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| Europe |
| Al-Qaeda Blamed For Europe-Wide Forest Fires |
| 2012-10-04 |
| Al-Qaeda has been blamed for a recent series of forest fires across Europe, as the head of Russia's Federal Security Service ... the successor to the KGB... claimed they were set by arsonists as part of the group's low-cost attack strategy. "One should note that setting fires to forests in the countries of the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... is a new tendency in al-Qaeda's strategy of a 'thousand cuts'," Alexander Bortnikov said, according to state news agency RIA Novosti, at a meeting of heads of security agencies. "This method allows (al-Qaeda) to inflict significant economic and moral damage without serious preliminary preparations, technical equipment or significant expenses." In linking al-Qaeda to the deadly wildfires, Mr Bortnikov pointed to calls to launch a "forest jihad" by various bully boy websites which he said also publish detailed instructions about how and where to best carry out arson. He said it was very difficult for special services to find and prosecute such arsonists. Deadly fires have swept through forest land in EU countries such as Portugal and Spain over the past few months, killing scores of people and forcing thousands to evacuate. In its continuing campaign against the West, al-Qaeda has vowed to "bleed the enemy to death" by resorting to inexpensive, low-scale attacks it refers to as a "strategy of a thousand cuts". |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #9 Shinter Javirong9154 You are Ben Bernanke and I claim my 5 hyperinflated to nothingness dollars. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2012-10-04 21:45 |
| #8 Forest fires cost lives, property, wildlife, and a half-dozen other things. Any fool that thinks wildfires are a good way to "stimulate" an economy has never lived through one. The Hayman fire ten years ago, and the Waldo Canyon fire this summer, devastated over 100,000 acres of timber each, killed several thousand deer, at least 20 people, and destroyed hundreds of homes with all their owners' personal possessions. Anyone deliberately starting a wildfire should be punished by being chained to the Pikes Peak Cog Railway tracks. From November to May. In their birthday suit. At the summit. The survivors will be compensated. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2012-10-04 21:37 |
| #7 Not their style---not impressive in their view. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2012-10-04 17:32 |
| #6 Point was (as you well know), the "thousand cuts strategy" is counterproductive. Here in the Golden Brown State, fires and firebug onanists are OLD news. As with our other three seasons (earthquake, drought and flood), we deal with it. "Been there. Done That. That all you got? Oh, and thanks for pointing out a couple of things we missed and for keeping us sharp." |
| Posted by: Shinter Javirong9154 2012-10-04 17:24 |
| #5 Are forest fires better than broken windows that way? :) |
| Posted by: Shipman 2012-10-04 16:20 |
| #4 Funny thing about fires -- they are a big jolt to local and state economies in terms of job creation. Firefighters wages are recycled into the economy and buildings are rebuilt. Speaking of my local area, fires also instill a sense of civic responsibility ("we're all in this together") and hone inter-agency cooperation. |
| Posted by: Shinter Javirong9154 2012-10-04 15:44 |
| #3 Considering the Russians fought Al Qaeda predecessor elements in Afghanistan, and Al Qaeda has been backing Chechen and other Islamists that the Russians are currently fighting, I'd go with a 'no'. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2012-10-04 12:55 |
| #2 Are Russia behind AlQ? |
| Posted by: Jack Gonque5772 2012-10-04 12:27 |
| #1 Meanwhile, your home country's economies are collapsing, so soon you'll be running a seventh-century roof-less, wall-less outhouse. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2012-10-04 06:52 |