Libya's Gaddafi plans blockade against Swiss navy!!
- Thread starter seth gecko
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The Swiss, however, are reacting sanely (unlike Gaddafi)
Switzerland Unruffled by Qaddafi’s Call for ‘Jihad’ in Wake of Its Ban on New Minarets
By STEVEN ERLANGER
Published: February 26, 2010
On Thursday, in a rambling address in Benghazi, Libya, before a gathering to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, Colonel Qaddafi called for jihad, or a holy war, against Switzerland because of its ban on new minarets for mosques and urged Muslims to boycott Swiss products and ban Swiss planes and ships.
“Those who destroy God’s mosques deserve to be attacked through jihad, and if Switzerland was on our borders, we would fight it,” Colonel Qaddafi was quoted as saying by Libya’s official news agency.
Libya does not border Switzerland, however. Instead, after his son Hannibal’s arrest and detention for two days, Colonel Qaddafi recalled diplomats from Switzerland, interrupted oil shipments, withdrew money from Swiss banks and, more controversially, prevented two Swiss businessmen from leaving Libya.
One was released only this week after 19 months in detention. But Max Göldi, an engineer, remains in Libya, serving a “reduced sentence” of four months in jail. Last week, Libya barred citizens from 25 European countries from visiting Libya in retaliation for Swiss travel restrictions on Colonel Qaddafi, his family and his ministers.
On Friday, the Swiss government refused to comment on the latest Qaddafi comments and the call for jihad. Muslims in Switzerland, who are mostly European in origin and represent about 6 percent of the population, shrugged off the Qaddafi threat but were anxious that his words could further harden Swiss public opinion. Last November, Swiss voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional ban on building new minarets on mosques.
It “did not shock us, as he often says such nonsense,” Yasar Ozdemir, member of the Zurich-based Swiss Federation of Muslim Associations, told Agence France-Presse. Omar el-Sanie, the director of Geneva’s mosque, told The Associated Press: “In my opinion, this is a purely political matter between Libya and Switzerland, and has nothing to do with Islam or with Muslims.”
United Nations officials called Colonel Qaddafi’s comments unacceptable, as did individual countries, like France. A spokesman for the European Union foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, said the comments “come at an unfortunate moment when the European Union is working closely with Switzerland to reach a diplomatic solution” to its squabble with Libya.
Switzerland Unruffled by Qaddafi’s Call for ‘Jihad’ in Wake of Its Ban on New Minarets
By STEVEN ERLANGER
Published: February 26, 2010
On Thursday, in a rambling address in Benghazi, Libya, before a gathering to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, Colonel Qaddafi called for jihad, or a holy war, against Switzerland because of its ban on new minarets for mosques and urged Muslims to boycott Swiss products and ban Swiss planes and ships.
“Those who destroy God’s mosques deserve to be attacked through jihad, and if Switzerland was on our borders, we would fight it,” Colonel Qaddafi was quoted as saying by Libya’s official news agency.
Libya does not border Switzerland, however. Instead, after his son Hannibal’s arrest and detention for two days, Colonel Qaddafi recalled diplomats from Switzerland, interrupted oil shipments, withdrew money from Swiss banks and, more controversially, prevented two Swiss businessmen from leaving Libya.
One was released only this week after 19 months in detention. But Max Göldi, an engineer, remains in Libya, serving a “reduced sentence” of four months in jail. Last week, Libya barred citizens from 25 European countries from visiting Libya in retaliation for Swiss travel restrictions on Colonel Qaddafi, his family and his ministers.
On Friday, the Swiss government refused to comment on the latest Qaddafi comments and the call for jihad. Muslims in Switzerland, who are mostly European in origin and represent about 6 percent of the population, shrugged off the Qaddafi threat but were anxious that his words could further harden Swiss public opinion. Last November, Swiss voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional ban on building new minarets on mosques.
It “did not shock us, as he often says such nonsense,” Yasar Ozdemir, member of the Zurich-based Swiss Federation of Muslim Associations, told Agence France-Presse. Omar el-Sanie, the director of Geneva’s mosque, told The Associated Press: “In my opinion, this is a purely political matter between Libya and Switzerland, and has nothing to do with Islam or with Muslims.”
United Nations officials called Colonel Qaddafi’s comments unacceptable, as did individual countries, like France. A spokesman for the European Union foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, said the comments “come at an unfortunate moment when the European Union is working closely with Switzerland to reach a diplomatic solution” to its squabble with Libya.
I feel sorry for Qaddafi. He must have really messed up to still be a colonel after all these years. I don't know what he did to himself but maybe he can apologize so he can promote himself to General.
That was the first thing that came to my mind as well. Where do they do their training exercises, Lake Geneva? For a country that is neutral why do they need a navy?
Naval patrol
"Swiss Navy" redirects here. For the Swiss Merchant Navy, see Merchant Marine of Switzerland.
Landlocked Switzerland does not have a navy, but it does maintain a fleet of military lake patrol boats. The Aquarius-class Patrouillenboot 80 PBRs, operated by Motorboat Company 10, patrol Lake Geneva, Lake Lucerne, Lake Lugano, Lake Maggiore and Lake Constance.[13]
OK, that makes more sense....
LOL
OTB
"Swiss Navy" redirects here. For the Swiss Merchant Navy, see Merchant Marine of Switzerland.
Landlocked Switzerland does not have a navy, but it does maintain a fleet of military lake patrol boats. The Aquarius-class Patrouillenboot 80 PBRs, operated by Motorboat Company 10, patrol Lake Geneva, Lake Lucerne, Lake Lugano, Lake Maggiore and Lake Constance.[13]
OK, that makes more sense....
LOL
OTB
Predictable.
The west's message to the Islamic world should be this:
We'll let you build 1,000 mosques with minarettes as high as you want, if you let us build 1 church in Mecca.
Until then, STFU.
The west's message to the Islamic world should be this:
We'll let you build 1,000 mosques with minarettes as high as you want, if you let us build 1 church in Mecca.
Until then, STFU.
Gee, there's a tit-for-tat that's actually defensible. Congratulations Cinema Face! Mind you, it only demonstrates we can be as closed-minded and oppressive as the guys we're trying lead to our more civilized ways, but it would be a start.
Still, to make the trade-off balanced wouldn't it have to be a minaret in Vatican City for a church steeple in Mecca? And minarets in Switzerland for churches in say, Bahrain?
Still, to make the trade-off balanced wouldn't it have to be a minaret in Vatican City for a church steeple in Mecca? And minarets in Switzerland for churches in say, Bahrain?
Still can’t compare the Vatican to Mecca. Infidels aren’t even allowed in Mecca.
Mecca is the holiest of holies and it is considered pure. Infidels are impure and they will desecrate the city with their presence. I mean, how racist is that?
Imagine an entire city, off limits to everyone but one particular religion. As an infidel, I can’t even walk in there and take a picture, even if I respect all their customs. It’s not what I do, it’s who I am. That’s not right.
That’s not the case in the Vatican.
Mecca is the holiest of holies and it is considered pure. Infidels are impure and they will desecrate the city with their presence. I mean, how racist is that?
Imagine an entire city, off limits to everyone but one particular religion. As an infidel, I can’t even walk in there and take a picture, even if I respect all their customs. It’s not what I do, it’s who I am. That’s not right.
That’s not the case in the Vatican.
Not as racist as giving automatic citizenship to people with a certain religion.
Just looking at most of this post is giving me a headache.....
Gahdafi seriously strange by any measure, probably needs to retire before he dies of heavy metal poisoning.
Gahdafi seriously strange by any measure, probably needs to retire before he dies of heavy metal poisoning.
