Posted on 07/25/2005 12:01:16 PM PDT by grundle
http://peacejournalism.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=4066
Ending Suicide Terrorism
by Rep. Ron Paul
More than half of the American people now believe that the Iraqi war has made the U.S. less safe. This is a dramatic shift in sentiment from two years ago. Early support for the war reflected a hope for a safer America, and it was thought to be an appropriate response to the 9/11 attacks. The argument was that the enemy attacked us because of our freedom, our prosperity, and our way of life. It was further argued that it was important to engage the potential terrorists over there rather than here. Many bought this argument and supported the war. That is now changing.
It is virtually impossible to stop determined suicide bombers. Understanding why they sacrifice themselves is crucial to ending what appears to be senseless and irrational. But there is an explanation.
I, like many, have assumed that the driving force behind the suicide attacks was Islamic fundamentalism. Promise of instant entry into paradise as a reward for killing infidels seemed to explain the suicides, a concept that is foreign to our way of thinking. The world's expert on suicide terrorism has convinced me to rethink this simplistic explanation, that terrorism is merely an expression of religious extremism and resentment of a foreign culture.
Robert Pape, author of Dying to Win, explains the strategic logic of suicide terrorism. Pape has collected a database of every suicide terrorist attack between 1980 and 2004, all 462 of them. His conclusions are enlightening and crucial to our understanding the true motivation behind the attacks against Western nations by Islamic terrorists. After his exhaustive study, Pape comes to some very important conclusions.
Religious beliefs are less important than supposed. For instance, the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, a Marxist secular group, are the world's leader in suicide terrorism . The largest Islamic fundamentalist countries have not been responsible for any suicide terrorist attack. None have come from Iran or the Sudan. Until the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Iraq never had a suicide terrorist attack in all of its history. Between 1995 and 2004, the al-Qaeda years, two-thirds of all attacks came from countries where the U.S. had troops stationed. Iraq's suicide missions today are carried out by Iraqi Sunnis and Saudis. Recall, 15 of the 19 participants in the 9/11 attacks were Saudis.
The clincher is this: the strongest motivation, according to Pape, is not religion but rather a desire "to compel modern democracies to withdraw military forces from the territory the terrorists view as their homeland."
The best news is that if stopping suicide terrorism is a goal we seek, a solution is available to us. Cease the occupation of foreign lands, and the suicide missions will cease. Between 1982 and 1986, there were 41 suicide terrorist attacks in Lebanon. Once the U.S., the French, and Israel withdrew their forces from Lebanon, there were no more attacks. The reason the attacks stop, according to Pape, is that the Osama bin Ladens of the world no longer can inspire potential suicide terrorists despite their continued fanatical religious beliefs.
Pape is convinced after his extensive research that the longer and more extensive the occupation of Muslim territories, the greater the chance of more 9/11-type attacks on the U.S. He is convinced that the terrorists strategically are holding off hitting the U.S. at the present time in an effort to break up the coalition by hitting our European allies. He claims it is just a matter of time if our policies do not change.
It is time for us to consider a strategic reassessment of our policy of foreign interventionism, occupation, and nation-building. It is in our national interest and in the interest of world peace to do so.
I know! Let's make a law that makes suicide bombing illegal! ..................
The best news is that if stopping suicide terrorism is a goal we seek, a solution is available to us. Cease the occupation of foreign lands, and the suicide missions will cease.
Okay---sure Paul, the suicide bombers quit, right?
What about the ones on 9/11---we weren't in Iraq then, we weren't nation building then....
We were minding our own business, then....
A respected former Iraqi general once said to the people of Iraq, "Do you want to know how to make the Americans go home? Stop attacking other Iraqis and them."
This guy is a low life piece of work this Paul.
The terrorists are not that bright.
Ron Paul reveals his ignorance when he speaks on foreign policy issues.
I thought that it was Great Britian occupying Pakistan and Australia occupying Indonesia?
Where to begin? The suicide bombers are 99% not Afghans or Iraqis. Why do they bomb? Because of their perceived unity in sharing a religion with Afghans and Iraqis. It's about religion.
Arm and Arm with Bali I believe.
I often find myself in agreement with Rep. Paul, but not this time... his view betrays a very narrow, dated, and incomplete understanding of the problem. The Tamil Tigers, for example, have long since eschewed suicide attacks.
But of course the core of the problem is that the enemy considers the whole world its territory, and that there is nowhere to retreat to that is safe from their depredataions.
Religious beliefs are less important than supposed. For instance, the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, a Marxist secular group, are the world's leader in suicide terrorism .
