Is it really so hard for our enemies to understand that the only effective means of negotiating w/ the U.S...?

Question

.….. is through peaceful measures (e.g. diplomatic dialogue; widespread non-violent demonstrations; feats of kindness and generosity; gestures of humanity and compromise; cultural exchanges, etc.) and NOT violent acts of terrorism? After all, reading the "enemy’s" inherent characteristics and mounting a battle plan accordingly is a major component of any "war (or peace)" strategy. ... Or are these people innately, ideologically, religiously and/or culturally bent on bloodshed as the only option/instrument for securing their respective interests?

Answer 1

a eye for a eye goes pretty far over there...................

Answer 2

They are the ones intent on "bloodshed?" Believe it or not, we helped this thing along more than we've helped to prevent it. They no longer want anything from us; we want something from them. We want our perceived enemies to take over some of the responsibility for security in Iraq, but we are the ones that created the instability problem they have now. Most of the fighting is between rival tribal and religious factions. Once the US is out of their, terrorist groups linked to bin Laden will be the first to be driven out. The Iraqis are in a civil war, like it or not. We don't want to keep our troops there any longer. The public is now pretty clear on that issue. Many of us knew that it would be a horrible mistake in the first place. They went to war without really thinking this through, and now you're really asking this question? Your whole underlying principal in asking this question is absurd. We're no longer in a position to demand. We've place these people you call "our enemies" in a position where they have the upper hand. The American public will not tolerate another large-scale conflict, if there is no direct evidence that there is a DIRECT threat. Even Iran's nuclear program is not currently a direct threat and even they are smart enough to know that you can't just go using nuclear weapons all willy nilly. Take a look at Pakistan. They are an Islamic republic with a hostile neighbor with nuclear weapons on their boarder, yet neither nation has faced a serious threat of being nuked. At the time India acquired nukes, they were more closely allied with the Soviets than the US.

Even though you wouldn't ever be able to tell by watching the American media, those that are extremists make up only a small portion of the total population of the Arab world. Add to that the fact that the coutries that we really need to focus are attention on (Saudi Arabia, Egypt) are being passed over, while we focus on places like Iran and Syria. Iran just doesn't have religion to fire up the masses - most of whom are no longer enticed by martyrdom, they also have nationalism, which is a much stronger force to contend with. We should know this as a very nationalist country ourselves. Your wording of your question makes this very apparent. You're asking this question from a strictly American viewpoint without even considering the broader picture. Try looking at the entire situation objectively and you might not need to ask such stupid questions.

Answer 3

Even though you wouldn't ever be able to tell by watching the American media, those that are extremists make up only a small portion of the total population of the Arab world. Add to that the fact that the coutries that we really need to focus are attention on (Saudi Arabia, Egypt) are being passed over, while we focus on places like Iran and Syria. Iran just doesn't have religion to fire up the masses - most of whom are no longer enticed by martyrdom, they also have nationalism, which is a much stronger force to contend with. We should know this as a very nationalist country ourselves. Your wording of your question makes this very apparent. You're asking this question from a strictly American viewpoint without even considering the broader picture. Try looking at the entire situation objectively and you might not need to ask such stupid questions.

Answer 4

As a vet of the first gulf war and having actually been there and met these people, worked with them and fought with and against them all I can say is it is their nature. I have witnessed the Kurds fighting Iraqis. Then within the hour turn and fight another Kurd family from a different clan.
Biblically speaking it is said there will always be wars and talk of wars. It follows that warfare is with us as long as there will be difference of opinion.
In countries with an absence of free speech and an educational system that abhors teaching citizens how to think and reason..the fanatics are free to mold the minds of future generations based upon the mantra of the controlling interest.
As for Bin Laden and his terrorist group (which is not a state) there is and cannot be negotiations because he represents no one but himself. He is a criminal and should always be ; until duly elected or appointed as head of state. He has no legal standing thus cannot enter into negotiations because he represents no one.
Iran now is a different story but same book. Here we have a country with a state sponsored religion and no other religon is tolerated. You are free to think only as a priest or the "holy grail" directs. Your educational system embodies the religion and you learn to think only as the religious leaders would have you think. Iran with its current government will never negotiate in good faith because theirs is the only true religion. As true believers they cannot compromise and risk the repurcussions of "sinning".
They will not be at peace until Islam is the world religion. Oh, there will be periods of little or no hostility once Isreal is destroyed but then they will turn on other muslims much like the kurds do now.
In short you answered your own question. "these people are innately.....securing their respective interests. Some may try to tell you it is the U.S., Big Oil, Isreal, or any other made up poppycock but the fact is that because we are free to speak and worship as we please we are a threat to them and their design to have the world practice Islam.

Answer 5

You've addressed a great question. I'd say the answer is, both positions. If we read history, despots have always raided the common folks, to take their supposed due. The Kings always have taken the spoils and left the commoners literally nothing. It is no surprise that the people we are presently in a major battle with have used just such a methodology for more years than I can knowledgeably address of just go and take what they want and drat those who get in the way. When these have been their methods for so many generations, the people do not know any other way, and because of that are not responsive to efforts to negotiate. To them the question plausibly would be "what does that mean." To them they (the despots) would have long since just gone out and taken what they want. It is my position being innately, etc., bent on bloodshed is far too sophisticated a theory.

I believe it is very basic. If the conflict could be set aside for a few eons while we help teach "them" the fine nuances of communication, negotiation, kindness, generosity, gestures of humanity and compromise, for instance, then we could address the issues of this war within the first position. Much preferred, but not going to happen in this time.

