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| What next |
by majormajormajor |
2001-09-13 13:46:20 |
First off, I'd like to extend my sympathy to those who lost someone they knew in this terrible tragedy. Whatever the perceived faults of American foreign policy or past actions, no one deserves this. And I agree with what many have said - this was not an attack on just the US - it was an attack on the world.
I wanted to address the question of what next though. Listening to the talking heads in the TV box, you get the impression everyone wants blood, everyone wants war. Everyone's talking about nuking Afganistan, nuking Palestine, nuking Iraq, nuking something in sight that has an arab connection. I can only hope that when the US decides to respond, the response is just and measured. Personally I would like nothing better than to see whoever organized this, bin Laden or not, publicly strangled with their own intestines and I know it will make many people feel better.
Its not bin Laden, however, we need to worry about. He and his lot are finished: if not the americans today, it will be tomorrow the british, the french or the russians who will get him. He has been a thorn in everyone's sides for a long time. Who we need to worry about is some 10-year old kid on the streets of Gaza or in Sudan or some other poor arab country, who on Tuesday saw his parents dance and chant as thousands of american were dying on TV. Because he is thinking - when I grow up, I want to be just like those men who piloted the planes.
All the missle attacks, trials and assasinations of organizers of this act will not change his mind. For him they are martyrs for the cause and death is a welcome prospect as long as he can take a few westerners with him. US has won the war against Iraq, but it has lost the war for the hearts and minds of these people. That's why among them bin Laden is more popular than say the Royal Family of Jordan. What I consider poorly thought out statements of this administration throwing its whole-hearted support behind Israel made 3 months ago did not help the situation. In an interview with CNN king Abdullah of Jordan said as much - he said had peace been achieved in the middle east or serious progress made towards it in the past several months, this terrorist attack may not have happened. And not because the terrorists would have changed their minds, but because someone there in the middle east would have stopped them, because they saw another way.
At present, the only way out of this situation is a lasting peace in the Middle East. It is these kids that will become the powerbase for terrorists tomorrow and unless we *the world* can offer them a viable alternative to blowing themselves and us up to show how much they despise us and our indifference to their fate, 5-10 years from now we'll be staring down another disaster like this.
Don't take me wrong: I am not talking about appeasing terrorists, but US and the "civilized" world as a whole must win the war not against terrorism only: thats a foregone conclusion - it must win the hearts and minds of those arabs who danced in the streets on Tuesday, so that future occurences are prevented. It is going to be hard and I'm not convinced the present US administration has the political strength or will to pull it off: it is far easier to look strong and decisive in ordering missle attacks or Delta force extractions or other things of this nature, but the way I see it - its the only way.
That is of course, unless you belong to the camp that thinks that exterminating the whole arab lot is not a bad idea, because thats the only other option. |
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Exactly | by aix tom | 2006-11-19 12:55:59 |
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