24 July 2008
Webster says terrorism is “the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.” Our foreign policy is fighting the “Global War on Terror.” As I mull over the meaning of terrorism I find it hard to believe that a war on terrorism will ever be won in the way that the military sees winning. Quell it for a while yes, but win it, no. All around the globe we see acts of violence and intimidation for political reasons. The mentality of the tribes in Africa and the sects in Iraq, in my opinion, will never stop the push for political gain.
Once again we face the reasons for violence and intimidation, religion or politics. These have been the cause of war since the beginning of time. A quest for power of a religious or political nature or maybe just power, the strong over the weak. I feel that it is long past the time for “winning” the war on terror and admit that this conflict really is not winnable. We, at a terrible cost in lives and money, have quelled it for a time but we need to let the Iraqis deal with their problem in their own way.
Afghanistan is another area where terrorism is growing and it also needs to be quelled, if not for our safety here at home, but for the Afghans themselves and give them the means to protect their own country. Let’s withdraw our combat troops from Iraq and be more vigilant here at home. As we have seen, the Iraqis have been organized to protect their own country and with or without Democracy they should be allowed to decide what is best for their country. Now is the time to help the Afghans route the Taliban, if that is what they want for their country. There is so much anti-Americanism in the Middle East since we invaded Iraq, that our intervention is causing more conflict and civilian deaths. Are the terrorists always wrong? Are we who are fighting terrorists always right?
What is terrorism and what is war? Panels of scholars have been unable to reach a consensus on a definition. Our conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan make a definition even more complicated. Deaths during an ongoing civil war, such as in Iraq, are not due to terrorism. Are we justified to interfere in a civil war in another country? What is right and what is wrong? Lot’s of questions but few answers. In Africa we see attacks by governments on their citizens but we do not call it terrorism and do no more than threaten. Maybe there is no oil there.
It is time for a public discourse about what we mean when we use the words “terrorists” and “civil war” and also what we mean by right and wrong.
Entries (RSS)