Why do terrorists attack the U.S.?
 

Is it our Freedom as bush says? Is it our presence in their "homeland?" is it our economic policies? foreign policy?

What? Why?

It's our Freedom.

EDIT: If you are going to provide a reason, please back it up with logic, a story, news accounts, facts, historical data...

Shaun- A person could write many books on this topic. Personally, I don't know how to condense it.

- Skip

I think there are several reasons. Part of it is that we are mucking around in their part of the world which they hate, but I think the other part is because we are on top, and the guy on top is always a target for everyone else. I think those are the 2 main reasons.

well, "Freedom" ain't going to cut it Skip :)

we'll be here all day, take a stab at it.

No. I'm serious. In this instance, I just don't know how to do it.

I know it may seem strange, or that I'm avoiding the tough question, but this is a very broad question. If I'd known I had to write a complete thesis, I wouldn't have answered.

- Skip

Many of the reasons you give likely contribute to their hatred of us.

I believe one reason is that they don't want to see their women liberated. At most women are considered lower tiered beings.
Another is the fact that we are considered infidels...worse yet we are physically trespassing on their space.

In their eyes we are forcing our plague onto them on many fronts.

Skip, Shaun's (and the rest of the liberals') bent version of 'logic' focuses on one point: The U.S. is the source of all problems in the world.

They have been attacking us far longer than 9/11. Their radical hijacking of a religion tells them to kill all infidels. Our culture accepts people of all religions and beliefs. They hate infidels, we accept everyone. They don't like that, and they want to destroy us for it--shaun will refuse to believe this, as it doesn't fit into his narrow definition of 'logic.'

The terrorists are now in iraq because they understand what a peaceful Iraq would mean to their way of life, and they are doing everything they can to stop it. The terrorists are coming from other countries in the area to Iraq, where we then promptly arrange a meeting between them and their Allah. If Iraq becomes stable and peaceful, with freedom and democracy, they fear it will spread to other countries in the region. Again, freedom accepts infidels. They want to kill infidels.

I thought they were just after Shaun! :confused:

MTV

Because they LIKE us.....

You'll have to explain your logic there... I don't see what they'd gain by attacking an ally.

I started a thread a couple of months ago where I essentially asked this same question. Mine was worded more towards asking what the ultimate goal of terrorism is, but these two questions are now intertwined.

When you really sit down and think about this, it is not a simple answer. Of course, that makes the solution that much harder. I don't think we are even close to understanding why they want to attack us, let alone coming up with a solution. Bush's "War on Terror" does not seem to be the right solution...

Mike

I think "freedom and democracy" are not really the issue. I think it is western culture which comes with the brand of "freedom and democracy" that we are attempting to establish.

Mike- I honestly believe you can answer these questions as simply or as complexly as you wish. And either can be right.

Obviously, I gave the simple answer above.

I think the solution can be the same way (both simple & complex). The simple solution is, you fight it - you don't compromise, reason or negotiate - you kill it - the best way you can.

- Skip

Bryan, I guess you haven't heard, the Navy says that the bush admin is aiding and abetting terrorists given the DHS's poor effort in disaster relief. And don't attack me, this is THE NAVY saying this.

Oh, and common sense also dictates that the bush admin is enboldening terrorists. How you say?

well, the guy that killed 3000 Americans 4 years ago is still FREE. He's not dead. He's not in jail. He's out in the world sending out quarterly video news releases.

What more encouragement could a would-be terrorist need? Kill Americanss and at best you are described as "marginalized." Funny, I don't recall "marginalization" as one of this things bush said was his goal after 9/11.

I do recall bush saying he doesn't think about OBL anymore.

That's got to enbolden terrorists.

In life, you need something to love and you need something to hate. It just so happens that the US fits the bill on both fronts to mutually different cultures.

When was the last time a country, any country didn't have an issue with another country? It gets worse the more passionate and religious the country.

Every coin has two sides, for every up there is down - love needs hate to define it self as does black needing white to establish the contrast. The devil needs God, God needs the devil. Without the di-pole moment it is zen and people aren't built that tight to handle it. The ruling powers (ecomonic, religious and political) know this. Without the opposing position your position weakens and becomes extinct.

That is your answer.

Foreign policy

Bryan, your statement here lacks supporting evidence. You would need terrorists attacking Canada, Sweden, etc. for your argument to hold true.

when are you going to start attacking the Navy for saying the admin enboldens terrorists?

95% religion IMHO. They see us as "The Great Satan" I'm not sure it gets much worse than that.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

That's a good one!!!!!!!!

The problem is that the simple solution won't work. How do you "kill it"? Do you mean kill the terrorists? Lotsa luck. Have you ever had a problem with ants in your house? You can mash each one of them as they come in, but the problem is they keep coming. You have to remove the reason that they are invading in the first place.

