppression.
Osama bin Laden, at one point in his life decided to give up his status as one of the rich and powerful Saudi figures. He decided that it was time that someone stood up against these so called Islamic countries. With that, he has also declared that he is going to stand up against the governments that are helping protect these so called Islamic governments, hence America. If the American government would stop sticking its very long nose into the Middle East's buisness, we wouldn't be having the problems that we are having.
In defense of America, they do have reason to fear:
First of all, the fighters that Osama bin Laden is involved with are very special people. If you look into Islamic history you will find that generally muslim mujahids aren't afraid of death. They actually welcome it. Because of this they have been able to overcome incredible odds. Armies from Afghanistan, which Osama bin Laden is involved in training, have won battles in which they were out numbered 10 to 1, and were the technological underdog. It would be very bad if a large army such as this were to be released against American troops. Right now, it isn't so bad, we could just nuke them. But if they were to become more powerful and obtain nuclear weapons, it could turn into quite a mess.
Second of all, should Osama gain reign over the Saudi government he will certainly raise the price of oil. America certainly doesn't want this. He who owns the oil owns the world. Right now America's puppets own the oil.
These are of course two or the many reasons why America has is troops in Saudi Arabia, and part of the reason why Osama bin Laden wants those stinking American troops out of his country.
I hope I haven't gone on too many tangents here. I have a habit of speaking/writing without following any true agenda. I'm sorry for that, it's my own fault.
From what I've heard from sources other than the media, he is a practicing muslim. If you have ever met a muslim, not just any muslim but a practicing muslim, you know that they aren't shady. They say what they mean and they mean what they say. They will admit to you that they aren't perfect, they make mistakes, but they will point out their mistakes and advise you to not do the same. They are pious, and always trying to make the other guy look good. Osama is very much that type of a person. He doesn't act like an important world figure. He gives all the credit to the people who have died fighting. He has given up his entire millionaire lifestyle to live in a trench, because of what he believes in. That takes a certain amount of spiritual peace that certainly I, and possibly you, will never achieve.