Al Qaeda No. 2: We don't kill innocents

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/03/zawahiri.message/index.html

I.Citation- Al Qaeda No. 2: We don't kill innocents, updated 7:57 a.m. EDT, Thu April 3, 2008

II.Summary- The second in command of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, speaks out and says that it is not the terrorist groups that are killing the innocent people living there. He says that they have died as a result of "unintentional error" or because they were simply used as a "human sheild" by the "enemy." Hospital sources say they killed 60 people, because one of its targets was a United Nations building and the "United Nations is an enemy of Islam and Muslims." He also points out that "Bin Laden is healthy and well." We did get to hear Bin Ladens voice on last months audiotape he declares "Iraq is the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate Palestine." Bin Laden has been hiding since the September 11th assault. He is rumored to be hiding somewhere in the mountainous region of the Pakistani-Afghan border, and there is a $25 million reward for his capture.

III.Reactions-
a) In my perspective this article relates to the AP WORLD HISTORY THEME #2. The impact of imteraction among and within major societies. It goes along with this theme because we are interacting with al Qaeda and if we can't interact with Bin Laden why not the second-in-command who is Ayman al-Zawahiri.We need to interact with them to get information. We need for them to stop killing all of the innocent people that are getting in the middle of the fighting. And we need to find Bin Laden and capture him for good.

b) The historical background of this issue would be that i have learned Ayman al-Zawahiri led an Eqyptain Islamic militant group that joined forces with Bin Laden in the 1990's. Al Qaeda and affiliated groups that have killed scores of civilians in Muslim nations, such a Algeria,Iraq, and Morocco. And we know taht govt's everywhere have blamed al Qaeda for attacks that have killed several thousands of people, including about 3,000 who got killed in the attacks in Washington and in NY on September 11th, 2001.

c) The point of view of this article of an insider. This person is a CNN news reporter.

d) There is some evidance of bias in this article though. When Ayman al-Zawahiri says that the killing of innocent people is just an "unintentional error" or because they were simply used as a "human sheild" by the "enemy." There is no doubt that he would say this because he doesnt want it to make it sound like al Qaeda is just killing innocent people for no reason, they are trying to think of excuses.

e) The point of view that is missing form this article would be the civilains, the ones who are trapped in the middle of this messy situation. They should have a chance to speak and share on what they think is going on. Also all the other civilians in the Musilm nations, ALgeria, Iraq, and Morocco.

f) My thoughts on this article is that what is going on in al Qaeda is such a terrible thing. No one should be killed because of a stupid reason as Ayman al-Zawahiri has stated. Everyone should have their own chance to live and shouldn't be stuck between some pointless war. And i also think that we should buckle down on trapping Bin Laden once and for all.