Re: Sometimes Terrorists can be Unimaginative

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Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 16:10:47 GMT

Unruh wrote:
> jsavard@ecn.ab.ca writes:
>
>
>>When _any_ society is attacked from the outside, the natural response
>>is not to consider it time for soul-searching, but instead time for
>>rallying around the flag. For the United States, this is a healthy
>>response, since it is likely to improve its future chances for
>>survival. But for those who are in a position of weakness, failing to
>>weigh and judge one's actions can cause a destructive spiral.
>
>
> Actually no, the USA may well have decreased its chances. Not least is the
> humoungous waste of economic resources. Together with the brutalisation of
> public life (did you really ever imagine official condoning of torture?)
> It is certainly true that people's reactions can be self destructive.
>
>
>>This is the position of the Islamic world. It does _not_ hold the moral
>>high ground with respect to Israel. It fancies it does because it fails
>>to recognize that Jews are just as much people as Muslims are, and so
>>violence against them and mistreatment of them was _wrong_ and
>>*deserved* to lead to negative consequences for those responsible.
>>Instead, we have the mentality that what happens to Muslims is an
>>outrage - and what happened to Jews previously does not count.
>
>
> Much of what happened to the Jews was western Europian in orgin, not
> Muslim. In fact throughout earlier history the treatment of the Jews by the Muslim
> world was far better than by the Christian world.
> Much of the resentment also stemmed from the takeover of land (Israel) by
> force and by a totally different cultural group (western European). That
> that resentment has been largely self destructive I do not dispute, but the
> resentment that the muslim world should pay for the mistreatment by Europe
> of the Jews is not completely to be wondered at.
>
>
>
>
>>And then they act surprised that the disinterested West doesn't buy
>
>
> Uninterested, hardly disinterested.
>
>
>>that. If it weren't for oil, and if it weren't for previously having
>>the Soviet Union's skirts to hide behind, the Arab world would have
>>brought defeat upon itself by its previous actions.
>
>
> ??? If it weren't for the oil the interest in the region would parallel the
> interest in Africa. Mugabe is probably worse than Hussain was. Are there
> crusades to bring him down-- rid the world of a dictator?
>
>
>
>
>>One could indeed look upon the unquestioned Muslim assumption of
>>superiority as a cracked mirror image of the West... but the West does
>>have a few things to be proud of, whereas the Islamic world seems only
>
>
> Your knowledge of history is pittiful. It was teh Muslim world who gave the
> west much of what it now values, from science to tolerance of others. It is
> certainly true that in the 20th century, the tables have turned.
>
>
>>to have much to be humble about. The United States is strong, and its
>>people are angry. Because it is only those who survive who have the
>
>
> No, they are scared and greedy.
>
>
>>luxury of feeling guilty about what their ancestors have done, I simply
>>think that people should stop living in a dream world.
>
>
> Yes, and the dreams take many forms.
>
>
>>Terrorist acts *are* wrong, and doing things that are wrong to people
>
>
> I agree, along side many other things that are wrong. And terrorism has
> been used by the weaker side for centuries. They have seen the stupidity of
> trying to fight the USA on their own terms. Saddam tried that, tried to set
> up a secular, western state within the Islamic world. Thus, to win, they need
> different tactics. Those tactics are in some ways very very effective, but
> also highly unstable.
>
>
>>who have the strength to defend themselves is suicidal. The countries
>>of the Islamic world do not have much time to distance themselves from
>>terrorism.
>
>
> Or what? The US will invade? How many more countries do you think that the
> US could afford to invade?
>
>
>>John Savard
>
>
Bill, you sound like an apologist for the Islamic terrorists. What the
hell is going on in your mind?

Tim

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