How many people out there believe that we can wipe out the Hydra of terrorism with force? We chop one head off and three grow back, because of IDEALS. We use our doctrines of enforcing our ideals in order to control the world so we can protect our interests. Granted, terrorism is a big problem, but realistically, is it really sound to think that we can use practically unlimited freedoms in order to justify the invasion and control of people who live extremely conservative lives? Why not just leave them alone and let the rest of the world look out for itself unless they ask for help? Wouldn't that send a message, saying "Hey, take a chill pill," but no, we are ready because we have always been ready ... "to ruuuulllllle thee woild". Have we not learned our lesson yet? Why not just clamp down further? Because we have always had this open-door policy, we should just keep doing the same? Because by leaving them alone, we show weakness and are perceived as losing? This really takes the cake.

Terrorism is not something you control, it's something you prevent.

 

 

An ounce of prevention equals...

That terrorists act because of what we believe rather than what we do is a myth, and a dangerous one. Western ideals are not the problem. Western support of military occupation, that has been known to put bees in people's bonnets. Resolving conflict in Israel, through non-violent means, would go a lot further than yet another war.

I agree that we should avoid war. By an unhappy coincidence, the oil reserves in the middle east mean that we have a vested economic interest, which means that our involvement in that area is not purely unselfishly.

 

Once we reduce our dependency on foreign oil, we can go back to ignoring the middle east, like we do with the rest of Africa.