Going one step further, and final for this time, I believe all of the people of all countries are good fine people, who want what is good for their families, their children. They want peace and safety for all. In addition, I believe they believe in that for us in America as well. They get caught up in what their rulers tell them about us, and what should be done about it. If we are not careful, we will believe what our politicains tell us about what they want, and will believe it too. So we have come around full circle, to where the politicians breed discontent, grasping/taking and we remain with the retorical questions.

Answer 6

They are people that innately, ideologically, religiously and culturally bent on taking over the free world and making everyone Islamic. Islam is a political force far more than a religion, and when the radicals spread terrorism, their own people crumble under their threats and join in to protect their own life and that of their families; and, if not are killed in their own homes. Anyone who doesn't value life on this earth and will die for their beliefs is any enemy that cannot be beat, without the same commitment. The only thing that will defeat this radical terrorism is to meet it head on and wipe them out. Sure many innocents will die, but if we don't stop them, we, the free world will, and the life we know.

Answer 7

No enemy never think about peaceful negeotions or non-violent demonstration. Only the people that want peace and thats because in order to be an enemy evil have to penetrate the heart and when a person/people are full of hate then there is no room for love which is what we need in order to have peaceful negeotions and peace talks and peace demonstrations. Peace requires love.

Answer 8

Is it really so hard for US, the U.S., to understand that the only effective means of negotiating with others is through peaceful measures (e.g. diplomatic dialogue; widespread non-violent demonstrations; feats of kindness and generosity; gestures of humanity and compromise; cultural exchanges, etc.) and NOT with war?

Or maybe WE'RE innately, ideologically, religiously, and/or culturally bent on bloodsheed as the only option/instrument for securing OUR respective interests...

Answer 9

On the contrary, I believe that they've got a very effective means of dealing with America. Due to several events (like the formation of Israel after WWII, where we effectively took arabic holy land to make a 'safe haven' for jews for one), we have instilled a great deal of hate. It's true that they don't have a great and powerful army to defend themselves, but they went about their terrorizing w/ very intelligent, tactical moves. Like, how can you get rid of a terrorist organization if it can be any random person, and you are not technically at war with a country? how will you find them, keep them out of your country? There's nothing that immediately labels them a terrorist, and just a few people getting through can do extensive damage like seen on 9/11 and countless other times in other countries.
Don't think of them as evil psycho people out to get america; history made them what they are today. You should do a little research (an NOT with an American source, b/c most have a US bias) on arabic history, and see what's really gone on. I'd be pissed off as well if a new country was dropped out of nowhere, made by arabic land, and created and to this day assisted by the american government.

Answer 10

Really, the terrorists have major holes in their souls and anger control problems. They are passionate about what they believe in, so passionate, that they loose sight of all their loved ones that potentially may loose their life. They almost have the spirit if Hitler possessing them. They are so misguided and have the inability to accept change and cultural diversity. They go about the resolution solely impulsively and without heart and soul.
The enemies we face are ever changing in hopes of getting an edge over us the U.S. They forget that our Country is an Allie of God's Sovernge nation of Israel and that this gives the U.S an edge of protection that is beyond their comprehension. They may occasionally win a battle, but we ultimately will win the war.

Answer 11

Yes. The reason they don't negotiate peacefully is because they will not accept any solution that does not include eliminating the U.S. and Israel. They really are innately, ideologically, religiously and/or culturally bent on bloodshed as the only option/instrument for securing their respective interests.

If you look at the attacks on the U.S., you'll see the following list over the past 22 years:

Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979;
Beirut , Lebanon Embassy 1983;
Beirut , Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983;
Lockerbie , Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York
First New York World Trade Center attack 1993;
Dhahran , Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996
Nairobi , Kenya US Embassy 1998;
Dares Salaam , Tanzania US Embassy 1998;
Aden , Yemen USS Cole 2000;
New York World Trade Center 2001;
Pentagon 2001

All of those attacks were initiated by terrorist Muslims. Terrorist Muslim leaders are fanatically bent on killing all of us "infidels." Losing the war in Iraq really means that we would no longer be the premier country in the world. The attacks will not subside, but rather will steadily increase. They want us dead, not just quiet. If they had just wanted us quiet, they would not have produced an increasing series of attacks against us, over the past 18 years. The plan is very clearly for terrorists to attack us until we are neutered and submissive to them.

If that happens, we will have no future support from other countries for fear of reprisals and for the reason that they would see that we had become impotent and could not help them.

Pursuing the same strategy they use now, terrorists will continue to pick off other non-Muslim nations, one at a time. They already hold Spain hostage. It doesn't matter whether it was right or wrong for Spain to withdraw its troops from Iraq . Spain did it because the Muslim terrorists bombed their train and told them to withdraw the troops, so Spain is finished.

The next will probably be France . Our hope in France is that, with a new leader, they might see the light and realize that if we don't win, they are finished too, since they can't resist the Muslim terrorists without us. However, it may already be too late for France . France is already 20% Muslim. We'll have to see how this new leader handles his command.

Our enemies in Iraq are people who chemically killed 400,000 of their own people. They burned Americans, dragging their charred corpses through the streets of Iraq. They behead captives on video and circulate that video footage all over the world. They do this because it works - it intimidates anyone thinking about opposing them or engaging them in combat.

And that's just Iraq - we haven't discussed North Korea, Libya or any of the other countries in the world whose ideologies are in line with those of the radical Muslims behind al Quaida. And don't get me started on Chavez, either. Socialism and communism have been repeatedly shown as destructive forces in every country they've controlled, yet they continue to push their ideologies as if those ideologies will succeed.

Name any Muslim or socialist country throughout the world that allows freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal rights for anyone (let alone everyone), equal status or any status for women, or that have been productive in one single way that contributes to the good of the world.

That's why our enemies won't negotiate peacefully with us - they don't want us to continue to exist in our currrent state.