Causes of terrorism, at home and abroad?

[PistachioByAzul]

Look down through the ages.............whomever was considered to be the "worldpower" has always ultimately collapsed under the weight of it's own arrogance and intemperance. What makes us think we won't be the same, and aren't in fact in the process of self-destruction right now?

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate
The reason that they hate us is absolutely irrelevant.

Terrorism can not be tolerated - I could give a flying f*ck what the terrorist's agenda is. By pandering to terrorists, you encourage others to engage in similar cowardly acts.

Hunt them down like dogs. Make them an example of how not to go about pursuing an agenda.

*sigh*

I don't want to tolerate it at all. If I had my choice, I'd take care of captured terrorists the way the Russians did... send them home in pieces. The point is to avoid having to do that at all.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: EngineNr9
One of chief exports is weapons, and we contribute by far the lowest percent of our GDP to humanitarian aid.

Just look at the relationship between the US and Israel, follow the money trails.

One of our chief exports is freedom and capitalism. The rest of the world would do well to import as much as possible.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: EngineNr9
Look down through the ages.............whomever was considered to be the "worldpower" has always ultimately collapsed under the weight of it's own arrogance and intemperance. What makes us think we won't be the same, and aren't in fact in the process of self-destruction right now?

That's what I'd like to avoid.

Goddamn, maybe I should just wait until we do collapse, then end up like Kevin Costner in "The Postman".

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: EngineNr9
One of chief exports is weapons, and we contribute by far the lowest percent of our GDP to humanitarian aid.

Just look at the relationship between the US and Israel, follow the money trails.

One of our chief exports is freedom and capitalism. The rest of the world would do well to import as much as possible.

Like China? Where countless children are exploited so that Nike and Walmart can sell us cheap products here?

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Vespasian
The media is not as slanted as people portray it. There is always someone on TV complaing about U.S. foreign policy.

I miss Bill Maher.

 

[Random Variable]

How awful can we be when we welcome everyone into our country, including terrorists who are plotting to cause mass death?

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Vespasian
How awful can we be when we welcome everyone into our country, including terrorists who are plotting to cause mass death?

*sigh* Again, weed those out and carve them some new tattoos. I'm trying to figure out, how do we prevent them from becoming terrorists in the first place?

 

[nippyjun]

I believe it stems from jealousy of America from 3rd world countries.

 

[FelixDeCat]

>Like China? Where countless children are exploited so that Nike and Walmart can sell us cheap products here?

Like China what? Are you insinuating that capitalism and freedom is unethical? If you are, Zakath15, you are wrong.

 

[PistachioByAzul]

Bill Maher is exactly a micro representation of the problem we have with the media and brainwashing in this country. He spoke his mind, advertisers threatened, and then he got pulled. What does it mean when corporate advertising has THAT much leverage? Where do their interests lie?

 

[skyking]

How awful can we be when we welcome everyone into our country, including terrorists who are plotting to cause mass death?

The U.S. isn't awful. It is the attitude that allowed it to manipulate the very lives of others with little concern, that is what the problem is. You can't apologize for it, negotiate with terrorist criminals to fix it, do anything about it at all!
If the U.S. doesn't figure it out well enough to quit repeating the same mistakes, this will only get worse.
I am not suggesting a course of isolationsim, it is far too late for that.
I am hoping that the simplistic approach will be set aside, it didn't work before, it won't work now

 

[pulse8]

I'm trying to figure out, how do we prevent them from becoming terrorists in the first place?

You don't.

 

[ToBeMe]

but unless we take action now to change our foreign policy and the way we act in other parts of the world, there may come a time when we won't be able to survive, both domestically and internationally.

Zak.........I'm gonna keep on asking you the same thing then. You keep on harping on "change our foreign policy"...................change it how????? Change it to appease whom?????? What exactly was so wrong with it??????

So we change our foreign policy to appease the middleast........................whom will be mad at us for that????? Israel, China, Russia???? Hey, foreign policy means a whole lot more than being "nice" and having good relations................. It means money and aid and that money and aid will have to be pulled from somewhere else since there is only so much to go around..........

Next question...............whom is our foreign policy so terribly injust to???? Iraq???? Palestine????? Iran???? or the whole middleast???? You do reallize that not so long ago, the middleast were the ones begging for our developement assistance and military assistance don't you??? Oh, and since we're now going to be "buddies" with the middleastern countries others do not care for at all or very little, those like Turkey, Jordan, and especially Israel to mention a few, but, especially Israel.................Now, lets say we become very friendly with Iran, Iraq, Egypt, etc..................these are Israel's arch enemies and to be honest, about the only thing keeping Israel from obliterating these countries is/was the US and our influence. Now, since that really won't matter anymore..............what's going to stop Israel from just obliterating these countries???? Are we then expected to jump in and go to war with Israel????? That's just one example but you get the point................you make friends and change policy to appease some, and you make other mad and lose respect overall..........

Zak, I'm not sure what answer you are looking for, but, I think you're looking for an answer which isn't going to happen! I can tell you this though.........if the time does come where the US simply chooses to negotiate and change policy to avoid confrontation with other nations whom threaten us...................we're done for anyway! As I said way above................if it wasn't us, it would be China or Russia, or someone else, but, whomever is deemed the worlds "superpower" will ALWAYS have enemies and those whom wish to take them down for reasons which vary as wide as the Pacific ocean.................the only good "leader" or "power" is one whom is able to hold and keep respect of others by standing firm on its policy and beliefs...............once that element is gone so is the power and eventually the country...................

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
>Like China? Where countless children are exploited so that Nike and Walmart can sell us cheap products here?

