fighting this battle

[TAE]

Is it possible that we'll defeat this evil that we face today. terrorism. win this war in Iraq, and afganistan and whereever we go next. So we don't have to experience it here at home. That's the qeustion? will we win?

[Flyboy]

Regardless of how certain authorities may simplify the state of the world into the generic word of terrorism, it is not so simple.

You want a plain answer? No. 'We' won't win.

Why?

Because Terrorism has existed for centuries in various forms, if its not one example its another. Sometimes Terrorists get called Freedom Fighters.

A war of idealogy can never be won until you exterminate all those that don't hold your views. That is what this so called war on terror is about. It has reached the level where two opposing views on what the world should be can no longer coinhabit the world and things will continue to escalate. The Western world is as much to blame as the so called terrorist organisations. Now in no way, do I say that what extremist groups are doing is right. It isn't. But some feel that they are simply fighting to preserve their way of life, and with western dominance increasing in the world, in what some would view as the second era of colonialism, it's easy to understand their perspectives.

Until all societies and cultures can co-exist without one exercising unfair dominance there will always be individuals who quite rightly feel jaded that their civilisation is being eroded, and amongst those there will always be those that quite wrongly, take up arms to deal with this.

We don't live in the early 1940s. We can't just point to the bad guys in the opposite uniforms. It's more complex than that.

[P-90_177]

We may win against this group of terrorism but they'll always be terrorist attacks in some form or another.

[Anonmatel]

Is it possible that we'll defeat this evil that we face today. terrorism. win this war in Iraq, and afganistan and whereever we go next. So we don't have to experience it here at home. That's the qeustion? will we win?

wherever we go next ???? I think the one thing we have learnt from this exercise is that you can't simply move in troops and dispose of a leader and expect all the problems in the world to go away.

It is highly unlikely that there will be another war on terror in a long long time when this one is over.

[Adria]

Is it possible that we'll defeat this evil that we face today. terrorism. win this war in Iraq, and afganistan and whereever we go next. So we don't have to experience it here at home. That's the qeustion? will we win?

yes just drop a gatebuster on there hairy butts

[Flyboy]

It is highly unlikely that there will be another war on terror in a long long time when this one is over.

I wish I shared your confidence.

yes just drop a gatebuster on there hairy butts

Yes. Because that's how we should deal with everything. Kill people and blow **** up. We tend to forget that we are not fighting a unified enemy. We are not fighting an opposing army. They are civilians. Not only does thta blur the lines between combatant and non-combatant, but the reasons FOR the fighting should be addressed. Otherwise we're just wiping out all those with a different view to us. I am not defending Terrorists. But a lot of people need to look at the situation from an academic point of view and ignore propaganda for a second.

The American founding fathers were regarded as freedome figthers by some... but to others at the time, they may have been considered Terrorists. In a battle of idealogies, weapons are not the answer.

[Davesg-43]

well we could destroy the organazation but the radicalist will never get over the lost and atack in any way or form weather its stealing tax money or desroying an allied embasy

[Commander Jumper]

Why cna't we all just get along???? jees! and Dave check your PM's

[Davesg-43]

Why cna't we all just get along???? jees! and Dave check your PM's

50 6n the chaT N6W

[PG15]

No.

[Oka]

I don't think we can win. The Muslims will never stop hating us. For them to stop hating us we have to give up our freedoms, the American way. This is something we can't do. They see the western world as a threat to their way of life (subjugation of women, Islamism) and as long as the western world is around there is going to be terrorism.

What we can do is fight them wherever we find them. Defend our nation at every cost.

[The Great Lord Baal]

Win not a chance in hell people will always dislike other people maybe for reasons of race or reiligon Its a hard fact Of course the war in iraq or afganistan didnt help. Imagine know in iraq the average life epectancy has gone done sence the war there started.Afganistan has almost gone back to the way it was with the taliban retaking control oftowns in the country.If people really want to do something about the treat of terrorism something would be done about North Korea and that lunatic kim jung ill and when was the last time I heard something being done about mugabi in zimbabwe?.
One last thing oka you give the impresiion that all muslims are the same in your last post this is far from true in my experience

[DysfunctionalVeteran]

Flying Officer Bennett -


Regardless of how certain authorities may simplify the state of the world into the generic word of terrorism, it is not so simple.
Those authorities you refer to did not simplify it. Their critics did. It's called a Straw man.


