http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/berlin-christmas-market-truck_us_58583497e4b08debb78a6692
Early reports are stating this was a purposeful act. I’m sad and disgusted. Two years ago this week, we took our Ds to Berlin, Salzburg, and Munich. We visited the Christmas markets in each city. Such a happy, relaxed atmosphere turned into a massacre just makes me feel physically ill.
Dang–this will increase H’s reluctance to go to Europe! So sad!
News reports such as http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38373867 indicate 9 dead, others injured.
On the risk of traveling in Germany…
However, this incident increases Germany’s count of murders by around 0.5%, and Germany’s murder rate is still far lower than that of the US.
http://www.dw.com/en/islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-berlin-attack/a-36844638
Daesh claimed the attack. Also, the suspect who was arrested was released as police and prosecutors do not believe he is the correct suspect. The true perpetrator is believe to be armed at at large.
A series of attacks? The Russian ambassador to Syria was assassinated in broad daylight yesterday, too…
My heart goes out to the loved ones of the victims.
It was the Russian ambassador to Turkey who was assassinated recently. The suspect was heard making statements about the civil war in Syria (where both Russia and Turkey are involved, but supporting different factions).
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-joins-investigation-ambassador-andrey-karlov-s-assassination-turkey-n698341
Why the heck is the Mosque shooting in Zurich not receiving the attention of the other two things that happened?
Yes, I realize that we in the West (by and large) have decided that we don’t give a hoot about shootings, bombings, and mass casualties in non-European countries but last I looked, Zurich was in Europe. Yes, I realized that (thankfully) it seems like no one died but not for lack of trying.
You can probably guess why, and some of the more obvious guesses do not speak well for the general public’s attitudes on violence, terrorism, and religion…
Here is a recent article on that incident:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-swiss-shooting-idUSKBN1490TF
Also, a thwarted domestic (US) attack seems to have gotten little attention:
http://www.kansascity.com/news/state/kansas/article108367907.html
an african immigrant from Ghana shot at a mosque in zurich and is now dead…what does that have to do with the mass slaughter in berlin?
ucambulus he got swiss citizenship so what? what does that mean to you?
I can tell you what it means to the people in germany,switzeland , france etc… there is going to be some major push back against their governments.
There were terrorist incidents in Yemen and Jordan on Sunday; more than 60 people were killed in the two incidents combined.
Yea, @rosered55, but Yemeni and Jordanian victims don’t count. Only innocent white people do.
Yes. Sarcasm.
Sorry ucb yes - to Turkey! My bad - the assassin apparently mentioned Syria and the Russian involvement there. Typing and tying to do other things at the same time.
Romani - these two things get mentioned because they could and likely will affect the elections in EU and the fate of refugees.
Are you serious? Maybe because there were not 12 people killed.
Anyone who’s still surprised, I empathize because for a few weeks I too was lulled into thinking we’d be joyfully celebrating - we were comfortable in our Holiday spirit. But that’s what life is going to be for the next decades. We can die buying Christmas presents. Life is beautiful because we remember what it brings but also because we know it may not last. We’re lucky. One day we may not be. We need compassion and hope, but also clear-headedness. We need to blame the right individuals and more importantly we need to understand the process, the channels, etc. For example, talking about 'radical islam’has obfuscated the issue - we now know that what we must not look into.
Knowing 'radicalization’does NOT take root in faith allows police forces to target individuals better. (The Nice murderer was not a faithful Muslim, understatement, and wasn’t ‘on the radar’. He was 'converted ’ in about a month, and used as an instrument by people who’s been planning for a long time. The key element was an unstable, feeble mind with poor impulse control and a need for purity or a form of cleansing. That profile helps more than looking through the 'Islam ’ lens because for the past 18 months most terrorists in Europe fit that profile or are Syria returnees. It also helps in understanding why so many non Muslim Europeans, especially kids, are so easily brainwashed and went to Syria - and it helps in knowing what to do when they return and are 'intercepted '.)
Just like for 45 years we lived with nuclear threats hanging over our heads - and very nearly exploded the planet -, while intelligence and counter intelligence agencies waged technological and ideological war around us, so must we now adapt to this new situation.
As Daesh is losing all power as it loses its leaders and land - and most if its exceptional appeal to fanatics was due to its prophetic pronouncements tied to a head they said was directly descended from Muhammad AND 'holy land’which according to their holy scriptures - not the Q’uran - is where the last battle of apocalypse will take place - so losing other means losing against al qaida and Co… , it will either activate some fanatics or ‘inspire’ feeble-minded people. The Nice attack was the latter, and the arrests continue in that case - he was the emerged part of an iceberg. In Berlin, the truck driver is still at large. In both countries, people’s reactions have been 'I won’t let them win. I will continue to live and do what I love '.
Sure, people are afraid. No one wants to die. Yet to affirm life we must take the risk of death, hoping it won’t strike twice in the same place. Just like after the Paris attacks on cafes, people purposely went and sat outside as a collective giant ‘eff u’ to terrorists, so do German people continue going to the Christmas market, buy Christmas cakes, and prepare their holiday. I believe we’re better off following their examples and avoiding any quick conclusions from the safety of our non European home.
Then make a thread about it, instead of complaining about its lack of attention in a thread titled “Several People Killed by Truck at Berlin Christmas Market.” i would rather read that than “Chance Me for Harvard” and “Is the Voice your New Vice?”
it is hardly surprising that the mental image of innocent children and shoppers scattered like bowling pins and crushed under the wheels of a several-ton death machine would dominate the news, capture our attention, and overshadow recent events in Zurich, Ankara, Yemen, and Jordan. it would appear this was intended to be a high-profile attack that would draw global attention and news coverage.
MYOS1634 -
You can bet the people that converted the Nice killer thought of themselves as faithful Muslims.
^ well, some weren’t even Muslim (gun dealers, “calleras”, etc.) How the fanatics defined themselves doesn’t matter - what matters is how they work, how they brainwash, and what their networks are. If we want to stop them, that’s key.
It’s just like with Direct Action or Red Brigades - how the terrorists define themselves isn’t important at all to stopping them. To me, buying into the fanatics being Muslim is as counterproductive as considering the Red brigades political representatives. It’s what they want. But THEY don’t get to define words. Words mean something and brainwashing fanatics don’t get to hijack them for their purpose.