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Originally Posted by powerclown
The question I ask myself is what can be done to stop this from happening again, not just to America but to anyone, anywhere. As radical as invading Iraq is, the methods to which fundamentalists use to express themselves are quite extreme as well.
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I think you believe their extreme methods require or justify an extreme response.
I think that their extreme methods are not very effective in terms of long-term change in their favor. But I think that, like their ineffective extreme methods, our similarly extreme (and people demonstrate their similarity by justifying one with the other--that is, some people seem to believe the US response is a just response; a response that is neither too little of severity nor is it too much.) methods will also be ineffective in the long run.
In my experience, people seem to distance themselves from extreme viewpoints and actions; conformity and stability are much less stressful than unpredictablity. I have not met anyone who condoned or supported terrorist acts.
But I think the same concepts apply when thinking about state sanctioned acts.
I don't see how state sactioned extreme behavior will engender popular support. It also seems to make us look violent and unstable to outsiders. So I don't support it as a strategy.