Suzie- I think on the note of differentiation for many people between the IRA and Muslim Terrorists is the context of how they function.

IRA- all Irish nationalists, attacks only a single country (not us), operates in Ireland and UK only- based on being occupied by that country alone (low political/social implications of ceding that land), after which they will instantly cease their campaign, leave the UK forever, and likely disband (although the protestants won't be so lucky- but the UK will).

Islamic terrorists- can be of ANY nationality, yet still motivated to attack Western countries even vaguely involved in any conflict against another country solely by similarity of their religion. Tend to demand much more stringent terms for ceasing attacks, happy to operate in any Western country to launch attacks from (even if against another country), and unlikely to disband, cease working against nation if demands met- or even to leave, for that matter- if withdrawal demands met.

One group (of no threat to any other nation) would be instantly neutralized and disappear from UK if N.Ireland were given independence, the other not so likely to.

After the fall of the USSR the oligarchs had nothing to scare and manipulate the masses with.In his book the Grand Chessboard,Zbigniew Brzezinski said in 1997,"What we need is a truely massive and widely perceived direct external threat." Enter Osama Bin Laden.Terrorism is now the new boggey man not reds under our beds.

It was Zbigniew who bragged about sucking the Russians into Afghanistan that helped send them broke.USA backed the Taliban and Osama then.The Taliban stopped the production of poppy seed thus we had a heroine drought but now the USA has invaded Afghanistan/Pakistan to build their oil/gas pipelines from Turkmenistan to the Capsian sea.Afghanistan now produces 90% of the world's heroine.The Taliban now have plenty of cash to buy arms.

Dear Arjay,
Why don't you google up "coming insurrection", a Marxist- inspired work, hypothesizes on the "imminent collapse of capitalist culture".
As their aim is for global government which Jesus Christ talks about in the bible, it will give you a good idea where the world clock is at. I listened to Noel Pearson the other day on A pac and he was talking about the socialist paradyme of imposing their will with the stick, very costly and wasteful as it doesn't work. John Howard showed him the carrot way of reward and encouragement which works as people gain worth. Jesus talked in parabels and most did not understand but when he talked to his desiples he talked plainly. The world is in crisis
and many groups are trying to promote their barrow but only one Kingdom works all others fail.
Richie 10

King Hazza,
While i agree with your remarks regarding the comparison with the IRA, two points of difference arise from the following statement:

"Islamic terrorists- can be of ANY nationality, yet still motivated to attack Western countries even vaguely involved in any conflict against another country solely by similarity of their religion. "

Firstly, the terrorist call themselves "Islamic" for legitimacy. Those eager to promote a crusade against Islam call the terrorist "Islamic" so that they can rally the forces of the West to their cause.

However, the fact is these terrorist have killed more Muslims than any other religion and regard Muslims who do NOT follow their deviant sect Kafir, or "unbeliever". They are heretics.

So what is the target: Muslims or the terrorists?

If it is the terrorist then the only way of fighting them is with Islam itself.

There is historical precedent for this. The same Wahhabi mentality characterised the Kharajites (“departers”) who rebuked the Prophet himself (despite proclaiming themselve true followers of Islam) and later with the 4th Caliph.

To cut a long story short, there was a battle but before the battle many of the rebels laid down their arms once they were shown the truth about their religion. The remainder were killed in battle. (see http://thesunnivoice.com/kharijism/).

One of the few survivors of the battle was someone by the name of Hurqus.
QUOTE:
The intractable Hurqus confronted Sayyidna Ali and said,

"O son of Abi Talib, I fight you not except for the sake of Allah, and for my reward in the afterlife."

Sayyidna Ali retorted, "Your kind, Hurqus, is the kind that Allahu Ta'ala refers to in the Quran where He states,

'Say: Shall We tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they imagined that they were acquiring good by their works' (18: 103).

Amongst these - and I swear by this in the name of the Lord of the Ka'ba - are you Hurqus!"

Hurqus met his end and was killed.UNQUOTE (http://www.sunnah.org/aqida/kharijites2.htm)

cont..

cont..

It seems to me, the West really has not being able to decide whether they are fighting terrorists or are waging a broader campaign against Islam itself.

Fair enough Grateful, although I was mostly focusing on terrorists acting against Western countries;

As for who the 'west' is REALLY waging a war against (terrorists or Islam)- depends on the country perhaps.