The Political Discussion Thread

[squirrely1]

Seriously!? 7 people died in the Oslo bombings and 87 at the Labour Party youth camp in Norway, and there's not a single thread about these despicable acts. But anyway, for those of you who don't know about this, yesterday the Norwegian government's HQ, including the office of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, as well as the Ministry of Oil and Energy, both got bombed, resulting in the death of 7 people and several more injuries. A short time after that, a man dressed as a police officer arrived at a Labour Party youth camp (for kids between 15-22, though even 13 years olds were present), and told the kids that he had some information about the bombings. Then the shooting began. This guy walked around the island, shooting every one he could find, and the death toll right now is 87 people, most of them kids.

The man behind this was a far-right nationalist christian fundamentalist who was deliberately targeting the Norwegian Labour Party. Far-right extremists are considered the biggest threats to domestic security in Nordic countries such as Norway and Sweden.

It's pretty obvious what his motives are. He probably thinks that by damaging the Labour Party and killing the next generation of supporters, the rest of Norway will be just like him. It's just insanity, that's what it is. I just hope that he gets locked away for the rest of his pathetic life, because killing him would just serve to make him a martyr.

WOW This is indeed appalling and very very sad indeed. I think Far-anything is not good... regardless if it is left or right... I think extremism in any form is out of balance and that causes big problems. As a fellow Christian though this cuts me to my soul....because if he indeed were living as a true Christian ...he would have no thoughts or actions such as these. So yeah I think mental illness is more his issue rather than what "group" he stands for. I hope justice is served for him...and rightly so. Regardless, he will have to answer to God someday and I that gives me solace.

[Ukko]

Been watching this on the news, and yesterday hearing the so called experts (one in partular i felt) doing their best to pin this on islamists before they had any facts. Got on my nerves to no end. A terrorist is a terrorist, regardless of colour or religion, so people shouldnt try and pin this on muslims without any facts.

Hope the Norwegians can put this scum away for life in a dark place never to see daylight again. Hope this unites everyone against **** with views like his and shows them that they belong in the past.

[SoulReaver]

The death penalty in Norway was abolished in 1905.

ironic since it's the far-right that supports capital punishment

Hope the Norwegians can put this scum away for life in a dark place never to see daylight again. Hope this unites everyone against **** with views like his and shows them that they belong in the past.

apparently he risks 21 years max
(on the other hand if locked up in an asylum (possible) he could be kept there for life)

[Ben 'Teal'c would WIN!!' Noble]

Been watching this on the news, and yesterday hearing the so called experts (one in partular i felt) doing their best to pin this on islamists before they had any facts. Got on my nerves to no end. A terrorist is a terrorist, regardless of colour or religion, so people shouldnt try and pin this on muslims without any facts.

Hope the Norwegians can put this scum away for life in a dark place never to see daylight again. Hope this unites everyone against **** with views like his and shows them that they belong in the past.

To be fair most terrorist attacks recently have been done by Islamic fundamentalists. But you are right that we do seem to jump to conclusions about these sort of things.

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

Been watching this on the news, and yesterday hearing the so called experts (one in partular i felt) doing their best to pin this on islamists before they had any facts. Got on my nerves to no end. A terrorist is a terrorist, regardless of colour or religion, so people shouldnt try and pin this on muslims without any facts.

Hope the Norwegians can put this scum away for life in a dark place never to see daylight again. Hope this unites everyone against **** with views like his and shows them that they belong in the past.

Islamic extremism is still the current number one cause of terrorism in the world today, so I don't think it's particularly surprising that when there's a large scale terrorist attack, people look towards the usual suspects first. Especially since there was at least one Islamic group that tried to claim responsibly, even though they actually hadn't carried out the attack.

And if the guy is sent to prison, he can only be sentenced to a maximum of 21 years in prison. And after 10 years he may be eligible for parole. Oh and this is what Norwegian prisons look like...
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...n_1634893c.jpg
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/6...rison07je4.jpg
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/9...rison08fn8.jpg#

The guys going to spend the next 20 years in relative comfort before being let out aged 53. Dosn't really feel very much like he'll be getting any real form of justice meted out imo.

