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Originally Posted by ubertuber
A real "war on terror" would address the factors that motivate such a violent expression of anger/frustration/desparation/whatever so that we wouldn't be seeing more people popping up all the time.
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I admit that aspects of the "war on terror" have been farcical. Whoever has been running the p.r. machine at the whitehouse the last 4-5 years should have been fired long ago. I don't appreciate listening to Rumsfeld say that mass looting days after the overthrow of Hussein should be rationalized away by saying people are simply "venting their naturally pent-up frustrations living under a dictator for 30 years" or that troop levels were adequate from the start.
On the other hand, I hold responsible the media outlets, journalists, politicians, etc. who are deliberately and cynically pursuing agendas detrimental to each and everything and everyone involved in any aspect of dealing with reform and/or terrorism. I believe that the people who are operating in the real world in these matters, on behalf of their country and their allies (current and potential), are fully aware of the underlying reasons for terrorism. I don't believe that these people are operating from a position of absolute ignorance or arrogance as some would have it. These are people highly educated, highly experienced, with years, decades, of working in the field of international terrorism (Richard Clarke comes to mind).
On top of this layer you have another layer of people who place no blame at all upon the perpetrators of the events such as those in the 1st post. They say of them: they hold no responsibility for what they do, they are helpless, downtrodden victims valiantly fighting the real forces of evil in the world, they have no right to meddle in their countries (overlooking the fact that they've been INVITED IN more times than not), and on down the line.
When one steps back to consider that the Industrialized World is +/-100 years old, and the Information Age ~ 30 or so - ie., an infintesimally short period of time in human existence - it stands to reason that the kinks need working out. I understand that certain groups feel their dignity has been abused, and therefore lash out. But one would think there need come a time when deals need to be made with those in power, opportunities exploited, development commenced, and self-defeating fury abandoned.