If the terrorists hate the American Govrnment so much, then why do they kill the people?

Question

This has gotten me confused. For the people who've seen my previous question, you say the only thing about America that certain other countries hate is the government and foreign policies. However, if that's true, why don't you just settle your disputes on a battlefeild rather than killing innocent people who have absolutely nothing to do with what our government has done to you. Is it because you have limited military resources and cannot face America equally, because I don't believe that's true. If all the anti- American factions uniyed, they would be a force to reckon with. I can support you fighting us on a battlefeild, but killing people by sending agents over here to highjack and destroy doesn't really bring a message to us. it just pissed us off, and united all our factions.

Answer 1

Since the second world war, the distinction between civilian population and military has diminished. America has fire bombed complete German cities during the second world war, targeting civilians. We also nuclear bombed Japanese cities, clearly designed to kill civilians. Israel routinely kidnaps Paletinian political leaders who are not military. Civilians are not considered innocent in modern warfare, because they support the military campaigns with their money and labor. Still, all militaries try to limit civilian casualties, but in an all out war, those limitations are not usually observed.

Specifically, those who attack us do not consider the civilian population innocent, because they hold us responsible for the actions of our elected government. And they are in an all out war for their very existence, so the niceties of rules of war go out the window. More strategically, they want to provoke our government to killing their civilians, which will expand the war, and gain support for their political message throughout the world. The invasion of Iraq did precisely that, and it was a strategic victory for them.

Answer 2

Hatred of this level is a very difficult thing to understand. It also does not always make logical sense. Remember that these people are a MINORITY when it comes to the countries that they live in and they do not represent a group large enough to have an all out war with Democracy (not just America, it is ignorant to think that they only want to attack us, we are not that important), and terrorist attacks, while cowardly, are unfortunately effective. I wish we were still united as you say, but remember that there are people in this country who have not stayed the course and have changed their minds. We need to stay strong as a country and fight this fight for our children and grandchildren.

Answer 3

What a good question! Perhaps the terrorists should start at the top with the ones they are really fed up with! Despite trying to elect officials that have our best interests in mind, we seem to keep electing liars who only have their own interests in mind.
When are we gonna get fed up?