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Well what you say is true however it must be taken in context.  Rasmussen originally said his government can't and doesn't control the newspapers, therefore there was nothing he can do.  I see that he's going to be in a number of Arab TV channels today to try and defuse the crisis.

That the cartoons offended Muslims in September and October is not in dispute.  However there have been MANY offensive media publications, including films in the Netherlands, in the past.  So why was there no rioting and storming of the Dutch embassies?

In other words, Muslims have had many occasions to be offended by the media in Europe.  Why are these 12 cartoons the straw that "broke the camel's back" (not to use an offensive expression)?

Pax

Night and day you can find me Flogging the Simian

by soj on Sun Feb 5th, 2006 at 02:05:42 PM EST
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Rasmussen originally said his government can't and doesn't control the newspapers, therefore there was nothing he can do.

He could've said exactly that to the ambassadors. Refusing to meet ambassadors is something very serious in diplomacy.

That the cartoons offended Muslims in September and October is not in dispute.

No, the point was that already in October, things escalated enough that representatives of 11 foreign governments were into the issue, while you claimed that only the Saudi state was into it and that from January.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Sun Feb 5th, 2006 at 02:41:06 PM EST
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