I think this analogy is somewhat valid when applied to our new buddies in the ME. We have to understand why this is happening and fix that. Not use the ol' "kill them all and let god sort 'em out" philosophy. They'll keep coming.

I think it is more important to try and understand why these acts occur. I don't think it's a simple as "freedom" or "their religion compels them to do it".

Mike

Attacking canada and sweden would have how much impact on the world? umm.... NONE!
I'm 99% sure you are taking the quote of one person in the navy and using it to represent the entire organization. Where's your source, Shaun. I have family and friends in all branches of the military, they all know what a noble service they are performing, and none of them feel this way. Not one.

Further proof of the death of personal responsibility in the U.S. You guys on the Right are worse than 70s liberals. get some balls, stand up for your actions... they have consequences.

the Right's "we live in a vacuum," head in the sand mentality to world affairs is alarming, dangerous, deadly.

Skip, if you can't answer the original question, you don't get mocking privileges. My thread, my rules.

At least Bryan put together a coherent statement. Sure, rush inspired, but he gets credit.

you guys are complicating the situation. Anybody, with a little effort, can put together a rather complicated reason why anything happens but boil it down to base elements and it is rather simple really.

I'm being quite sincere here when I say you are on to something Bryan, come on, finish the thought. we'll have you thinking right in no time.

There are a lot of dollars flowing into the middle east. Some people over there are BIG winners others don't get squat. This division of haves and have nots creates a climate where crackpots can recruit ignorant youngsters to do crazy things. The real shame is that these twisted individuals are using religion and culture to further their evil agendas. They want to rule the world and this is how they are going to try. I think the only way to diffuse these tensions is to stop the massive flow of dollars to the middle east. If we were energy self sufficient, we wouldn't have to deal with these idiots and we'd be able to put the necessary controls in place to keep them away from our interests.



(Avatar pic is Audrey Tatou - French actress, major babe)

jerry, who is that pic?

It's the glasses....
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1127151733.jpg

The question I think you mean is why do Islamic extremists attack the U.S. They use terrorism as they do not have the ability otherwise.

And where does radical Islam come from? The current strain has been traced to the last century and was a contemporary of Naziism and Communism. Hating freedom and democracy too simplistic an answer? It is not really..

Two down, one to go.

But what do they hope to gain, ultimately, from these actions? Their terrorism must have a goal? Unless it the equivalent of running up and whacking a hornet's nest with a stick just to piss them off.

Mike

I don't think it's Rachael Edward from Blade Runner, her face is a little flatter - tiny nose.


http://fusionanomaly.net/seanyoungbladerunner.gif

In the 1998 Osama bin Ladden "Letter to the USA" it was stated to run the USA out of the Saudi Arabian peninsula - which we have done under GWB.

There was some other crazy stuff in there too - should read it for yourself, it's on the internet.

Well on the Sunni side of the radical divide - OBL would like to stir things up and depose the Saudi family. It is all about power. These terrorist events are supposed to inspire the populations to overthrow all the Arab governments they see as corrupt. On the other side - the Iranians - they have sponsored much terrorism by proxy - but have yet to sic any of these groups on us... Yet.

What's this 'Freedom' that they hate you for?
Takes pretty big coconuts to preach freedom to an area that dates back 2500 BC when you've only outlawed slavery in the last 150 yrs or so. Hell - segregation only ended what? 50 yrs ago?

In answer to Shauns question? I think it's Foreign Policy issues. You crazy kids go to too many areas that you don't belong.

Take a look at it from another viewpoint - If any foreign country was occuping the US, would your citizens lay down arms or rise up and attack the occupiers and sympathizers?

AM

I am sure you are right on the money....but perhaps you could provide a link to the supporting data buttressing the above statement.
I'd appreciate it.

Yeah, like the return of Andalusia (part of Spain) to Muslim control. They lost that bit of real estate before Colombus sailed!

Skip, I gotta tell ya, I'm beginning to hate the word "Freedom." I recognize your further explanation that their hatred of us is complex and you're correct. But no, they don't hate us for our freedom. Like Steve says, it is our Western culture they have such a problem with, and freedom is just a part of that.

Freedom is also used by the cons to pretend as though freedom is the deregulation of business. So, "freedom" is being slung around as a political bludgeon, with the completely dishonest pretense that conservatives are all about freedom, while liberals and the rest of the world by contrast are the anti-freedom enemies. Give it up. Liberals and the rest of the world like freedom too. It's just that we're nto fooled into thinking "freedom" is something it's not.

Conservative activists could not have had a better heyday than recently. The so-called "Patriot Act" is the best example. Regulating people, and deregulating business is freedom. If you believe that, then

1) I've got a real estate deal that will make you rich beyond your wildest fantasies and

2) You are a conservative.