[Womble]

It's an absolutely horrible attack. Almost 100 people killed in a nation of five million people- proportionately, it's worse than 9/11.

Edit- It was entirely fair, and no injustice to the Muslims, to suspect the Islamists until the details became clear. Most attacks of this kind in Europe were committed by Islamic terrorists, and simultaneous attacks on multiple sites has been the signature tactic of Al Qaeda- affiliated terror groups for a decade. Domestic terrorism in Europe generally took different forms, and was never quite so massive in scale.

[EvilSpaceAlien]

The guys going to spend the next 20 years in relative comfort before being let out aged 53. Dosn't really feel very much like he'll be getting any real form of justice meted out imo.

He can also be sentenced to indefinite confinement which is basically a sort of psychiatric care for the criminally insane, and that means that his case comes up every five years for review, and then it is decided if he's fit or not to return and be integrated into society. If they keep saying that he's not, they can pretty much keep him locked up until the day he dies.

[Col.Foley]

Actually it seems like in any event like this (The Giffords shooting, the Joe Stack incident, the Discovery Building attack) seems that the blame game starts almost as fast as the actual outpouring of sympathy. In my case too but where I am different I am genuinely open to new information which can change my opinion where many people it seems would let there biases control their opinions no matter what the information says.

Now he is being called an extreme right wing christian who did not like Muslims.

But then he is called a Neo-Nazi who advocates blowing up Government buildings. So he seems to be one of those confused chaps that seem to be really left wing and really right wing all at the same time. Of course he could simply be one of those people who uses terrorism and 'anarchist tactics' to want to bring about hsi big Government agenda.

Or he could be a nut...I go for this option personally.

[Galileo_Galilee]

Whenever there's a terrorist event, all kinds of generalizations fly. Then comes the blame game.

[Col.Foley]

Whenever there's a terrorist event, all kinds of generalizations fly. Then comes the blame game.

I believe I just said that.

[Galileo_Galilee]

No need to be overly verbose about it though.

The thing you don't seem to understand that most people love to generalize and go by labels, and generalizations. It's much easier to do so.

It's also easier to blame somebody else that take one's responsibility for their actions.

[Col.Foley]

No need to be overly verbose about it though.

The thing you don't seem to understand that most people love to generalize and go by labels, and generalizations. It's much easier to do so.

No I am well aware of the fact. (Which again that knowledge of that was indicated in a post complaining about how everyone overgeneralizes and puts labels on people. )

[Galileo_Galilee]

Back to the political side of things....

Hmmm... that almost sounds like a song.

[lordofseas]

Islamic extremism is still the current number one cause of terrorism in the world today, so I don't think it's particularly surprising that when there's a large scale terrorist attack, people look towards the usual suspects first. Especially since there was at least one Islamic group that tried to claim responsibly, even though they actually hadn't carried out the attack.

And if the guy is sent to prison, he can only be sentenced to a maximum of 21 years in prison. And after 10 years he may be eligible for parole. Oh and this is what Norwegian prisons look like...
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...n_1634893c.jpg
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/6...rison07je4.jpg
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/9...rison08fn8.jpg#

The guys going to spend the next 20 years in relative comfort before being let out aged 53. Dosn't really feel very much like he'll be getting any real form of justice meted out imo.

The Norwegians are known for the hospitality.

[KEK]

The guys going to spend the next 20 years in relative comfort before being let out aged 53. Dosn't really feel very much like he'll be getting any real form of justice meted out imo.

That doesn't bother me personally, I don't think 'meting out justice' should be a function of the law to begin with. If people are kept safe from him, and he could perhaps even be rehabilitated then that's the best we can hope for in my opinion.

By the way, did anyone get a look at his favourite TV shows?

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/3...re020ander.png