The TRUE reason behind terrorism, this is the most brilliant article I ever read!

<p>Okay, screw this poll over political debates on CC. I found a very facinating article about terrorism. I would like to read your input. Thanks.</p>

<p>"Why do terrorists hate America enough to give up their lives in order to deal the country such mortal blows? Of course it's not America the terrorists hate; it's American foreign policy. It's what the United States has done to the world in the past half century -- all the violence, the bombings, the depleted uranium, the cluster bombs, the assassinations, the promotion of torture, the overthrow of governments, and more. The terrorists -- whatever else they might be -- are also rational human beings; which is to say that in their own minds they have a rational justification for their actions. Most terrorists are people deeply concerned by what they see as social, political or religious injustice and hypocrisy, and the immediate grounds for their terrorism is often retaliation for an action of the United States.</p>

<p>Most Americans find it difficult in the extreme to accept the proposition that terrorist acts against the United States can be viewed as revenge for Washington's policies abroad. They believe that the US is targeted because of its freedom, its democracy, its modernity, its wealth, or just being part of the West.</p>

<p>But government officials know better. A Department of Defense study in 1997 concluded that: "Historical data show a strong correlation between US involvement in international situations and an increase in terrorist attacks against the United States." Former president Jimmy Carter, some years after he left the White House, was unambiguous in his concordance with such a sentiment: "We sent Marines into Lebanon and you only have to go to Lebanon, to Syria or to Jordan to witness first-hand the intense hatred among many people for the United States because we bombed and shelled and unmercifully killed totally innocent villagers -- women and children and farmers and housewives -- in those villages around Beirut. . . . As a result of that . . . we became kind of a Satan in the minds of those who are deeply resentful."</p>

<p>The terrorists responsible for the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 sent a letter to the New York Times which stated, in part: "We declare our responsibility for the explosion on the mentioned building. This action was done in response for the American political, economical, and military support to Israel the state of terrorism and to the rest of the dictator countries in the region."</p>

<p>For more than four months the most powerful nation in history rained down a daily storm of missiles upon one of the poorest and most backward people in the world. Eventually, this question pressed itself onto the world's stage: Who killed more innocent, defenseless people? The terrorists in the United States on September 11 with their flying bombs? Or the Americans in Afghanistan with their AGM-86D cruise missiles, their AGM-130 missiles, their 15,000 pound "daisy cutter" bombs, their depleted uranium, and their cluster bombs? By year's end, the count of the terrorists' victims in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania stood at about 3,000. The total count of civilian dead in Afghanistan was essentially ignored by American officials and just about everyone else, but a painstaking compilation of numerous individual reports from the domestic and international media, aid agencies, and the United Nations, by an American professor -- hunting down the many separate incidents of 100-plus counts of the dead, the scores of dead, the dozens, and the smaller numbers -- arrived at considerably more than 3,500 through early December, and still counting.</p>

<p>The American scorched-earth bombing of Afghanistan may well turn out to be a political train wreck. Can it be doubted that thousands throughout the Muslim world were emotionally and spiritually recruited to the cause of the next Osama bin Laden by the awful ruination and perceived injustice? That is to say, the next generation of terrorists. Indeed, in December, while the American bombs were still falling on Afghanistan, a man -- British citizen Richard Reid, who was a convert to Islam -- tried to blow up an American Airlines plane en route to the United States with explosives hidden in his shoes. At the London mosque that Reid had attended, the cleric in charge warned that extremists were enlisting other young men like Reid and that agents aligned with radical Muslim figures had stepped up recruiting efforts since September 11. The cleric said that he knew of "hundreds of Richard Reids" recruited in Britain. Reid, described in the press as a "drifter," reportedly traveled to Israel, Egypt, the Netherlands, and Belgium before arriving in Paris and boarding the American Airlines plane. This raises the question of who was financing him. The freezing of numerous bank accounts of alleged terrorist groups throughout the world by the United States may have rather limited effect.</p>

<p>Americans do not feel any more secure in their places of work, in their places of leisure, or in their travels than they did a day before their government's bombings began.</p>

<p>Has the power elite learned anything? Here's James Woolsey, former Director of the CIA, speaking in December in Washington, advocating an invasion of Iraq and unconcerned about the response of the Arab world: The silence of the Arab public in the wake of America's victories in Afghanistan, he said, proves that "only fear will re-establish respect for the U.S." What, then, can the United States do to end terrorism directed against it? The answer lies in removing the anti-American motivations of the terrorists. To achieve this, American foreign policy will have to undergo a metamorphosis.</p>

