Modern brand of terrorism

[Pekka]

Yes, religion might be just a propaganda tool in this war, but it's a thin line when a propaganda tool can spin out of control and become something more, especially in the minds of young recruits, not especially used to critical thinking.
And yes, I agree that the CIA and other similar organisations have used and still use terrorists and terrorist groups for certain tasks. It is the nature of such institutions, they use whatever instrument they find the handiest at the time. Its a cynical world we live in.
Whatever the inner causes of terrorism may be (can be argued upon for hours), we have a practical question on hand here - how does the world get out of this mess, how do we prevent people from exploding in our backyard, figuratively speaking?
Israel is there to stay, it has proven and won many times its right to be on the map, so that wound is going to bleed forever. Arabs hate it, but to be honest they make abominable soldiers (no offence), and peace talks wont lead anywhere either.
So unless the world balance of power changes dramatically, home security measures have to be tightened in response to the rising threat.
And I am not 100% sure, that terrorism will suddenly vanish, even if Israel is wiped out and the US returns to the policy of utter isolationism. Just an opinion.

[galraen]

how does the world get out of this mess

The brutal truth is, it won't. As you say Israel is there to stay, the US will ensure that, and in doing so will ensure that the 'mess' continues indefinitely; because Israel is too obdurate, and is hostage to it's own lunatic religious biggots. Peace, of sorts, could be had, but that would require Israel to pull back completely to it's pre 1967 boundaries, and that won't happen whilst there are still enough religious nutters in the Knesset to control the balance of power.

It isn't just 'Islamic' extremists that are the problem but also Jewish and Christian extremists too. As long as the religious wing-nuts in the US have influence on American policy, the Israelis keep electing war criminals and Neo-Nazis like Netanyahu, Hamas and the like will continue to dominate Palestinian/Arab politics.

It isn't just 'The West' that are the targets of Terrorism either, unless you consider Russia to be part of the west. It's also not just Middle Eastern countries that are the breeding ground and inspiration of terrorism either. The IRA dissident splinter groups are still active in the UK; the shining path still operates in South America et.c, etc.. Terrorism is a vastly complicated issue, which is one of the reasons I objected so much to the simplistic and inaccurate way you started this thread.

Knowing your enemy is important right enough, but first you need to know who the true enemy is. The true enemy IMHO are the corrupt politicians in the pockets of multi-national companies, ruthlessly employing the politics of fear to keep the populace under control.

Will that change? Unfortunately not, but giving them succour by trying to make Islamic fundamentalists 'The Enemy' should be avoided.

[Darth Gavinius]

Right on the money Galraen! :laugh:

I didn't want to politicise too much, in case I come off as Anti-American.

This thread feels like it is going to spiral out of control any minute now...

... I mean in the broadest terms Fox News (News Corp) are the largest terrorist organisation on the planet - and they are the ones that get to choose our leaders.

[Sean The Owner]

Will GB be allowing Osama Bin Laden to post here next?

If he wants to come on here and have a discussion so long as it follows GB's rules I certaintly have no problem with that. If GB only kept people here that YOU personally liked, or that most people like, then I'm sure this would be a much smaller site.

Sounds like you have a problem with free speech, in which case, public forums are not the right place for you.

[galraen]

Ah yes, use a quote out of context as an excuse to pontificate, how original!

[Darth Gavinius]

AAARGH... I thought I'd killed this discussion!