Marxism is a religion - and one which is not dissimilar in its official tactics from Islam. Many Marxist movements have embraced Islam in the past and vice versa.
The largest Islamic fundamentalist countries have not been responsible for any suicide terrorist attack.
A meaningless statement and a false one. The second largest Muslim nation in population, Indonesia, had a doozy in Bali. Suicide attacks have occurred in Pakistan as well - and Pakistan is the largest Muslim nation. Saudi Arabia, large in both size and population, has also had suicide attacks. As has Egypt, with more Muslims than Saudi Arabia. As has Algeria, another major Muslim country.
None have come from Iran or the Sudan.
Another lie. Iran has sponsored numerous suicide attacks through Hezbollah.
Until the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Iraq never had a suicide terrorist attack in all of its history.
Suicide attacks came into currency in the 1980s. Iraq was ruled by a Islamic dictator from the 1970s until the US invasion. There were no moderate, pro-Western governments to fight against.
Between 1995 and 2004, the al-Qaeda years, two-thirds of all attacks came from countries where the U.S. had troops stationed.
How many suicide bombers came from South Korea? Japan? Germany? Cuba? Haiti? American troops are stationed in all these places - perhaps Islam may have something to do with it after all?
But no, these attacks are not religious - it's just that 90% of them happen to be fanatical Muslims by coincidence.
Iraq's suicide missions today are carried out by Iraqi Sunnis and Saudis. Recall, 15 of the 19 participants in the 9/11 attacks were Saudis.
And Saudis are known for . . . their particularly fanatical brand of Islam.
The clincher is this: the strongest motivation, according to Pape, is not religion but rather a desire "to compel modern democracies to withdraw military forces from the territory the terrorists view as their homeland."
In other words, despite the fact that the governments of certain nations have invited US troops to their soil, there is a group of lunatics - who are all fanatical Muslims but religion has nothing to do with it - in certain countries - all of which are Muslim countries but religion has nothing to do with it - who are willing to do crazy things to dispute their own governments' policies.
The best news is that if stopping suicide terrorism is a goal we seek, a solution is available to us. Cease the occupation of foreign lands, and the suicide missions will cease. Between 1982 and 1986, there were 41 suicide terrorist attacks in Lebanon. Once the U.S., the French, and Israel withdrew their forces from Lebanon, there were no more attacks. The reason the attacks stop, according to Pape, is that the Osama bin Ladens of the world no longer can inspire potential suicide terrorists despite their continued fanatical religious beliefs. ,p>Translation: allow the lunatics to dictate our foreign policy to us, abdicate our sovereignty to a fanatical Muslim madman - whose religion, by the way, has nothing to do with it, and all will be well.
Pape is convinced after his extensive research that the longer and more extensive the occupation of Muslim territories, the greater the chance of more 9/11-type attacks on the U.S. He is convinced that the terrorists strategically are holding off hitting the U.S. at the present time in an effort to break up the coalition by hitting our European allies. He claims it is just a matter of time if our policies do not change.
Of course, pape's database tells him this. Too bad it didn't tell him that his favorite Tamil Tigers, the one alleged counterexample he can find to the Muslim nature of this terror, have declared war on their own government in a land blissfully free of American troops or foreign occupation of any kind.
It is time for us to consider a strategic reassessment of our policy of foreign interventionism, occupation, and nation-building. It is in our national interest and in the interest of world peace to do so.
I used to think that Ron Paul, despite his quirks, was not a stupid or a gullible man, but simply someone who enjoyed being a gadfly to satisfy his own ego.
I was wrong. Only a moron could absorb Pape's tendentious analysis whole.
The best way to deter suicide bombings or other terrorist acts...let them know the Russian method of dealing with terrorists. The terrorist families, friends all catch it with them. Brutal, but effective.
If it sounds familiar, it should. Pat Buchanan said the same thing here. Weak, aren't they?
Thanks for writing that . It expresses my sentiments exactly.- Tom
Between America standing up to Muslim terror and the death of racist ideologue Sam Francis, these guys must be beside themselves with fear and grief.
Paul is a libertarian.
Ron can not see that the terrorists want to kill us to advance their version of Islam. If he acknowledges that they are not driven by rationality and logic, he has to give up his vision of a universe where strict libertarianism (with open borders) is possible.
He can not do that, because he has invested his whole life in this belief.
Whenever I read certain pundits on the Right, the old song by the Dooble Brothers comes to mind: "What a Fool Believes."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.