When they said "destroy Rome" I think the most they can pull off is the destruction of major religious symbols, bombings, not the complete annhilate of the city. While the destruction of Saint Peter's will indeed fuel worldwide Catholic anger I doubt it would galvanize the European community into launching a full-blown Crusade like some of you are suggesting.
Hell I would rather piss of Europe than the 1.07 BILLION Catholics
The total number of baptized Catholics worldwide has risen to 1.061 billion, with the greatest increase in Africa, according to the Pontifical Yearbook for 2003 issued in February. The new total, as of the end of 2001, is a rise from 757 million in 1978. This included a 148 percent increase in Africa as well as growth in Asia, America and Oceania. Also in 2001, there were 4,649 bishops and 405,067 priests. The priestly total dropped by 111 due to a decline in members of religious orders that was partially offset by a marked rise in the number of diocesan priests.
1.97 billion Catholics? Holy fuck, that's a lot of guilt.
BoTM / JL / MM / HAB / VRWC / Horseman
I'm studying for the CPA exam. Have a nice summer, and if you're down just sit back and realize that Joe is off somewhere, doing much worse than you are.
I'm studying for the CPA exam. Have a nice summer, and if you're down just sit back and realize that Joe is off somewhere, doing much worse than you are.
HemlockGrey wrote:When they said "destroy Rome" I think the most they can pull off is the destruction of major religious symbols, bombings, not the complete annhilate of the city. While the destruction of Saint Peter's will indeed fuel worldwide Catholic anger I doubt it would galvanize the European community into launching a full-blown Crusade like some of you are suggesting.
1. We disagree, then, on the significance of St. Peter's. The Taliban's destruction of AFGHANISTAN's statues led to widespread international outrage. St. Peter's is a MUCH more visible and historically significant historical landmark even apart from its religious significance.
2. There are a LOT of devout Catholics in the world. I'm willing to bet that the destruction of St. Peter's or a similar monument would lead to massive uproar within their community. I shudder to think of the consequences of such an act.
3. Honestly, I don't think that Al Qaeda is too worried about whether or not they completely destroy Rome or not. The mere fact that they can ATTACK such a monument is more than enough for them.
"Sometimes I think you WANT us to fail." "Shut up, just shut up!" -Two Guys from Kabul
Latinum Star Recipient; Hacker's Cross Award Winner
"one soler flar can vapririze the planit or malt the nickl in lass than millasacit" -Bagara1000
HemlockGrey wrote:And what are the 1.07 billion Catholics going to do?
Mobilize and then strike out forth from Mexico?
They say, "the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots." I suppose it never occurred to them that they are the tyrants, not the patriots. Those weapons are not being used to fight some kind of tyranny; they are bringing them to an event where people are getting together to talk. -Mike Wong
But as far as board culture in general, I do think that young male overaggression is a contributing factor to the general atmosphere of hostility. It's not SOS and the Mess throwing hand grenades all over the forum- Red
Crown wrote:
Yes, because wouldn't that be a nice way to radicalise 90% of the world's muslim population ...
whoa, i'm not suggesting it, i'm just saying that if it happened it would likely push many Catholic fundies over the edge, making them belive that they are fighing the battle of armageddon.
Well, I've been thinking this over. About retaliating against Mecca: It takes time to build a terrorist network and get the raw materials and training, even if you're so inclined. The only (nominally) Catholic group I can think of offhand that fits the bill is the Irish Republican Army, and I think they'd have quite a job infiltrating Mecca, being red haired and Irish and all. I don't think there's a terrible danger of civilian reprisals, at least not for a few years. If it happens, it'll be military and I can't think of a Western leader crazy enough to bomb Mecca and Medina.
HemlockGrey wrote:And what are the 1.07 billion Catholics going to do?
I would expect a rash of hate-crimes the likes of which the world hasn't seen since Kristalnacht, retaliatory strikes at a community level, widespread individual and small group actions against Muslim/Arab peoples in other countries, and substantial monetary and political power mobilized to encourage governmental counter-strikes. In a worst-case scenario, Catholic terrorist organizations reasonably similar to Al Qaeda would form.
"Sometimes I think you WANT us to fail." "Shut up, just shut up!" -Two Guys from Kabul
Latinum Star Recipient; Hacker's Cross Award Winner
"one soler flar can vapririze the planit or malt the nickl in lass than millasacit" -Bagara1000
HemlockGrey wrote:When they said "destroy Rome" I think the most they can pull off is the destruction of major religious symbols, bombings, not the complete annhilate of the city. While the destruction of Saint Peter's will indeed fuel worldwide Catholic anger I doubt it would galvanize the European community into launching a full-blown Crusade like some of you are suggesting.
1. We disagree, then, on the significance of St. Peter's. The Taliban's destruction of AFGHANISTAN's statues led to widespread international outrage. St. Peter's is a MUCH more visible and historically significant historical landmark even apart from its religious significance.
2. There are a LOT of devout Catholics in the world. I'm willing to bet that the destruction of St. Peter's or a similar monument would lead to massive uproar within their community. I shudder to think of the consequences of such an act.
3. Honestly, I don't think that Al Qaeda is too worried about whether or not they completely destroy Rome or not. The mere fact that they can ATTACK such a monument is more than enough for them.
Indeed, but I can't see my neighbors doing that... I know a lot of Catholics, several of them very devout, and 89 devout enough to enter the monastery. I know none of them that would want to counter with their own terror movement. Then again, I don't know anyone in the IRA... Its possible, but I don't think you'd see all billion some odd Catholics training up and forming an army or something like that.
