The current depressing debate over whether or not the Iraq War has worsened the terrorist threat and if we aren't now busily making jihadis out of what would presumably be otherwise peaceful people isn't remotely interesting.
Except, maybe, as a lesson.
There are people out there who seem to think that our enemies derive their sole motivation based on our actions. If the United States does this, they do that; should we do that, they would do this.
Tied to this frankly childish view of human beings, cultures and civilizations is a related concept that holds that the source of all conflict is grievance.
Thus, if one (A) addressed the root grievances to a conflict while (B) refraining from conduct likely to provoke those with grievances then (C) peace will prevail.
It all sounds very logical, very rational and very, very moderate and reasonable, so it's no wonder all sorts of well-meaning fools are attracted to it.
What it leaves out, of course, is the humanity of the enemy. The enemy is reduced to a bag of grievances and an automaton who responds only when his buttons are pushed.
Read the whole thing. If you think that the "hate America First" crowd is a new phenomonon, read the rest of the article. Noam Chomsky is a Johny-Come-Lately. The Nazi propaganda of 1939 sounds right at home in 2006.
1 comment:
I am so sick and tired of this endless hand-wringing re: "why do they hate us?" Who cares! It's what they DO. Much like other traditional thugs and bullies down through the ages (Che Guevara et al. come to mind), they do it because they CAN. The very worst thing one can do is allow thugs, bullies, and sucker-punchers to get away with their sociopathy unpunished - all they do then is continue unabated. Smack them down hard and fast. You'd be amazed at how docile they then become. Trust me.
~(Ä)~
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