Is this correct about the Futility and absurdity of the War on terror ??

Question

1) They hate us for they see us as constantly interefering in their affairs and taking sides against them, and being on their holy lands, etc..
2) We believe that to stop them we must interfere in their affairs and take sides against them and invade their countries and set up governments that we can work with, or support dictators who oppress them who we can work with.

where do you see this little dance being in about 15 years?

Answer 1

I think you are correct in a general way. The leader of Al Queda has been very clear about what he is protesting. Most detractors misunderstand how any war is won, and choose a path that always leads to defeat albeit sometimes it takes thousands of years. Now that we have attacked the Muslims world once again we have to find a way to get them to give up or we have to give them what they want.

Specifically, there would have never been a 9/11 attack if we did not have troops in Saudi Arabia, and we did not support the attacks on Arabs in Lebanon. The attack on the towers was specifically symbolic of attacks on Lebanon. "And as I was looking at those towers that were destroyed in Lebanon, it occurred to me that we have to punish the transgressor with the same," he said, "and that we had to destroy the towers in America, so that they taste what we tasted and they stop killing our women and children."(Osama Bin Laden). I must admit that I probably personally took indirect part in this attack as a member of the US Navy at the time in the region.

The most common argument in favor of continuing the war is the belief that if you kill enough people the rest of them will give up. These people do not understand that the secret to winning a war is to get the other fellows to acquiesces. Viet Nam got its name when it was conquered by China more than 4000 years ago and they named it Nam Viet. They continuosly fought and lost for 4000 years with an amazing history of fighters, the Truong Sisters. When China pulled out they were attacked by the French whom they fought for for 40 years and finally won one battle. Finally, they fought and lost every battle having 2/3 of the population killed.

Results of fighting and losing battles for 4050 years? They won the war.



Winning the war in Iraq depends on having a plan that will make the other guy give up. The longer you fight, and the more people you kill the more you strengthen thier resolve.

When I was a young Petty Officer I trained with some of the officers that we are now fighting. Trust me they have nothing to lose. You can't take stuff away from them and get them to give up. They are not that far from living in the desert raising camels that this does not sound like an option to them.

I have access to a large University Electron Library with every paper and every magazine in a searchable format, and cannot find any time that an Al Queda member has said that we have to become Muslims to have peace. That was all propaganda trying to say we can never have peace, so we have to fight forever.

To win a war with them we need a card to play. I can't think of one. The alternative is to give them what they want.

The honest truth is that they do not have anything I want. I would rather not burn oil. What can they do with it besides sell it any way? It make no diffence whether they sell it to us or somebody else.

Maybe one of you can think of a reason to continue fighting them? I cannot.

If we were to continue fighting them, I cannot think of any way to defeat them. What do they have of value to threaten to destroy? And of course if you destroy it you have lost your ability to negotiate.

I know some simpletons will say kill them all. We are not that strong. The entire world would rise up against us if we tried, just as they did against Hitler.

I just do not see any path to victory. Do you?

So the only option is pulling out.

Answer 2

I guess the peace rally did not sell too well.

Answer 3

Well, 1) the etc. part includes for not being Muslims, and for living and breathing. Unless you plan on either becoming a Muslim or stopping living and breathing you better have a plan for dealing with them.

I think you stop them by making it an "ill bargain" to attack us. It has to cost the attackers more than its worth to attack us to get them to stop. That's why trying to use a proportional response only allows the violence to continue.

What is needed is a massive overwhelming counter strike that makes no distinction between the terrorist, and those that harbor and support them.

Answer 4

They hate us, because Leaders as did Hitler made hate work politically. I didn't know we were on their holy Lands, Is that like all the Saudi desert is Holy land because Medina, and Mecca are with-in it. There also with-in Asia so Is all of Asia their Holy Land. Their also on the Planet Called Earth so is the whole Planet their Holy Land??

People create hate because they have something (usually power for themselves) to gain by doing so.

The little dance 15 years from now ? possibly but I doubt it as the doves would rather have the war stay here on US soil, then over their on their soil.

and for comments along the way above.
Freedom fighters or Am revolutionaries are not necessarily Terrorist. Big difference, when the mission is to attack military targets or is it for the purpose to attack civillian non-combatant targets.
Only the Coward praises as hero's those who begin their day looking for infants they might be able to kill.

Answer 5

No, this is incorrect. What you have stated is a liberal point of view. Might I be so bold as to suggest your read both the Holy Bible (Judeo/Christian ) AND the Holy Qu'ran?
You should read Genesis 21 and Revelation 22:18-21.
And then you should read chapters 5 and 9 of the Qu'ran. Understanding that Mohammad came some 600 years after Christ.
Even if you do not believe either of these texts, there are those who do and they believe strongly to the point that they will wantonly kill anyone who does not believe as they believe.
In 15 years? Unless either side changes their views and beliefs or one side is completely obliterated from the earth, this war will continue as it has for centuries. The only alternative, is to replace oil as the basis of the world's economy and remove the emphasis on that region's natural resources.

Answer 6

Guess what... OIL runs the economies of the world. Oil produces the goods and moves the goods. Oil produces the food and moves the food. When a better alternative becomes available, capitalism will be there to produce and promote it. You can bet it won't be invented by some third world country who doesn't INTERFERE in world affairs. Without US interference, millions of people would(as opposed to maybe) STARVE.

Answer 7

You make a point, but it lacks depth--is a quite shallow analysis in fact. Given that logic, in the 1930's Europe followed the correct policy of appeasement with Nazi Germany. "I believe this is peace in our time" was British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlains famous quote--after giving ground to Hitler's Germany-shortly before the Nazi's invaded Europe.
Had Sir Winston Churchill aceeded to the PM position in the 1930's (he warned against Hitlers Germany for years but was not listened to) and militarily taken Hitler out before he bacame to powerful---he would have been pilloried in the press, villified as a war monger, voted out by his own people-and no one would have known the 70,000,000 lives that would have been saved because of that action.
People can hate Bush, call the US terrible--but (especially post 9-11) what people really wanted out of GWB was to react only to those threat analysis that would come true. Unfortunately no one in this world has a crystal ball--all you can do is make the best decision at the time based on the best information possible.

Answer 8

One man's terrorist is another man's Freedom fighter.

I believe that the British regulars probably considered the revolutionaries in america something akin to terrorists during the colonial period.

p.s; i can't answer that question about the 15 years dance.

Answer 9

That's a very fair question that I suppose only time will tell. As with any conflict there are gains and losses and this is no different. Only at the end game will we truly be able to say if the result was worth all....

Answer 10

Seem to sum it up to me. Hopefully, we'll be out in 15 years.