A response in the Internet Forum - more Islamist content

[Gamblor]

I wonder what the world would look like today if the United States dedicated $87 billion and the might of the this great country towards construction of schools, hospitals, and infrastructure for our enemies. Imagine the impact that would have. Would they still hate us and kill us? Could they?

Assuming they continued to hate and kill us, would we still struggle to convince the world that our cause is just? Could any rational individual still take their side?

Armies, speeches, and 500-pound bombs will never truly convince anyone that what we want is peace. And until an understanding is reached with our enemies we will continue in the vicious cycle of hate that currently exists.

To be the world leaders we claim to be we must lead by example. Violence breeds violence. It does not conquer hearts and minds.


As someone with extensive personal real-life experience dealing with terrorism and terrorists, I can tell you that it's not worth being wrong.

Assuming they continued to hate and kill us, would we still struggle to convince the world that our cause is just? Could any rational individual still take their side?

It's not worth it. Fuck world opinion - most of the world hates you no matter what you do, even if you passed out lollipops and sang showtunes to geriatrics.

You do what you have to in order to keep your citizens safe, period. Even if it saves millions, is it worth the thousands of lives that would be lost if you're wrong? How do you explain to the parents and children of the thousands that they're really heros and that by getting blown to smithereens, they proved that we're "right" and now the world loves us?

They'll tell you the same thing Israelis have been telling their government for 4 years: we don't care about being right. Just keep us safe.

These people view your way of life as a direct threat to theirs - specifically, allowing women to wear shorts, rock music, condoms - it all points, in their minds, to loss of power for the Muslim clergy, and loss of devotion to Allah. And damned if those Imams (just like Presidents) in power are willing to give that up.

Your budget for that money is dead on. It's the right way to go, and it's the best way to go. But don't expect things to change anytime soon. We're talking at least a generation.

Their response to this threat? Use their strengths (the masses' faith) to brainwash the citizenry to kill the "unbelievers" until they sit in the corner and cower, so none of this "hedonist evil (free) American culture" will ever be exported to anywhere any of the millions they keep intellectually chained to the bedpost will ever find out about it.

This colonialism/imperialism thing? It's the only excuse they could give that the good-minded people of Western democracies would buy, and they fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.

[smudgex68]

[ QUOTE ]
As someone with extensive personal real-life experience dealing with terrorism and terrorists

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, I live in Milan and the traffic wardens are complete and utter bastards

[hetron]

Whoa. Lots of wild statements below- and above. First of all, how is the content of this post "Islamist"? It doesn't even mention Islam.


[ QUOTE ]
I wonder what the world would look like today if the United States dedicated $87 billion and the might of the this great country towards construction of schools, hospitals, and infrastructure for our enemies. Imagine the impact that would have. Would they still hate us and kill us? Could they?

Assuming they continued to hate and kill us, would we still struggle to convince the world that our cause is just? Could any rational individual still take their side?

Armies, speeches, and 500-pound bombs will never truly convince anyone that what we want is peace. And until an understanding is reached with our enemies we will continue in the vicious cycle of hate that currently exists.

To be the world leaders we claim to be we must lead by example. Violence breeds violence. It does not conquer hearts and minds.


As someone with extensive personal real-life experience dealing with terrorism and terrorists, I can tell you that it's not worth being wrong.

Assuming they continued to hate and kill us, would we still struggle to convince the world that our cause is just? Could any rational individual still take their side?

It's not worth it. Fuck world opinion - most of the world hates you no matter what you do, even if you passed out lollipops and sang showtunes to geriatrics.
[/q]

This is a convenient opinion for you to take- Israel gets WHAT percentage of it's GNP from US aid? The US has it's interests in almost every country worldwide. Quite simply, it can't afford to destroy goodwill against it.

[ QUOTE ]

You do what you have to in order to keep your citizens safe, period. Even if it saves millions, is it worth the thousands of lives that would be lost if you're wrong? How do you explain to the parents and children of the thousands that they're really heros and that by getting blown to smithereens, they proved that we're "right" and now the world loves us?


[/ QUOTE ]

Probably the same way you explain it to them when they die on the battlefield- they died for a greater cause. Except, this time it makes sense. Most people would probably think that building infrastructure for poor people is a greater cause than just invading them and killing them.

[ QUOTE ]

They'll tell you the same thing Israelis have been telling their government for 4 years: we don't care about being right. Just keep us safe.


[/ QUOTE ]

Why do you always draw these parallels between US and Israel? It is NOT the same situation. To begin with, the US doesn't need Israel as an ally. OTOH, the Israeli state would probably be in a lot of trouble if the US shut off aid to it.
Second of all, where does it say that violence increases "safety" of citizens? Weren't the amount of Israeli citizens killed LESS under Yitzhak Rabin (a lefty dove) than they were under Sharon?
[ QUOTE ]

These people view your way of life as a direct threat to theirs - specifically, allowing women to wear shorts, rock music, condoms - it all points, in their minds, to loss of power for the Muslim clergy, and loss of devotion to Allah. And damned if those Imams (just like Presidents) in power are willing to give that up.


[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe that is the case. However,that still doesn't mean that providing infrastructure to help reduce poverty in poor nations is wrong.
[ QUOTE ]

Your budget for that money is dead on. It's the right way to go, and it's the best way to go. But don't expect things to change anytime soon. We're talking at least a generation.


[/ QUOTE ]
So you are agreeing with the "Islamist content"? I don't get it.
[ QUOTE ]

Their response to this threat? Use their strengths (the masses' faith) to brainwash the citizenry to kill the "unbelievers" until they sit in the corner and cower, so none of this "hedonist evil (free) American culture" will ever be exported to anywhere any of the millions they keep intellectually chained to the bedpost will ever find out about it.

This colonialism/imperialism thing? It's the only excuse they could give that the good-minded people of Western democracies would buy, and they fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Except that the US invaded Iraq looking for WMD's. And found none. Then said that they were freeing the Iraqi people from Saddam's brutal regime. But then proceeded to sexually abuse, physically abuse, and even kill prisoners.
And denationalized the Iraqi oil industry.

I don't care about what the Imams say. As long as it isn't true.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

And denationalized the Iraqi oil industry.

Well, at least that's a good thing.