View Single Post
  #28  
Brandon Brandon is offline
The Center Square
Brandon's Avatar
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Migrant worker
Brandon is probably a spambot
Old Apr 15th, 2004, 03:09 PM       
Quote:
I agree with you that law enforcement efforts need to be increased to stop terrorism. However, your proposals only treat the symptom of a more pernicious disease and that is anti-Western hatred. Countries in the West, in particular the United States, are viewed as selfish and as having agendas that look after corporate interests over human interests. I mean, can you blame the large portions of people in Iraq who are spouting anti-American slogans? The U.S. military has crapped bombs all over the country, and now the American post-invasion administrators are handing over control of most of Iraq's infrastructure to American and pro-American corporations.
Tom, I acknowledge anti-American sentiment as a "root cause" for terrorism, but here's the problem:

"Root-causeism" is based on a conceit. Just as you can't possibly eliminate all poverty and economic inequality in order to prevent crime here, you also can't completely eliminate anti-American hatred abroad. The Arab world didn't just start hating the West in the late 20th century; it can be traced back to the fucking Crusades. I'm not saying we shouldn't soften our image, but the idea that anything other than attacking the "root causes" amounts to pure thuggery is based on intellectual snobbery.
Reply With Quote