Thai Marines attacked and killed, Justice sworn

[Sir Degrader]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4270296.stm

How is it that a 4% minority can be such shit disturbers?

[ 09-22-2005, 06:22 PM: Message edited by: Sir Degrader ]

[Morgeruat]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/w...velihoods.html

"Trade has dropped 70 to 80 percent. Shopkeepers complain loudly. It is very quiet at night and people from outside dare not to come to the area," said Panya Ongsakul, chairman of the three provinces' chamber of commerce.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worl.../19/2003272320

the Muslim Brotherhood mentioned in the second article is the same group that was founded in Egypt (and is now outlawed there) and is the ideological parent of groups such as Al Qaeda, and Hamas.

[Morgeruat]

from the second article

5 percent, or 3.1 million, of Thailand's population of 62 million "

even 4-5% is a huge number when you look at raw numbers, 3.1 million, even if you only take 4% of that as actual armed combatants is several thousands of terrorists, operating with safehouses and closemouthed solidarity from other "moderate" muslims.

[Sir Degrader]

I daresay that other minorities throughout history, such as in the balkans can inflict much more punishment, so why can't this majority (non muslim) fight back and successfully destroy the subversize elements?

[Morgeruat]

Originally posted by Sir Degrader: I daresay that other minorities throughout history, such as in the balkans can inflict much more punishment, so why can't this majority (non muslim) fight back and successfully destroy the subversize elements?

From the second link I provided

After 20 months of attacks, Thai authorities haven't pounced on a single major safe house, weapons cache or bomb laboratory and haven't captured more than a handful of possible suspects. "Why? Because the insurgents operate inside the Muslim community which won't point a finger at them, and the military is out there in the cold on its own," said Worawit, who teaches Malay studies at Prince of Songkhla University in Pattani. Muslims comprise only about 5 percent, or 3.1 million, of Thailand's population of 62 million -- nearly all of them in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. The insurgents are believed to be members of an alphabet soup of linked groups like GMIP, BRN and New PULO who have announced neither their manifesto nor leadership, communicating only through word-of-mouth and leaflets. Separatism appears to remain at the core of the insurgency although it's burnished with the language and ideology of international Islamic radicals.

This isn't a phenomenon that is solely existing in Thailand, islamic militants are sheltered by "moderates", the only way to be 100% sure that you've gotten rid of them is to get rid of islam completely in the trouble regions, an action that would draw all of the major radical groups and incite those who would normally be passive helpers (like the moderate community sheltering them).


Taking such actions is not only inhumane, but it would draw untold sanctions and attacks from the rest of the world (see Kosovo for an example). Actually Kosovo is a pretty good example all around,(from what I've read) Milosovich was trying to stamp out the insurgency by wiping out/driving out not only the terrorists themselves, but also those who provided material and moral support to them which he deemed to be largely the entire Albanian community, The Albanians resorted to public relations ploys such as shelling their own refugee camps to make it look like the Serbian forces were attacking the helpless and homeless. (I'm not excusing what Milosivich did, but things were made to look much worse to draw public opinion, I'd love to hear Felix's insight into that as I have no first-hand experience, and very little second hand knowledge)

[ 09-24-2005, 10:20 AM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]

[Sir Degrader]

Interesting, but perhaps would the greater US interest in the area (counter insurgency in the Phillipines for example) at least passively support a Thai attempt at rooting out the Islamic threat?

[Sir Degrader]

Update:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4278704.stm

Looks like the villagers are co-operating to some degree.