Church of England says Iraq occupation has radicalized British Muslims

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/06/nterr06.xml

By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 12:43am BST 07/05/2007


British Muslims have been radicalised by the Government's disastrous policies in the Middle East, claims the Church of England.

In a scathing critique of foreign policy under Tony Blair, the church condemns the "litany of errors" made in Iraq, adding that Britain's image abroad has been tarnished and it stands isolated in Europe because of its subservience to the United States administration. It hopes that a change of leadership will be followed by a change in approach.

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has endorsed the report, which says that the country is being turned into a hotbed of terrorist recruitment because of the occupation of Iraq and the Government's pursuit of "unfair" and "unjust" policies in the region. snip

Rather than help to fight fanaticism, Britain's participation in the "war on terror" has provided al-Qaeda with propaganda to attract Muslims opposed to the idea of Western hegemony being foisted upon the Middle East.

"Arguably the greatest impediment to prospective gains in the 'war on terror' is the galvanising effect the Iraq occupation has had on terrorist recruitment, morale and capability," the document says.

[BuyingThyme]

1. Look at this:

...Britain's participation in the "war on terror" has provided al-Qaeda with propaganda to attract Muslims opposed to the idea of Western hegemony being foisted upon the Middle East.

And this:

In a private letter to the committee, the archbishop says that attempts to export "Western" democracy have backfired.

And tell me who the terrorists are.

Are terrorists people who are opposed to the idea of Western hegemony? Are they people who are opposed to Western democracy?

I thought they were religious nuts who just wanted to come here and kill us.

Maybe al-Qaeda no longer exists.

Maybe it never did.