Posted on 08/03/2008 9:11:11 PM PDT by HAL9000
via translation-
ALERT - China: 16 customs officers killed and 16 wounded in an attack in Xinjiang
BEIJING - Sixteen customs officers were killed and sixteen others injured Monday morning when the attack on their post in Xinjiang, Muslim region of northwestern China, according to the China New Agency.
Never underestimate the “sympathy” of the Democrats, or their ability to feel anyone’s pain BUT the people they are supposed to represent.
Back when I was in Vietnam in fall 2003 there was also some jihadi activity in Thailand. Hambali (of Jemah Islamiah) had just been captured, and among his papers were plans to bomb specific well-known spots in Bangkok and some in Vietnam.
At just at about the same time, I was hearing stories through the local/family grapevine down on the Delta that several “Arabs” had been caught trying to cross the border illegally from Cambodia at Chau Doc (the story was confirmed by a local constable and also by a distant family member who was a policeman in Chau Doc).
The story never appeared in the papers and nothing more was heard of it.
That’s how Vietnam deals with jihadis.
President Bush will be there for the opening ceremonies. May he stay safe.
No doubt. I wonder if they’d be willing to become allies...
Ping!
Yet one more time, I’ll try to summarize my argument.
Fifteen or twenty years ago I would have described China as the world’s largest concentration camp. But over the past two decades I’ve witnessed a tremendous loosening of China’s social, political, and economic systems. I’ve described many of these changes across numerous posts I’ve made here over the past few weeks. Some people see these changes as worthless. Others think I am lying. The changes may not be enough for some, but for me they represent substantial advancement. In particular, I would highlight the new religious freedom that has emerged in recent years. China may not be a U.S. style democracy, but it is certainly no longer a totalitarian state.
Moreover, the loosening and democratizing of Chinese society, in my opinion, strengthens China’s right to exercise sovereignty over its lands and people. In my opinion, China has every right to prevent separatist movements and to work to mobilize and integrate its population so as to support what it considers to be the general welfare of the nation. If the Chinese government perceives “general welfare” to mean that some old Muslim men must abandon some ancient village square in favor of a new school, train station, or housing project, then I am not going to second guess, nor will I do so if China restricts independence movements in its provinces.
This belief of mine is contingent on continued Chinese social liberalization, the likes of which I’ve seen and reported here. So long as this continues, I will not view China as an enemy. As I stated before, my view is not so very different from many Republicans and conservatives. Numerous similar opinions have been expressed here on Free Republic. Others have respectfully disagreed and I enjoy reading their views. But I’m not going to take kindly to lies and name calling. I’m not an “operative” of any sort; just a conservative American with differing views on China.
“Cheep! Cheep!” cried the little bird!
You have the brains of a toad, a not-too-bright toad.
You’re another one—from now on, I’ll read everything you write as the squakings of a pathetic terrified little bird.
It’s further than that, but the same group has threatened to attack Olympic sites. They’re also responsible for bus bombings and other killings in other parts of China.
Ok
Question though - since my posts to “compound w” have been deleted, how is it that his personal attacks on this very thread are still being allowed to stand?
What about the posts where he calls me a homosexual?
Such as calling all kind of names to Dalai Lama and Tibetans, who are not allowed to keep his pictures or Tibet's Snow Lion Flag? Why do they have to meddle in somebody's religious practices of all kind, not just Islam? Do you think that Uyghur are rebelling just because they refuse to go to the "modern school." About train station, I heard some do. Do you know why? They say that Uyghurs are born from Uyghur mothers, but Han-Chinese are born from trains(allusion to the fact that train-load of Han-Chinese keep coming to Uygur land.) China's claim on Uyghur and Tibet are always tenuous. China's control over those areas have come and gone many times. Usually under control of non-Han dyasties, for example, Mongol and Manchu dynasties.
If you think China will take the path you want, you are misguided. China is going from Maoist commune to hyperchauvist fascist nation with expansionist mindset, the modern reincarnation of old Chinese empire. To them, the whole world is either their provinces or vassals.
We’ll just have to disagree. My sources tell me that Tibetans are free to exercise their religion as long as they do not advocate separation. And yes, in a nutshell, the Muslim problem can be largely captured in the idea that some Uygurs, especially those Islamic fundamentalists, don’t want their daughters to be “Han-itized” in Mandarin schools. It’s an old story, at least as old as the stories of the American government and the American Indian.
We’ll just have to disagree on this.
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