Is education the way forward in order to fight terrorism?

Question

I was in the UAE a while back and went on one of these Jeep Safaris and got talking to the driver who was a native Emiratey. We got on to the delicate subject of terrorism and he said that the reason Terrorist organisations have been unsuccessful in recruiting in the UAE was the simple fact of people being educated to high standards and that the education system for nationals was free and of an excellent standard.

Is this a too simplistic view? Your thoughts please?

Kebab Aziz? Oh come now, I bet you make a mean curry! Can I have some curry instead with a nice home made paratha...... please take me home to your mother and have her cook for me.... then we together we will educate you.

Raging MK makes a good point... Osama Bin Laden was a very well educated man and a scholar. So maybe it's not the way forward.

Answer 1

it's not just education, it's also the environemnt you grow up in.

If you live in a civilized western country, with free health care, education, strong law and order it's hard to appreciate what it's like living in the Gaza strip or the West Bank ...

If we saw our homes being bulldozed by Israeli tanks, our sisters being raped and killed by occupation troops how would we react?

In essence, sorry Mucky, you're very sweet, but yes, to blame lack of education is too simplistic - it's also stability, freedom of expression, freedom of religion ...

and sometimes even that's not enough - look at our own home-grown religious fanatics and terrorists...

glad you liked your vacation!

Answer 2

First of all a comment on your details. Is there actually any solid evidence that Osama Bin Laden is a terrorist, besides the whole running from the government and all that? Isn't it all a sort of assumption?

Anyway back to the question. Yes and no. Yes if it's the right type of education, because if for example someone is being educated in general and has a good mind then definitely, he'll be smart enough to know that terrorism is no good and that it's not the way to go at all.
No because it still depends on the type of education. Some people are actually convinced that doing something that'd be construed as a terrorist act is a good thing which is of course wrong and this is done through preaching maybe or whatever which is a type of education.
So in the end, it just depends.

Answer 3

Education is always the way forward.

Uneducated masses can only make uninformed decisions. They can easily be led astray by anyone who knows more than they do. They are easily impressed by talk they would laugh at if they had a decent education.

Governments have a duty to their nations to educate the population to the best standards possible and let the people be armed against people who would take them down the proverbial garden path. Look at how easily the masses were controlled in the middle ages up till the time print became available. Then people stopped and though for themselves with more facts in their hands. Knowledge could be shared more authoritively and rumours be dismantled.

Even today the media can lead people to believe whatever is fed to them but if there is an educated background, it is harder.

Educate anyway. And check what is being taught constantly, lest history be re-written to suit the present.

On the other hand, a good education isn't always a guarantee for success. For example, using figures for last year, did you know that in Romania there are a little over 7,000 people with HIV in a population of just over 22 million, yet in Spain, with a population of 40 million spaniards and 3 million foreigners we have 140,000 HIV positive citizens?

Answer 4

Yes education can help. How-ever, would also add a healthy dose of common sense into the equation. Have seen some highly educated people with no common sense and I wouldn't trust them to put their own shoes on, much less tie their shoe laces.

Hey, you better watch that Kebab Aziz, I doubt he would know how to make you a good batch of curry. Would be willing to put the 21 ingredients on a table (Curry-a blend of 3-21 ingredients) and he still wouldn't know what to do with them.

Answer 5

Education has no bearing on recruitment for terrorism at all. All education does is provide well-educated terrorists - the September 11 hijackers went to university. What does have a bearing on it though is draconian legal systems. In the middle east it is still possible to have your hand cut off for stealing. It is very much a case of the punishment fitting the crime.

Answer 6

No, i think that this is spot on. In the countries that breed terrorists there are schools dedicated to this horrendous cause. The international community should force them to be shut down and a good proper education should be given to these kids. It's the least they deserve. It would stop the early brainwashing they receive and give them a proper decent future without the hate that is being instilled in them.
If we can start here then i think these terrorist organisations would die out within the next generation.

Answer 7

the only coirrect method to fighting terrorism will be a multi facted one- use of aid, military and educational force- depending on which is required at that particukar moment. Remember also that the leaders of the terrorist organizations are highly educated.

Answer 8

too simple. obviously he DOES subscribe to the statement:
" just ignore it and it will go away" yes education or knowledge is power but when was the last terror strike in UAE? Also were there over 2,000 Innocent civilians murdered as with The Twin Towers? i think not.
Not to belittle him or be the super righteous, but of all the so-called humanistic in the world ,have the terrorist massacre their family and see if their views don't change.

Answer 9

Of course, Education is a keytool in order to PREVENT Terrosism, which is the most important thing, I mean TO PREVENT, both in the Western and Eastern Hemispheres, also North and South.
Getting to know each culture, the world and its cultures could lead people to be more tolerant, and with less prejudice and hate.
Let us remember that HATE is FEAR in disguise.
Ignorance often leads to misery and poverty and many Zealot Terror leaders take advantage of Ignorant and Poor Lads to join their Foul cause.

Answer 10

Education does help. It brings about a new awareness of self that would deter someone from blowing themselves, along with others.. up.
Although lots of educated people do stupid things also.

Terrorists are fueled by emotions. And if you screw their emotions enough they snap. I think the best way to fight terrorism is to keep things fair and just, so people, educated or uneducated would have little reason to be too angry and opressed to terrorize others.

Even educated people snap.