Why do they hate us when we're so good? Why was the U.S. attacked?

Question

Why do you think the U.S. was attacked on 9-11? Because they hate our freedom? Or aggressive U.S. foreign policy? They want the world to convert to Islam? An intricate web of events going back to the end of WWII involving Israel, Islam, and Oil?

Answer 1

I think all your points are valid, but the main cause could be viewed as an over aggressive foreign policy.
The end of WW II & the events that immediatly followed have shaped the world in which we live for generations to come, & I don't think there's a way to turn it back, we will have to deal with a world where terrorism is a real threat within our own borders.

Answer 2

It's these two:

aggressive U.S. foreign policy
An intricate web of events going back to the end of WWII involving Israel, Islam, and Oil

Answer 3

Osama bin Laden's first goal is to overthrow the Saud Royals and bring an Islamic caliphate into rule over the Holy Sites in that country. He was arrested, imprisoned, and, because his father is wealth, exiled for trying this in Saudi Arabia.

His biggest complaint against the Sauds was that they allowed a US military base to be built in Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf war and it never left. He believed that this was a blasphemy on Holy land.

The Sauds hold to power in Saudi Arabia by keeping the support of the fundamentalist Wahhabi clerics and population (who fund the Islamic aggression worldwide) and by selling oil to the west - a tightrope walk.

bin Ladens targeting of the US Financial center was directed there because it is US money that funds the Sauds.

Bush quietly removed our base in Saudi Arabia after 9-11 to help take pressure away from the Saud Royal family. Some believe that he seeks to put a permanent US base in Iraq to replace it. Bush's goals in Iraq have changed several times and there is no real consensus on what exactly they are - but he has significantly widened opposition to the US in the middle east by his invasion of Iraq.

Answer 4

It's because we are the new empire, and there are people that resent that. There are U.S. troops in the Arabian peninsula, and have been in significant numbers since 1991. One of my friends did work in Dubai, and an Arab man said to him that as long as an American soldier is in the Arabian peninsula, there will be militant people that want to attack America and/or American citizens to coerce them to leave.

It's not because they hate our "freedom." I hate that. I don't feel free when I have to work 65 hours a week. Besides, there are so many other countries in the world now that are "free," that they can't single us out for that. If that was true, they would be attacking most of Europe, Japan, Australia & NZ, Canada and much of Latin America. Even countries like Turkey or Russia could be targeted if that was the reason.

It's more the imperial perceptions that seem to drive their hate. That's why they seem to attack the U.S. and Britain, who both have significant troop presence in the middle east. Since WWII, we haven't been able to figure out how to deal with the middle east, and then in 1947-48 we cast our lot with Isreal. If we loosened up on our support for Israel, we might gain a few more Arab/Muslim friends, but it's probably a moot point now.

And remember, it's really only something like 1 percent of the Muslim world that hates the U.S., and is willing to attack it. Although most disapprove of American foriegn policy. I'd wager there is a higher percentage of people in the United States that hate black people, than percentage of muslims that want to destroy America.

As long as we have troops on foriegn soil, we're going to have to deal with these threats. Rome dealt with it, (ie: Isreal, Scotland) Britain dealt with it (ie: South Africa and India), and we have basically replaced Britain as the global empire now, although it's much more economic domination than military, except for Iraq. We can choose to stop acting like an empire, but then other countries would likely step in. In the meantime, we will likely face the threat of attack until our position in the world weakens.

Answer 5

A friend said to me that one of the problems is that our beloved soldiers over in the Middle East are not respecting their way of life. They do not like our presence over there.
They have been telling us for years but the money is too good. Think of it as the north vs. the south.
Southerners did not like northerners telling them how to live and what to believe. We had the Civil War. Some say that it's still going on to a certain degree. They attacked us because they felt they had no other choice. We are talking about folks that are religious fanatics and not well educated.
If we educated everyone then these attacks would die down.
Why is that so hard to comprehend? Educated people don't fight. I'm not disrespecting our military. It has nothing to do with them. Many of them are highly educated. I'm breaking it down to the simplistic level here.
Most people don't fight with their neighbors over trivial matters. If your neighbor wants to wear wacky clothes, we pretty have a live and let live philosophy. They don't in the Middle East. Again, I'm breaking this down to basics or trying to. I am a very kind and gentle person. I have strong opinions but I'm not married to any of them. I am always seeking more knowledge and other points of view.

Answer 6

There's this book, What's So Great About America by Dinesh D'Souza that explains why we got attacked the way we did. They feel as if it was their religous duty- as stated in the Koran "slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Seize them,besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them, so basically it was their obligation to convert all to Islam, force if needed. The Islamic community believes that Americans are filthy in their ways and are sending bad messages around the world, and fear that the ideas of America are going to their children.

Answer 7

We were attacked by terrorist.

They have been brain washed to believe that anything and anybody that does not think and believe the way they do should be killed.

As long as there are people who's minds can be controlled by those promoting and teaching terror there will be wars against it.

I believe if we (the US government) had kept our noses out of the Middle East business than we probably would't have been hated so much by these groups.

Answer 8

If you ask "them"...they'd tell you it has something to do with our freedom (we have way too much fun), and converting all infidels (killing christians...this country, for some reason, is identified as such). The aggressive US foreign policy followed the attacks. We are happy to buy their oil, so I don't think that has much to do with it. They do want to destroy Israel, and we are their ally...but it goes back to the first and second point.

Answer 9

I think the reasons are split between economic class (Arabs). I think the ruling class does not want the U.S. to control OPEC and they have manipulated the lower classes into believing the West is worthy of jihad.

Answer 10

You have it right with "They want the world to convert to Islam"

Also, "they hate our freedom" is a factor