Thoughts on 9/11

[Eric the Red]

I was hoping 9/11 would help the US learn and change our ways, I'm not sure it happened.

There are lots of specials on television about this day and that's fine, I guess.

But what I'm looking to here is discussions and reactions to Americas "wondering "why did this happened?" "Why do these people (terrorist) hate us so much?"

And don't give me that friggin crap "They hate our freedom" That's such an easy copout. That's a thoughtless answer. That to me is a very unpatriotic, very unAmerican answer. If you think that your a very simple person aren't reading enough. Someone who follows the government blindly. In a country where were allowed to read and say, for the most part, what we want, you aren't serving the Constitution.

Our government does so many wonderful things for other countries, yet on the flip side so many horrible things. And I'm not just talking about GW Bush, I'm talking about every president regardless of political party.

Ask yourself, "Why do they hate us so much?"

Refuse to accept, aaaaahhh ddduuhhhh, "They just hate our freedom."

 

[bennychico11]

Ask yourself, "Why do they hate us so much?"

wasn't it the writers of South Park that said (and scripted),

Afghan kid: "It is not just the Taliban that hates America. Over a third of the world hates America!"

Stan: "But why? Why does a third of the world hate us?"

Afghan kid: "Because, you don't realize that a third of the world hates you!!!"

 

[AR Husker Fan]

It's pretty complex, but to boil it down I'd say it's been America's policies in the Middle East for decades. In other words, and to echo Eric's thoughts, it isn't the current administration, Clinton, the first Bush, Regan, etc.

Our Middle East policy has had two main features:

1. Support of Isreal

2. Support of regimes that provide us oil.

The first is a problem because, to most in the Middle East, Isreal represent an "invader" to the region. Our support for them makes it appear that we have had some agenda to replace or remove Islam from the region. And the current adminstration's stated goal of "democratizing" the Middle East has merely excerbated that stance.

The second problem caused us to not concern ourselves with the societal issues that resulted from our support of certain regimes, and that has made us appear as supporters. Thus, you have a Saudi Arabia that suppresses its people. They look at the world and wonder why the US supports the regime - and come to hate it in the belief that the US is doing it for more than just oil. Again, to remove Islam from the region.

Combine those feelings - that the US is an invader trying to change the very fabric of the Middle East and the somewhat contradictory feeling that we are supporting suppresive regimes - with the fact that most citizens of the Middle East live below poverty and with no real freedom, and the US becomes a natural target.

bin Laden was smart enough to play on this, and to expand it into a jihad against all "Christian" nations.