This image was posted on a Salafi web forum by a user who appears to be trying to “hijack” the upheaval in Syria (2011), as he appended to the post a distinct signature quote by Usama bin Ladin, made famous by its incessant posting on the web: أقسم بالله العظيم الذي رفع السماء بلا عمد لن تحلم أمريكا ولا من يعيش في أمريكا بالأمن قبل أن نعيشه واقعا في فلسطين وقبل أن تخرج جميع الجيوش الكافرة من أرض محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم (“I swear to God Almighty who erected the sky without supports that America and those who live there will never live in safety before we actually live in safety in Palestine and before the infidel armies leave the land of the Prophet, may Allah’s prayer and blessing be upon him”).
In the image, a context-free map of Syria is seen. Depicting the Syrian state without bordering countries or bodies of water evokes the national context and scope of that specific struggle, thereby designating Syria as an important theater for local jihad and implying an obligation to join the struggle. This idea is further emphasized by the blood spatter on the map. The red of the blood serves in place of the top red stripe in the Syrian flag.