<p>If I were the president, I could stop terrorist attacks against the United States in a few days. Permanently. I would first apologize to all the widows and orphans, the tortured and impoverished, and all the many millions of other victims of American imperialism. Then I would announce, in all sincerity, to every corner of the world, that America's global interventions have come to an end, and inform Israel that it is no longer the 51st state of the USA but now -- oddly enough -- a foreign country. I would then reduce the military budget by at least 90% and use the savings to pay reparations to the victims. There would be more than enough money. One year's military budget of 330 billion dollars is equal to more than $18,000 an hour for every hour since Jesus Christ was born. That's what I'd do on my first three days in the White House. On the fourth day, I'd be assassinated."</p>

<p>
[quote]
The terrorists -- whatever else they might be -- are also rational human beings

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'll stop reading right there, thank you very much.</p>

<p>BUT WHATEVER THE CASE: DON'T BLAME THE TERRORISTS FOR THE TERRORISTS' ACTIONS, BLAME AMERICA!</p>

<p>America's foreign policy has always been the issue and it has been said many times over in the news. A lot of the sentiment comes from a feeling towards American support of the Isrealis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (sp?). I don't think suicide bombings is the best way to come about attracking attention to their cause. But in the suicide bomber's view, they are dying for a something worthy, however horrific the method may be.</p>

<p>Diana606, thats a good analysis. Lets face it, American support for Israelis in the West Bank is a great influence towards terrorism. Suicide bombings isnt the best way, perhaps its their way of making a statement?</p>

<p>BUT WHATEVER THE CASE: DON'T BLAME THE TERRORISTS FOR THE TERRORISTS' ACTIONS, BLAME AMERICA!</p>

<p>America DOES have some blame over terrorists attacks. Dont be too close-minded. </p>

<p>I know you are conservative, and I am extremely liberal. But I have seen great arguments from conservatives and I now highly respect them for their boldness and argument.</p>

<p>I think it is a way of making a statement. I think that they expect by committing these acts they can convince whatever country that it is aimed towards to just pack up and leave. And sadly enough those bombings in London last week must be tied to the British support of the U.S. in Iraq. But once you get involved in something, it's a lot harder to get yourself out of it.</p>

<p>Yes, to a certain extent U.S. foreign policy has caused this flood of terrorists, but it's much more complicated than that. And are they really "rational human beings" like the rest of us? Was Timothy McVeigh a thinking rationally, or Eric Rudolph or any of our homegrown terrorists?</p>

<p>Often there is a gut instinct to assume that we must have done something terrible for foreign terrorists to blow themselves up near our innocent civilians, but it's a result of what they see as centuries of Western oppression, true or not. Plus many of them have been brainwashed with radical Islam. These are not reasonable people.</p>

<p>"Plus many of them have been brainwashed with radical Islam." </p>

<p>That is true. But I dont believe that radical Islam plays a major role. They know better than ruthlessly killing the innocent without a cause. One word that comes into my mind when i think the terrorist's point of view is RESENTMENT. GuaTe, your analysis is briliant nonetheless.</p>

<p>Terrorists don't think the US is rational.</p>

<p>America's foreign policy may be unappealing to terrorists, but it is not enough to motivate their brutal acts. Only scapegoating and brainwashing serves as an explanation for that.</p>

<p>"but it is not enough to motivate their brutal acts."</p>

<p>Actually it does. Terrorism occurs because people feel that they are being treated with injustice from the United States. They commit these attacks to make a statement that they no longer wish to have any "prejudice" from the Us or any Western nation.</p>

<p>primativefuture, you disgust me. Apoligizing for terrorists is despicable at best and the entire argument of assigning blame to the US or the UK for attacks against them is pathetic. Get your facts staight before you begin to make arguments regarding terror. BinLaden began Al Qaeda in response to the Soviet Unions invasion of Afganistan and other attacks against the umma. Since then it has branched out to include the goal of creating a global holy war to crush the "infidel west.' The notion that the Israel-Palastine conflict has something to do with it is also mislead. Radical Islam had warped a great religion into a tool of terror at the hands of people who operate in an irrational world.</p>

<p>read this op-ed and maybe learn something:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/22/opinion/22roy.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/22/opinion/22roy.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
"but it is not enough to motivate their brutal acts."</p>

<p>Actually it does. Terrorism occurs because people feel that they are being treated with injustice from the United States. They commit these attacks to make a statement that they no longer wish to have any "prejudice" from the Us or any Western nation.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>What you have here is a typical victim of political indoctrination. This goes to show you how easily liberals will jump to the "victim" standpoint, insofar as to justify terrorism. Terrorists are not the frightened wives of abusive husbands. They attack us for the reason you named because their leaders brainwash them into believing it. Any rational person would NOT kill thousands of people in response to foreign policy, as a violent response to a civil dispute is in no way rational. How is blowing yourself up in a train rational? These are most often teenagers and young adults who have been raised to hate America. They claim that their acts are religiously motivated, but yet they blatently violate their religious texts. Anyone who selectively takes a religious text and uses small portions with severe, radical, and inconsistent interpretations has brainwashed his followers, and formed a cult. When this leads to the deaths of innocent lives (on both sides), it is most vile, irrational, and evil. Sympathy for this I can see, to the extent that these people need liberation. But sympathy for what they preach, and thereby acceptance of their beliefs, is intolerable. These are not your run of the mill moslems.</p>

