Quote:
Originally posted by The Darke:
Originally posted by MagiK:
QUOTE]In one way I sort of agree with Fable, the USA needs to change it's foreign policy..]
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The USA and many other nations needs to ask and then address what made foreign nation terrorists in the first place. (Not as simple as it sounds I accept.)[/QUOTE]
I'm not flaming you Darke, your post just seems to be the one to open the door.
I've read alot of these the US needs to address the reasons that there is terrorists posts, as if the reason there is terrorists is because these countries,and peoples have been sweet innocent victims and done nothing in their history, society,or what ever to deserve the postion that they are in. It's not popular in the "modern" thinking world, but the fact is "You may not deserve what you get, but You ALLWAYS get what you deserve"!
Last week the UN came out with a report basicly stating that there is terrorists because these countries are poor. I submit it is THE exact opposite is true, because there are terrorists, these countries are poor. These countries don't have stable gov'ts (definded as having the support of the people),these gov'ts are dictatorships, these countries soceities don't place the same value on human life as the Western world does. In the vast majorities of these regions, these people have been fighting each other since BEFORE most of the Western countries came into existance. Yet, some how it is the West's FAULT, sorry I don't buy it!
The West is not totaly at fault, nor are they totaly blameless.
Example 1: Saudi oil, these poor people are been taken advanage of by the mean evil West. Standard Oil signed oil drilling contracts with the Saudis in the early 20th century, So it must be the fault of the USA that the Saudis are selling their oil, and the fault of the West that the Saudis have the form of gov't they have. In order for that to be true one MUST forget that the Saudis were perhaps the best traders and merchants (in the World) for over 1000 years. That is the main reason for the spread of Islam through-out the Indian ocean and as far as the Phillipeans (sp?).
Yet, we are expected to buy that these great civilizations with thousands of years of experiance in the buyings and selling of goods were taken advantage of by an upstart country?
Civilizations that have made throughout their histories great advances in inventions, technoligies, and civilization!!!!!!!!
Would it not stand to reason that the Saudis bear the brunt of the fault, because they did not understand the value of the commodity they were sitting on? Was not the oil still the Suadis oil until they exchanged money for it? Is it the Fault of the West that the Saudis (not necessarily the Saudis, but rather counties on the Arbian peninsula throughout history) have been a monarchy for 1000's of years? Or the West's fault that after the West threw off the yoke of the Ottoman Empire, from around the Arabian peninsula's neck and re-established the monarchy, that the Saudi people excepted it and allowed it to continue EVEN AFTER western troops have left?
Example 2: Afghanistan a country made of of ethinic tribes, I'll repeat that, ETHINIC TRIBES!
These people do not see themselves as one people but rather as differant groups of people! The Afghanis have FORGOTTEN more about enthinc hatred, and racism then the West will ever know!
These people kill each other over the smallest slight or perceived slight. Yet it is the West's fault that these warring tribes can't get together long enough to form a stable govt. and country where the enconomy can grow and flurish?
These warring tribes take PRIDE in the fact that they have defeated two Major Empires, and have not been conquered since "Alexander the Great". Yet it is the West's fault that they kill each other and cannot work together?
Example 3: Sub-Sahara Africa, Counrties made up of ethinic tribes, for most of the 20th century the only stable govts were run by the Western powers! I know some of you are going to scream colonialism, but you can't excape the FACT that in EVERY country that the western powers have given up, there has been an increase in instabily, and drop in economies. Yet the west gets blamed for letting these people decide their own fate and govt.? Did not the West pull out of these countries as was demanded by many in the world? Did not the West, before they left the said countries, Help set-up govt's? Did not the West show these govt's how to work and be efficient (if only by example of how the originazation works)? Somehow it seems to be the West's fault that these people CAN NOT work their problems out!
Example 4: Central and South America, after years of revolutions and 2-bit dictators these countries have started to form stable govts. Their economies are starting to grow, their way of life is getting better! They STILL have along way to go before they are equal to the Western world, but they are starting the long, hard climb!
Is there room for improvement YES! Will these Improvement happen, yes, as long as the people of these countries strive for it! Is the West helping, yes. Should the West do more, maybe.
Are the changes happening fast enough, too slow for some, too fast for some, about right for others.
Now having said all of that, The WEST IS NOT BLAMELESS, BUT NEITHER IS THE WEST COMPLETELY AT FAULT! (done in allcaps and repeated because I know that someone will miss it and try to say that I'm saying that the West is totaly blameless) Each of us bare responsiblity for our own actions, and to some degree, responibility for our Govt's actions while, and ONLY while, we were able to and did particpate in the process of governing our countries. Atrocities (or perceived atrocities)have been done on all sides in any conflict, or by every disagreeing party, It's not pretty it's not fair, nor is it right, BUT IT IS LIFE! And to igore that fact, is assinine, hyopcritical, and to comit the atrocity of lying.
(I'm not saying any particular person is any of those things, just that the logic of ignoring that fact is)
1st Edit for spelling corrections (there will probibly be more to follow

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[ 03-30-2002, 02:29 PM: Message edited by: John D Harris ]