Like China what? Are you insinuating that capitalism and freedom is unethical? If you are, Zakath15, you are wrong.

Inherently? No. Without consideration for the effects that an unrestrained capitalistic ideology can have on a society? Yes.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: skyking

How awful can we be when we welcome everyone into our country, including terrorists who are plotting to cause mass death?

The U.S. isn't awful. It is the attitude that allowed it to manipulate the very lives of others with little concern, that is what the problem is. You can't apologize for it, negotiate with terrorist criminals to fix it, do anything about it at all!
If the U.S. doesn't figure it out well enough to quit repeating the same mistakes, this will only get worse.
I am not suggesting a course of isolationsim, it is far too late for that.
I am hoping that the simplistic approach will be set aside, it didn't work before, it won't work now

If only we had someone other than Bush in office... ugh. He's about as simple as you can get, short of a duck with a blindfold on.

Even then, I think the duck's a better match.

 

[Random Variable]

Originally posted by: Zakath15

Originally posted by: Vespasian
How awful can we be when we welcome everyone into our country, including terrorists who are plotting to cause mass death?

*sigh* Again, weed those out and carve them some new tattoos. I'm trying to figure out, how do we prevent them from becoming terrorists in the first place?

Terrorism has always existed. This is not a new phenomenon by any stretch of the imagination. The only difference is that terrorists now have access to high explosives, biological agents, nuclear materials, etc.

Terrorism will be eradicated when someone can figure out how to eradicate hate and intolerance.

 

[Orsorum]

ToBeMe - You're giving me something to think about. That's all.

There very well may be no answer to my questions, and it may come down to the fact that we're doing the best we can. I'm just hoping someone can give me some data or evidence to support that.

I keep tellin' y'all, I'm a doofus when it comes to international politics. Just seems like we're influencing areas we shouldn't be.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

We have set up regimes that support terror. Most of this was to offset the Soviets... In retrospect, some of these states have become rogues that support terrorism. This was a mistake born out the cold war - which was different than any war in history...

However, many years have passed... and many of the folks that support terror were not placed there by the United States.

The problem is, Zakath, is that there will always be terrorists. Until we figure out a way to create a perfect world where there is equality of economy, and ... well everything... people will be pissed off. Some people want liberty and some want autocratic theocracy. How do you keep them all happy?

These people can't be reasoned with. This lunatic fringe can never be satisfied and must be destroyed like the cancer that they are.

This type of thinking - about how to satisfy the potential terrorist - is dangerous, and it actually fuels their efforts. By even hypotesizing, we encourage their efforts. If they hit us hard enough, maybe we'll give in and they get what they want. This encourages them to commit similar attacks - because they got something last time.

 

[Orsorum]

DevilsAdvocate.... blaaarrggh. If I come across like I want to appease terrorists, I don't! I despise those who wish to further their own twisted agenda by violence.

All I am saying, is that it seems to me as though we're trying to exercise influence and imposing our ideals where we have no place to be imposing them.

 

[ToBeMe]

I'm just hoping someone can give me some data or evidence to support that.

What data or evidence do you wish to see????? You're asking what caused 9/11 and insinuating that the cause was our foreign policy..............well if you want proof of what a sudden change in foreign policy can cause look down through news in just the last 30 years or so and not only with the US.....................when one country becomes friendly with another, it inevitabley makes an enemy out of another............ Our relations with China were better when we were at odds with the USSR..............now look at things..................that's an obvious example, but, there are literally hundreds more.........

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: Zakath15

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
>Like China? Where countless children are exploited so that Nike and Walmart can sell us cheap products here?

Like China what? Are you insinuating that capitalism and freedom is unethical? If you are, Zakath15, you are wrong.

Inherently? No. Without consideration for the effects that an unrestrained capitalistic ideology can have on a society? Yes.

Again I would have to disagree. Unrestrained capilitalism is the essence of freedom. Laws reinforcing moral conduct and punishing those that dont comply would alleviate any concerns of society with regard to any potential negative impact.

There is no other solution. Evil terroists with bad intentions must be terminated.

 

[Random Variable]

This type of thinking - about how to satisfy the potential terrorist - is dangerous, and it actually fuels their efforts. By even hypotesizing, we encourage their efforts. If they hit us hard enough, maybe we'll give in and they get what they want. This encourages them to commit similar attacks - because they got something last time.

That's why dealing with terrorism is so immensely difficult. If you try to pacify terrorists, you encourge more terrorism. But if you balantly ignore their grievances, you promote more hatred. In other words, there has to be a balance.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: ToBeMe

I'm just hoping someone can give me some data or evidence to support that.

What data or evidence do you wish to see????? You're asking what caused 9/11 and insinuating that the cause was our foreign policy..............well if you want proof of what a sudden change in foreign policy can cause look down through news in just the last 30 years or so and not only with the US.....................when one country becomes friendly with another, it inevitabley makes an enemy out of another............ Our relations with China were better when we were at odds with the USSR..............now look at things..................that's an obvious example, but, there are literally hundreds more.........

Mmm... that's true.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Vespasian

This type of thinking - about how to satisfy the potential terrorist - is dangerous, and it actually fuels their efforts. By even hypotesizing, we encourage their efforts. If they hit us hard enough, maybe we'll give in and they get what they want. This encourages them to commit similar attacks - because they got something last time.

That's why dealing with terrorism to so immensely difficult. If you try to pacify terrorists, you encourge more terrorism. But if you balantly ignore their grievances, you promote more hatred. In other words, there has to be a balance.

Smart answer.