<p>I always thought it was because of world Jewry and the Zionists. They tend to be super liberal and only help themselves which does more harm then good. Why else do we give more money to Israel then all other countries combined.</p>

<p>Because as a Christian nation we prefer Jews over Moslems (and national security over aid)</p>

<p>I cannot speak for the true reason behind terrorism, but I believe that there are some tenants in fundamental Islamic beliefs that create an environment where terrorism can live, thrive and grow. The most important one is that women have no voice. They are not monogamous, they do not honor or cherish their wives....nor their children. The kids grow up seeing their mother's getting mistreated or ignored or punished for other's crimes etc, they must compete with many other children for their father's attention, affection and property.....and they learn to devalue women also. What this does is it takes out the voice of half the population and it denigrates family, along with creating a sense of desperation in the very young as they compete for resources. And it also eliminates the "reason to live." It replaces it with religious causes....and "reasons to die." And so, we have terrorists who think that they are doing things for a greater cause....when one's family could be cause enough to live a life respectful of one's family and other families too. We all know that several of the 9/11 hijackers had young children.....one of the London bombers' had a wife that was pregnant. The families left behind are not an important enough factor for the terrorist to seek other means to their desired ends. </p>

<p>To me, this fundamental difference in how we value family and life vs religion is why we have terrorism.....not US foreign policy. I also realize that there are exceptions to every generalization.....but, neither world will understand the other's priorities cause our underlying values are so different. In my humble opinion.....</p>

<p>wrong. we give aid to Israel because there is a goliath of a lobbying effort on the part of American Jews to support the homeland. Furthermore, Israel is the only true functioning democracy in the middle east and has been so since its conception. Third, Israel acted as an acceptable counter-weight to Soviet influence in the region during the Cold War. Finally, America could not just stand by and watch as the Arab nations attempted to destroy the state of Israel with the memories of the Holocaust so recent in the nations conscience.</p>

<p>That was one of the most pathetic posts I have ever read. Lemme tell you the true “American” family life. The parents have sex at 18, the fathers ditches off and the mother marries another person and starts a “family” Thus the most American children are b*****ds by definition. The kid’s parents get divorced and makes out with other people. This is why America has the highest divorce rate. It also has the highest rate of teens having sex under 18!! Plus, America has poorest quality of family life. How immoral can America get? American also has the highest population of homosexual. Compare all that to Middle East!! Don’t believe me? I have STATS to prove all this, I know what I am talking about.</p>

<p>What you are describing about family life in the Middle East is WRONG! I lived there for years and I can tell you women do have rights. They are not allowed to exposed their features, because they live on high morals, same with most Jews. Guess why? Because look at all the obscenity in your homeland! The Middle East has a rich culture, while most Americans do not, not even when it comes down to their religion. Guess what, Muslims don’t have SEX before marriage, don’t mix them with Americans. They rarely have divorces or have sex in their adolescence. No wonder why more Americans have AIDs!</p>

<p>I am sorry if this offended anybody, but all I said is 100% true unless you can prove me wrong. This posts might even get deleted but at least I spoke my mind to enlighten CCers here who seem to live in a cave.</p>

<p>(btw, this is response to maineparent, are you divorced? ;) )</p>

<p>The question, of course, is whether we should also automatically assume that the motives of killers always have validity as a justification for their actions. To suggest that terrorists have some sort of right to murder because they are incensed by the actions of another government is a very slippery slope.</p>

<p>If someone murders his wife because he finds her with another lover, should the wife be blamed for her murder? I think most people would say no. The fault still ultimately lies with the husband who took the action. He has every right to be enraged, but no right to murder her.</p>

<p>By the same token, if a terrorist murders citizens of a country because he disagrees with the policies of that country, should we blame the country for the murders? I don't think so. The terrorist has the right to disagree and to be outraged, but not to murder no matter how much he objects to the country's policies.</p>

<p>I lived there for years and I can tell you women do have rights.</p>

<p>Then why do a handful of Middle East countries have specific laws legalizing the murder of women?</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_killings#Honor_killing_in_national_legal_codes%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_killings#Honor_killing_in_national_legal_codes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>they rarely have divorces</p>

<p>That's because you can get killed or stoned to death if you do.</p>

<p>American also has the highest population of homosexual.</p>

<p>I always wonder how some apoligist liberals form alliances with some Muslims when clearly, they have severy clashing ideologies as proven by the above statement. I guess contempt for America surpasses the rights of homosexuals and women.</p>