RP never blamed the US for the 9/11 attacks. He has been trying to explain that there is “cause and effect” with respect to our foreign policy in the Middle East over 50+ years. He has a valid point. If the fanatical fringe of Islam attacked us because they hate freedom and democracy then why was the US the only target up to 9/11? You didn’t see Islamic terrorists going after any other Western-style democracy until after the invasion of Iraq. They are not going after Russia, China, India, South America or anyone else who does not or has not had some major political or military presence there. We have been over there for three reasons: keep the former Soviet Union from dominating the region (political/military), development of oil resources (political/economic) and defense of Israel (political/military). Except for Israel we should have seriously scaled back our presence in the region after the fall of the Soviet Union. We also played games with Iran and Iraq during their war and now we are paying a very steep price. As far as I’m concerned Congressman Paul is the only one who gets it and as unappealing as the message sounds it’s still correct.
Look again - especially at India.
When you use the words "cause and effect" you attribute blame, i.e., US "interventionist" policy.
If the fanatical fringe of Islam attacked us because they hate freedom and democracy then why was the US the only target up to 9/11?
That simply isn't true. First< I suggest you read bin Laden's 1996 fatwa entitled, ""Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places." Modern militant Islamic fundamentalism really began with Khomeini's hijacking of the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Since then, it has spread around the globe to Afghanistan, the Philippines, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, etc. There were many attacks around the world and they were not confined to US targets.
Timeline of events leading to militant Islamic fundamentalismHISTORY - Time line [some] Important dates in radical ISLAM VS WORLD
They are not going after Russia, China, India, South America or anyone else who does not or has not had some major political or military presence there.
You need to become better informed. Russia--What do you think the violence in Chechnya is all about. There have been many terrorist attacks in Russia linked to militant Islamic fundamentalism, i.e, the Chechen guerrillas.
India
400,000 Kashmiri Pandits, constituting 99% of the total population of Hindus living in Muslim majority area of the Kashmir Valley, were forcibly pushed out of the Valley by Muslim terrorists, trained in Pakistan, since the end of 1989. They have been forced to live the life of exiles in their own country, outside their homeland, by unleashing a systematic campaign of terror, murder, loot and arson. Genocide of Kashmiri Pandits has reached its climax with Muslim terrorism succeeding in ‘CLEANSING’ the valley of this ancient ethno-religious community. With the completion of 11th year of their forced exile, this peace loving, culturally rich community with a history of more than 5000 years, is fighting a grim battle to save itself from becoming extinct as a distinct race and culture.
India has the second largest Muslim population in the world. Islam has been a major influence on the history of the country, icluding the formation of Pakistan. There have been many attacks, including on the Indian Parliament itself by Islamic militants. Terrorism in India
Except for Israel we should have seriously scaled back our presence in the region after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The Berlin Wall fell in 1989. Have you forgotten the fact that Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1990? How could we continue to enforce the no-fly zones and sanctions against Iraq without being present in the region? Don't you think that some countries in the region wanted us there to protect them from another attack from Iraq? We have strategic national interests to protect in the region. Should we also withdraw from the Far East and let Taiwan and Japan fend for themselves? The idea that our presence abroad represents a legitimate provocation to our potential enemies and thus we are to "blame" for the consequences is nonsense.
We also played games with Iran and Iraq during their war and now we are paying a very steep price.
Played games? Iraq invaded Iran in September 1980. Iran was still holding our Embassy personnel hostage in Iran and wouldn't release them until Reagan took office. At the time, we viewed Iran as the greater threat to the region. Seizing our embassy was really an act of war and holding our personnel hostage for 444 days was unexcusable. Our lack of a response and humiliation by Iran actually bolstered Khomeini and militant Islamic fundamentalism. We provided Iraq with intelligence information, no arms.
As far as I’m concerned Congressman Paul is the only one who gets it and as unappealing as the message sounds it’s still correct.
RP is an imbecile when it comes to foreign policy. He also fails to recognize the threat of militant Islamic fundamentalism even after 9/11. Can you explain why he has voted repeatedly against the Patriot Act?