I read this comment of Femme's on another thread and I wanted to comment without hijacking the existing thread, hence this new one.

femme_fatal

Quote 12 Feb 2008 Tue 06:41 am

I have not watched the videos yet, but identifying who the terrorists are sometimes it is not that black and white:

During second world war, the resistance to German occupation was terrorism from the nazis point of view but they were freedom fighters from non-nazis.
islamic jihad is a terrorist organization according to israel but for Labenon, they are freedom fighters. Chechen fighters were freedom fighters for Turks for example but they were terrorist for Russia. Iraqi resistance is resistance to free their country from occupation but they are terrorists for USA and UK.
And when mentioning the terrorism, state terrorism done by strong states should not be ignored either.

You are right TheHandsom. The IRA considered they were at war and were not terrorists. Your last sentence is also meaningful in the context of the videos.

The list given on Wikepidea is also interesting because it also gives the names of the countries that view certain organisations as terrorists, so this must mean not everyone does.

I guess in some instances it depends on the individual's point of view. The point I am trying to make is this. The way incidents are portrayed/reported can affect the mind set of a nation's citizens. Some swallow it hook, line and sinker and can become fearful and prejudiced. Some know they are being misinformed and endeavour to seek out alternative views. This was one of the reasons why I posted a few weeks ago asking for alternative news sources to Zaman. I am aware that one newspaper does not give me a balanced insight into Turkish politics.

Politicians are a peculiar breed and are not always sincere. I personally would cite Tony Blair in this category (don't assume you know my political stance from that remark either).

Even on a domestic level, dirty tricks campaigns, propaganda, in house quarrels - all a recipe for turning people right off politics and becoming indifferent. People need to know their views really do matter. Propaganda can be so patronizing.

I have already watched this before. They also have something very similiar about Israel. So which one is factual? I'm sure both are to a degree. If you really think we are so nieve to believe everything in the media, then I guess Al Jazeera is also a credible source.

As I mentioned in another thread, unfortunate as it sounds I believe the Palestinians are being used as pawns in the battle to exercise “right of return” which would eliminate Israel as we now know it.

Am I happy Abu Nidal Organisation, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Palestine Liberation Front, the PFLP and PFLP-GC carries out acts of violence, no.

Am I happy the U.S. sends aid to Israel? No..

Strickly from a human perspective....how can such treatment of individuals be tolerated by the rest of the world? To deny people the right to healthcare, education, jobs, land, homes....it's just inhumane. People need dignity. Without it, we resort to extremes. Denying a people their human dignity for 35 years is a tragedy. I don't really care what you call the area, West Bank, Palestine, Gaza, Israel, Disney Land....these are people and this is sad.