Rogue 9 wrote: Well, I've been thinking this over. About retaliating against Mecca: It takes time to build a terrorist network and get the raw materials and training, even if you're so inclined. The only (nominally) Catholic group I can think of offhand that fits the bill is the Irish Republican Army, and I think they'd have quite a job infiltrating Mecca, being red haired and Irish and all. I don't think there's a terrible danger of civilian reprisals, at least not for a few years. If it happens, it'll be military and I can't think of a Western leader crazy enough to bomb Mecca and Medina.
I don't think there would be retaliatory strikes against Mecca or Medina, but there may very well be small terrorist actions and a wave of hate-crimes. I would guess there would be anti-Arab riots and such, and fringe groups in the West (ie. the KKK, similar organizations) would also jump on the bandwagon to secure their powerbase with a new target that more people could agree upon.
"Sometimes I think you WANT us to fail." "Shut up, just shut up!" -Two Guys from Kabul
Latinum Star Recipient; Hacker's Cross Award Winner
"one soler flar can vapririze the planit or malt the nickl in lass than millasacit" -Bagara1000
Rogue 9 wrote:Indeed, but I can't see my neighbors doing that... I know a lot of Catholics, several of them very devout, and 89 devout enough to enter the monastery. I know none of them that would want to counter with their own terror movement. Then again, I don't know anyone in the IRA... Its possible, but I don't think you'd see all billion some odd Catholics training up and forming an army or something like that.
Do you know all 1.06 billion Catholics? There's got to be at least a few million militant old-schoolers in there, somewhere. That's just a matter of statistics. If you have a hard time seeing Catholics doing something bad, just read a history book sometime.
Damien Sorresso
"Ever see what them computa bitchez do to numbas? It ain't natural. Numbas ain't supposed to be code, they supposed to quantify shit."
- The Onion
Rogue 9 wrote:Indeed, but I can't see my neighbors doing that... I know a lot of Catholics, several of them very devout, and 89 devout enough to enter the monastery. I know none of them that would want to counter with their own terror movement. Then again, I don't know anyone in the IRA... Its possible, but I don't think you'd see all billion some odd Catholics training up and forming an army or something like that.
Do you know all 1.06 billion Catholics? There's got to be at least a few million militant old-schoolers in there, somewhere. That's just a matter of statistics. If you have a hard time seeing Catholics doing something bad, just read a history book sometime.
No, I don't doubt there are some out there who would. I do doubt that they have the infrastructure to mobilize and actually do something. Also, note that I said not all of them would. I did not say that none of them would.
Of course they're not going to form an army. They'd basically need a Papal sanction for that if they expected to get any kind of support and infrastructure, which John Paul II, even in all his senility, would never grant.
But you can certainly expect hate crimes in rural areas (as is standard whenever Arabs blow something up), as well as probably in cities like New York and Chicago, where there are a ton of Roman Catholic immigrants.
Damien Sorresso
"Ever see what them computa bitchez do to numbas? It ain't natural. Numbas ain't supposed to be code, they supposed to quantify shit."
- The Onion
If they pulled anything on the Vactican, I can see the Middle east turned into a nice nuclear parking lot. I'm quite sure there is someone out there, that would and could smuggle and detonate a nuke or two or three after something like that.
Solauren wrote:If they pulled anything on the Vactican, I can see the Middle east turned into a nice nuclear parking lot. I'm quite sure there is someone out there, that would and could smuggle and detonate a nuke or two or three after something like that.
I doubt that there's anything the extremist Muslims could do to warrant a nuclear strike against the entire Middle East, short of detonating a nuclear bomb on US soil with the backing of every Middle Eastern country, which simply won't happen.
Damien Sorresso
"Ever see what them computa bitchez do to numbas? It ain't natural. Numbas ain't supposed to be code, they supposed to quantify shit."
- The Onion
The biggest result will be when election time comes around, and "The War on Islam" now has a huge constituancy.
Enough votes + Money = Military action.
Especially when politicos see fellow politicos being turned out of office for not being "tough" enough.
When they start getting scared about being out of a job, or being targeted by exteremists personaly, for being in the way of bloodthirsty folks, the bandwagon looks like a very good place to be on. We are talking mob actions, and Budda help the anti war protestors. ANSWER and their ilk will be targeted directly, (CoughabortionclinicCough) intimidating all but the most comitted, or stupid.
Hmmmmmm.
"It is happening now, It has happened before, It will surely happen again."
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Howedar wrote:We are not any American. We are people with a clue. We all knew that hijacking airliners was possible.
The destruction of a large city requires large numbers of nuclear weapons and the ability to get them in place. Al Qaeda does not have that ability.
They could severely fuck rome over by using bioterrorism, all they need to do is convert AV and in a short space of time... unpleasantness all round.
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Howedar wrote:We are not any American. We are people with a clue. We all knew that hijacking airliners was possible.
The destruction of a large city requires large numbers of nuclear weapons and the ability to get them in place. Al Qaeda does not have that ability.
They could severely fuck rome over by using bioterrorism, all they need to do is convert AV and in a short space of time... unpleasantness all round.
The effectiveness of a biological/chemical weapon attack has been greatly exaggerated by the press. If a terrorist wanted to have any hope of infecting a large number of people, he'd have to deploy the weapon in an enclosed building, like a hotel or office building. And you can bet that the government would quarantine that zone very quickly.
Damien Sorresso
"Ever see what them computa bitchez do to numbas? It ain't natural. Numbas ain't supposed to be code, they supposed to quantify shit."
- The Onion
Durandal wrote:If a terrorist wanted to have any hope of infecting a large number of people, he'd have to deploy the weapon in an enclosed building, like a hotel or office building.
I don't think there's a terrible danger of civilian reprisals, at least not for a few years. If it happens, it'll be military and I can't think of a Western leader crazy enough to bomb Mecca and Medina.
