So I'm no terrorism expert. But it seems to me that we're forgetting a very obvious point when we try to figure out what's motivating terrorists these days.
Of course, no rationale is acceptable for the deliberate targeting of civilians. But we need to understand why this horrific terrorism is on the rise if we ever hope to win the recently renamed Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism (GSAVE).
According to three different studies done by three different institutions coming from three different angles, today's terrorists are motiviated not by Islam, but by good old-fashioned nationalism and resistance to percieved or real foreign interference.
Witness the attacks in Egypt a few weeks ago.
Sign says "No To Mubarak." And now, riot police are beating up Mubarak critics on the streets of Cairo. Wonder why people are upset enough to blow up major tourist attractions in Egypt, which harms the Egyptian government?
Maybe, just maybe, the fact that the Sharm el-Sheikh bombings happened on Egyptian National Day was significant. But we didn't hear about that here in the US. We only heard about international Islamic extremeism and how it's responsible. And Muslim leaders here in Michigan had a big press conference and issued a fatwa against terrorism. So, we're told over and over that Islam is the problem -- or Extreme Islam is the problem -- when it seems like the main deal is just good old-fashioned, IRA-style nationalism.
See, the Egyptian government is one of the top recipients of foreign aid from the US. That's right --we're helping to keep Mubarak's corrupt government in complete control of his country. And there are many logical reasons that keeping Mubarak in power seems to be in line with US interests. But, the trade-off is that the Egyptian people and those who sympthaise with them (say, the Saudi people including bin Laden) will not be happy with us.
Same thing applies in Pakistan. Remember back in 2001 before September 11, the US was pressuring "President" Musharraf to step down. Musharraf got power in a military coup. He's really a general, and he ousted the former Pakistani government much to the dismay of the US and the West. Before 9/11/01, the West hated Musharraf and indeed, refused to deal with him. Musharraf used to be a good friend of the Taleban government in Afghanistan. then, he switched sides on 9/12/01, and to this day he's one of our best friends. There's another huge crackdown of dissenting/Islamic voices happening in Pakistan right now, thanks to Musharaff. Maybe, just maybe, he's a dictator and that's why his people hate him and those governments supporting him (US and UK).
And, of course, Britain's role in messing up the Middle East is well known. Israel/Palestine, Iraq/Kuwait, Iraq/Iran -- the US and UK have had a part in all of these conflicts. So, Islam doesn't seem to be the big factor -- but old fashioned nationalism and the desire to be free from foreign influence is the main issue.
Of course, no rationale is acceptable for the deliberate targeting of civilians. But we need to understand why this horrific terrorism is on the rise if we ever hope to win the recently renamed Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism (GSAVE).
According to three different studies done by three different institutions coming from three different angles, today's terrorists are motiviated not by Islam, but by good old-fashioned nationalism and resistance to percieved or real foreign interference.
Witness the attacks in Egypt a few weeks ago.
Sign says "No To Mubarak." And now, riot police are beating up Mubarak critics on the streets of Cairo. Wonder why people are upset enough to blow up major tourist attractions in Egypt, which harms the Egyptian government?
Maybe, just maybe, the fact that the Sharm el-Sheikh bombings happened on Egyptian National Day was significant. But we didn't hear about that here in the US. We only heard about international Islamic extremeism and how it's responsible. And Muslim leaders here in Michigan had a big press conference and issued a fatwa against terrorism. So, we're told over and over that Islam is the problem -- or Extreme Islam is the problem -- when it seems like the main deal is just good old-fashioned, IRA-style nationalism.
See, the Egyptian government is one of the top recipients of foreign aid from the US. That's right --we're helping to keep Mubarak's corrupt government in complete control of his country. And there are many logical reasons that keeping Mubarak in power seems to be in line with US interests. But, the trade-off is that the Egyptian people and those who sympthaise with them (say, the Saudi people including bin Laden) will not be happy with us.
Same thing applies in Pakistan. Remember back in 2001 before September 11, the US was pressuring "President" Musharraf to step down. Musharraf got power in a military coup. He's really a general, and he ousted the former Pakistani government much to the dismay of the US and the West. Before 9/11/01, the West hated Musharraf and indeed, refused to deal with him. Musharraf used to be a good friend of the Taleban government in Afghanistan. then, he switched sides on 9/12/01, and to this day he's one of our best friends. There's another huge crackdown of dissenting/Islamic voices happening in Pakistan right now, thanks to Musharaff. Maybe, just maybe, he's a dictator and that's why his people hate him and those governments supporting him (US and UK).
And, of course, Britain's role in messing up the Middle East is well known. Israel/Palestine, Iraq/Kuwait, Iraq/Iran -- the US and UK have had a part in all of these conflicts. So, Islam doesn't seem to be the big factor -- but old fashioned nationalism and the desire to be free from foreign influence is the main issue.
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