Template talk:Country data al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda is not a country, and there is no conceivable reason why it should be treated as one. The entire point of al Qaeda and related terrorism outfits is that it doesn't represent a nation, or government, but simply a loose networks of cells of extremists. Treating such an outfit as a "country", even if implicitly, is an extremely bad idea, completely uncencyclopedic, and falls miles short of our "npov" standard. --dab (𒁳) 16:50, 6 May 2011 (UTC)
 * How is it treated as a country? This template is currently only used in a single article (Kurdistan Islamist Conflict), but the flag is used similarly on a larger number of articles (Special:WhatLinksHere/File:Flag of Jihad.svg, and also Special:WhatLinksHere/File:Flag of al-Qaeda in Iraq.svg), to identify a belligerent used in Infobox military conflict instances, and belligerents do not have to be countries.  However, I think it would be a good idea to start a discussion at WT:MILHIST on whether or not this flag image is acceptable to use for al Qaeda; I have concerns it is original research to widely make that association. — Andrwsc (talk · contribs) 17:16, 6 May 2011 (UTC)