Is al Qaeda racist?

Obama and his aides suggest that al Qaeda's targeting of Uganda proves the terrorist group has a racist agenda. Is that a meaningful analysis?

The aftermath of one of the blasts, which took place in a restaurant during the World Cup.
(Image credit: Corbis)

The deadly bombings in Uganda at the weekend are proof that al Qaeda is racist, say aides close to the president. Speaking to South African television, President Obama said that al Shabab — the al Qaeda affiliate reportedly responsible for Sunday's blasts — "do not regard African life as valuable in and of itself." Clarifying his remarks, an aide told ABC News that al Qaeda willingly sacrifices black Africans to make a point to their real targets. "Al Qaeda is a racist organization that treats black Africans like cannon fodder," the unnamed official said. Are the Uganda bombings evidence of al Qaeda's racism? (Watch Rush Limbaugh's reaction to Obama's charge)

This is about Islam in Africa, not the rest of the world: Right-wing pundits are howling that "Obama cares more about black victims of terror than about white ones," says Greg Sargent at the Washington Post. But the president's remarks were actually made in the context of a discussion of Islam in Africa, not America. Still the Right can use it as evidence for the bizarre fantasy that Obama only cares about "people with dark skin." How "sick."

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