What is the difference between terrorism and war?

[CaluWxBill]

Think of it this way.
The western hemisphere and our way of life is overtaking the entire world. Think of our materialism...Mcdonalds, Coca Cola, MTV, etc. These things have established branches around the world.
A lot of places, however, see this as decay and as something that will destroy the world for their sons, daughters and gradn children. They feel they must take arms to prevent this from happening.

In their mind will. We have not attempted to do any such thing - they hate our way of life. So, in a way, they have declared war on us and their terrorism tactics is the way they are choosing to fight their battle.

See will's post. yes they may hate our way of life, but they also see our way of life as endangering their way of life. these are the fundamentalist islamists, who still want their wives wearing burquahs, they certainly don't want them wearing bathing suits, and drinking cokes

[Stormsfury]

One Set of Fundamentalisms vs. another set of Fundamentalisms.

[CaluWxBill]

One Set of Fundamentalisms vs. another set of Fundamentalisms.

Well true, but we did not blatently attack there way of life, but I think it is seen as overbearing, and too popular, therefore, they have resisted. So they chose to attack us, and they got themselves in a world of trouble.

[Willh]

Think of it this way.
The western hemisphere and our way of life is overtaking the entire world. Think of our materialism...Mcdonalds, Coca Cola, MTV, etc. These things have established branches around the world.
A lot of places, however, see this as decay and as something that will destroy the world for their sons, daughters and gradn children. They feel they must take arms to prevent this from happening.

They came to our country and attacked us. Not our troops our civilians explain that

Perhaps they wanted to cut the head off of the snake, or were tired of swatting flies, as Bush put it?

[Stephanie]

I understand that CaluwxBill.

[Stormsfury]

One Set of Fundamentalisms vs. another set of Fundamentalisms.

Well true, but we did not blatently attack there way of life, but I think it is seen as overbearing, and too popular, therefore, they have resisted. So they chose to attack us, and they got themselves in a world of trouble.

Especially when they took 3,000 innocent lives that had absolutely nothing to do with their fundamentalist movement. I have a problem with facing changes, too, but I deal with it ... change is inevitable.

And exactly, we didn't attack their way of life, but obviously they are very threatened by change and they use religion for their so-called Sacred Reich.

[nystate]

So Will, if I understand your logic correctly, you think the killing of innocent civilians is reasonable if the actors are trying to protect their way of life?

So, certainly you would be fine with the US sending some B-52s and carpet bombing Kabul? Or Baghdad? Why not turn the Middle East into a radioactive parking lot? After all, that region seems to be giving us the most problems. With them out of the picture, we can protect our way of life, correct? And we won't have to worry about some ticked off fundamentalist ramming an airliner into one of our skyscrapers.


I like your logic... If the US takes it seriously, this war could be over in a week....

[Rainband]

So Will, if I understand your logic correctly, you think the killing of innocent civilians is reasonable if the actors are trying to protect their way of life?

So, certainly you would be fine with the US sending some B-52s and carpet bombing Kabul? Or Bagdhad? Why not turn the Middle East into a radioactive parking lot? After all, that region seems to be giving us the most problems. With them out of the picture, we can protect our way of life, correct? And we won't have to worry about some ticked off fundamentalist ramming an airliner into one of our skyscrapers.

I like your logic... If the US takes it seriously, this war could be over in a week....

well said

[Anonymous]

So Will, if I understand your logic correctly, you think the killing of innocent civilians is reasonable if the actors are trying to protect their way of life?

So, certainly you would be fine with the US sending some B-52s and carpet bombing Kabul? Or Baghdad? Why not turn the Middle East into a radioactive parking lot? After all, that region seems to be giving us the most problems. With them out of the picture, we can protect our way of life, correct? And we won't have to worry about some ticked off fundamentalist ramming an airliner into one of our skyscrapers.


I like your logic... If the US takes it seriously, this war could be over in a week....

Not to put words in his mouth, but I'm pretty sure that Will isn't attempting to justify their actions, just explain them in a context other than that they are hellspawns and cold blood runs through their veins. For the fiftieth time: looking at the situation objectively and attempting to understand their motivations and psychology is not in any way a sign that we support or condone what they are doing. It isn't "okay" at all. But it is understandable.

[Willh]

So Will, if I understand your logic correctly, you think the killing of innocent civilians is reasonable if the actors are trying to protect their way of life?

So, certainly you would be fine with the US sending some B-52s and carpet bombing Kabul? Or Baghdad? Why not turn the Middle East into a radioactive parking lot? After all, that region seems to be giving us the most problems. With them out of the picture, we can protect our way of life, correct? And we won't have to worry about some ticked off fundamentalist ramming an airliner into one of our skyscrapers.


I like your logic... If the US takes it seriously, this war could be over in a week....

The only point I'm trying to make is that it would be the correct thing to do to keep in mind that these are people as opposed to demons or devils. If not for sheer luck, you or I or one of our loved ones could be one of them. It helps nothing to give them a mystique and assign them the title of "evil". That's the type of thinking that creates just this sort of mess.
I would tell them the same thing in regards to ourselves...for they could use the knowledge just as well as we could.

[WEATHER53]

They are an insanely jealous lot who basically having succumbed to the yoke of tyranny and inevitable mind and spirit breaking thereof look to the life of free people of the world with great envy but disguise their envy with false "religious" disdain and with their absence of heart and the common goodness of mankind wish to try to take away the life we so cherish simply due to the fact that they can never attain it.

[Willh]

They are an insanely jealous lot who basically having succumbed to the yoke of tyranny and inevitable mind and spirit breaking thereof look to the life of free people of the world with great envy but disguise their envy with false "religious" disdain and with their absence of heart and the common goodness of mankind wish to try to take away the life we so cherish simply due to the fact that they can never attain it.

I disagree with this to a point.
I don't think it holds up to logical scrutiny...however, I do like the way you wrote it, lol.

I think, personally, that this is an overly idealistic manner of looking at another culture...basically assuming that ours is immediately more desirable.
If this is the case, why then do we have so many examples of Romantic era like theatrics? Why do so many Americans find life hollow, and search out religion or spirituality and, thus, find redemption and become at ease within themselves?
I think there is, to a small degree, a kernel of truth to what you are saying...however, I think it manifests itself in the chaotic world so many Muslims have found themselves in for the past millenia...hardly finding a footing for who they are and developing a real culture.
This would naturally lead to a more off balanced and less stable state of mind within a society...and thus I feel they're more apt to see us with our trivial happiness, gripping a hamburger and to lash out at us for doing so.
But, again, I still think it comes down to the same thing...we need not mask our enemies in a cloak of mystique...rather, we should remember they're people just as we are and defend ourselves accordingly.

[WEATHER53]

Good counterpoints Will. Good enough that I reevalute, per your observations, the idea that they view our culture as "inherently more desireable". I do not believe they desire it perse mostly becasue they do not understand it nor wish to understand it. I do believe that all human hearts have a yearning tendencing for goodness/happiness/ freedom yet a good portion of this culture has been so denied and suppressed that when they see a differing culture, ours, living life with some form of fundamental prosperity and happiness, it angers them not so much because they want it but because, if you wish, they want to wipe the smile off our faces ie back to my "jealousy" theme