Interesting theory about the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack -- they didn't give a hoot about the cartoons, they're trying to start a war

The terrorist weren't upset about the cartoons, they were trying to goad westerners into attacking Muslims. That's the theory, anyway. Should that happen "moderate" Muslims would be more willingly join or at least tolerate the terrorist wing of Islam.

All in all, not a bad theory. If they are really interested in the long game then it makes sense. It probably wasn't part of the Hebdo terrorists' thinking, but they are heavily influenced by the radical Imams who in turn may be influenced by some long-game thinking Islamists.

See We think the Paris terrorists were offended by Charlie Hebdo's satire. What if we're wrong? Excerpt:

Result: terrorists swell their ranks for a civil war they long to provoke non-Muslims into starting.

Gavrilo Princip tried it, and he succeeded. On the other hand, John Wilkes Booth thought he could rekindle the Civil War and failed miserably. More recently, Charles Manson thought he could start a race war by murdering Hollywood elites. And he, too, failed. So this type strategy is a long shot, and perhaps it tells us how desperate al Qaeda is for headlines.

Comments

[Bear]

From what I understand they are not looking to start something with the non-Muslims (yet), it is more a power struggle between Sunni and Shi'a. Once the dust settles on the Sunni Caliphate then they believe they would be powerful enough to take on the Christians again.
Just my two cents, but I really believe Sunni and Shi'a hate each other more that they hate the non-Muslims.

[Geo]

Good point, Bear.

If only they would fight amongst themselves and leave everyone else out of it.