...Terrorism has existed for centuries in various forms, if its not one example its another.
No it hasn't. That's not to say that people didn't behave poorly before now... they did.
However, what we are talking about is a 20th century invention; essentially developed by the KGB.
Now before anyone says anything, yes... I realize how that sounds at first glance.
But you have to understand that during the Cold War the US and the USSR used almost everyone on the planet as proxies for their own crap.
The Middle East was a perfect playground for this sort of nonsense for too many reasons to go into; although there was terrorism all over the world that was promoted by the Soviets. The 70's & 80's were the heyday of this.
When the USSR collapsed at the end of the 90's, terrorist organizations all over the world collapsed. EXCEPT for the MidEast of course. There are a number of reasons why, but that starts to get into a different topic.
The point is, while you can CALL practically anything "Terrorism" in order to try to support your point; the fact is that until the Cold War the complex pattern of behavior that IS terrorism simply didn't go on.



Sometimes Terrorists get called Freedom Fighters.
Only by people who are either dishonest or don't know any better.
What distinguishes Terrorism from Guerilla Warfare is the specific and intentional targeting OF non-combatants for the specific goal of producing an emotional reaction in Democratic Governments so that you can influence their foreign policy.
THAT, by the way; is part of why Terrorism is so new. You need certain political conditions to exist before Terrorism can even work.




A war of idealogy can never be won until you exterminate all those that don't hold your views.
Really? You mean all the Japanese, Germans and Communists are dead?
Man, I gotta get out more.



The Western world is as much to blame as the so called terrorist organisations.
Bull$hit.
That's called "Blaming the Victim".



Until all societies and cultures can co-exist without one exercising unfair dominance there will always be individuals who quite rightly feel jaded that their civilisation is being eroded, and amongst those there will always be those that quite wrongly, take up arms to deal with this.
More blaming the victim.
It's OUR fault that Democracy and Free Markets are so wildly successful.
Unfair dominance? Puh...LEEEZE.



We can't just point to the bad guys in the opposite uniforms.
That's because they aren't wearing uniforms.



It's more complex than that.
No, it really isn't.
Criminal activity is criminal activity.
The intentional targeting of civillians in order to create terror is WRONG.
There aren't a whole lot of things in this world that are black & white, but THAT is one of them.

[Flyboy]

I don't think we can win. The Muslims will never stop hating us. For them to stop hating us we have to give up our freedoms, the American way. This is something we can't do. They see the western world as a threat to their way of life (subjugation of women, Islamism) and as long as the western world is around there is going to be terrorism.

What we can do is fight them wherever we find them. Defend our nation at every cost.

Ok. So Muslims are the enemy are they? All muslims?

Dysfunctional Veteran;

1916 - The Easter Rising in Ireland. Terrorism.

Really? You mean all the Japanese, Germans and Communists are dead?
Man, I gotta get out more.

1) Different situation, World War 2 came about from a Facist government, the German people were only to blame for not having the strength to rise up when they could.

2) What the hell is wrong with Communism? PLEASE tell me we're not still branding a different view as "evil"?

We can't just point to the bad guys in the opposite uniforms.
That's because they aren't wearing uniforms.

Gee... that was my point.

No, it really isn't.
Criminal activity is criminal activity.
The intentional targeting of civillians in order to create terror is WRONG.
There aren't a whole lot of things in this world that are black & white, but THAT is one of them.

I never disagreed with that. But because of the fact that the problem is a dissatisfaction with the destruction of an alternate way of life, shooting people is not going to stop it. I've done a whole damn essay on this, killing those who fight for a cause does as much as making them into martyrs, and we all know what happens then. It increases the support. Once again, I refer you to the Easter Rising.

More blaming the victim.
It's OUR fault that Democracy and Free Markets are so wildly successful.
Unfair dominance? Puh...LEEEZE.

I don't like religion. Sorry but I don't. I don't like Christianity, and I don't like Islam. But. I am aware that EVERYONE has the right to their religion. Who the hell is the West to claim that the western way is better than the Eastern way? Should everyone just change to live the life of a Westerner? Should Muslim women walk around wearing bikinis if they feel its wrong!? THIS IS ABOUT IDEALOGIES. This isn't about blaming the victim. But it's reached a point where things are being antagonised.

http://jdallen.org/news/christian-te...mbing-in-iowa/ - Christian Terrorist.

The above is an example of how wide spread terrorism is, it is not just Muslims. Generalising Terrorism to all Muslims is purely wrong. It is a small number, but our tactics in dealing with them can only increase that number.

We need to get past the idea of "our own country" being God's gift to the world and accept that there are other cultures who have their own ways and those ways ARE NOT evil. Muslims are not evil. Yes the small group that take up arms against civilians are. But then you get Christians who do that, are all Christians evil? Different cultures exist. We need to accept that.

[Skydiver]

Actually, i think as long as Intolerance reigns, there will be terrorists.

Let's remember people that every group has its extremists. And declaring that all that practice Islam are terrorists in the making is the exact same level of fanaticism and intolerance that people are supposed to be fighting against.