Sunday, January 06, 2008

Foreign Paulicy vs. Rudy's "War on Us"

During the Republican debate Saturday night, the main sticking point between Ron Paul and the other candidates was once again foreign policy. Dr. Paul tried to explain that our military presence around the globe, as well as our propping up of foreign dictators helps create people like al Qaeda who hate us. Rudy Giuliani countered with the incredible statement that people in foreign countries hating us has nothing to with our foreign policy.

Disagreeing with the mayor’s assessment is Michael Scheuer, a 22-year CIA veteran and expert on bin Laden, Afghanistan and South Asia. He really drives this point home in his book Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror. Scheuer says: "The fundamental flaw in our thinking about Bin Laden is that ‘Muslims hate and attack us for what we are and think, rather than what we do.’ Muslims are bothered by our modernity, democracy, and sexuality, but they are rarely spurred to action unless American forces encroach on their lands. It's American foreign policy that enrages Osama and al-Qaeda, not American culture and society."

According to Scheuer, the six U.S. policies that bin Laden repeatedly refers to as anti-Muslim in his recruiting efforts and fatwas are:
U.S. support for Israel that keeps Palestinians in the Israelis’ thrall.
U.S. and other Western troops on the Arabian Peninsula.
U.S. occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.
U.S. support of Russia, India, and China against their Muslim militants.
U.S. pressure on Arab energy producers to keep oil prices low.
U.S. support for apostate, corrupt, and tyrannical Muslim governments.

Here’s some quotes from bin Laden himself:

“Many people in the West are good and gentle people[.] I have already said that we are not hostile to the United States. We are against the system [i.e., U.S. foreign policy] which makes nations slaves of the United States, or forces them to mortgage their political and economic freedom.”

“We say our terror against America is blessed terror in order to put an end to suppression, in order for the United States to stop its support to Israel.”

“Just like you kill us, we will kill you.”

“Your security is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush or al Qaeda. Your security is in your own hands. Each and every state that does not tamper with our security will have automatically assured its own security.”

“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, 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.”

“It should not be hidden from you that the people of Islam had suffered from aggression, iniquity and injustice imposed on them by the Zionist-Crusaders alliance and their collaborators; to the extent that the Muslims blood became the cheapest and their wealth as loot in the hands of the enemies. Their blood was spilled in Palestine and Iraq. The horrifying pictures of the massacre of Oana, in Lebanon are still fresh in our memory. Massacres in Tajikistan, Burma, Kashmir, Assam, Philippines, Pattani, Ogaden, Somalia, Eritrea, Chechnya, and in Bosnai-Herzegovina took place, massacres that send shivers in the body and shake the conscience. All of this and the world watch and hear, and not only didn't respond to these atrocities, but also with a clear conspiracy between the USA and its' allies and under the cover of the iniquitous United Nations, the dispossessed people were even prevented from obtaining arms to defend themselves. The people of Islam awakened and realized that they are the main target for the aggression of the Zionist-Crusaders alliance. All false claims and propaganda about "Human Rights" were hammered down and exposed by the massacres that took place against the Muslims in every part of the world.”

“Thinking people, when disaster strikes, make it their priority to look for its causes, in order to prevent it happening again.”

Even though we may disagree with bin Laden’s assertions, there are many Muslims who do agree and are willing to die to stop it. Until we recognize that fact, we’re doomed to hemorrhage American blood and treasure into foreign sand. Unfortunately, I don't think even the good doctor can inject this into our political dialogue.

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