watchmaker

This verse from the Quran is currently circling the internet as popular justification for the Iraq war and demonstrates how religious texts can be (and usually are) ploughed through to find justification for an act AFTER it has occured. The Eagle supposedly symbolises America (although it could just as easily symbolise Zambia, Zimbabwe, Singapore or a hundred other countries that lay claim to various species of Eagle as their national emblem, or alternatively it could be a reference to an ACTUAL eagle). The "lands of Allah" is meant to be Iraq (although it could easily be one of fifty-odd nations listed in the CIA World Handbook as being majority muslim). The bit about there being peace after the "cleansing" is obviously bull, since US troops still haven't shaken the nasty habit of getting themselves killed. And the reference to the verse number reinforces the impression that America STILL thinks there's some connection between September 11th and the Bush Dynasty's personal vendetta against Iraq:

"Quran (9:11) -- For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace."

Religion once again demonstrates its 20/20 hindsight with yet more vague rubbish purporting to justify events after the fact...

Undercurrent

Actually, this isn't even hindsight after the fact, it's made up after the fact.

While the religious are known to have 20/20 hindsight, this has much more to do with the fact that war supporters show broad apathy about whether a particular factoid is true or false before hitting the "forward" button.

CX

Off to GRD.

Space Chef

From sacred-texts.com.

Pickthall translation

9. at-Taubah: Repentance
...
11 But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then are they your brethren in religion. We detail Our revelations for a people who have knowledge.

captainpabst

I guess that means we win...?