Quote:
Originally posted by johnny:
You're right about proven terrorists, they shouldn't be caged. They should be taken out in the field, if their whereabouts are known. Like the Israeli's did in the 70's and 80's with terrorists who thought they had a safe haven in countries like France and East Germany. No need to waste time on bringing them to court. If they are positively identified, and no innocent bystanders can be harmed, they're game for all i care.
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The Israelis' assassination policies have been tolerated for too long. Whatever your argument for the past, the fact is that this policy has been instrumental in continuing the current intifada. For every dead Israeli there are 3 dead Palestians and how many of those were children?
How do you "positively identify" a terrorist? And, in executing one, how do you avoid creating two more like the first one? Or worse? Maybe by executing the terrorist's extended family?
The best weapons against terrorism are education and opportunity. Fair, free-minded education of the kind that doesn't preach "democracy" as if it were the be-all, end-all of political evolution is paramount. Treat Muslims with respect, tolerance and fairness--sometimes even when you don't receive the same treatment--and change the cycle for the better. Allow them the freedoms to voice their opinions, no matter how radical, and you'll often find that the very freedom to speak marginalizes the radicals' effectiveness.
Or sometimes they just get sick of Theocratic rule that doesn't lead by example, as has been happening in Iran in recent years.
The whole point of the Patriot Act was a knee-jerk reaction to 9/11, rather than a thoughtful measure. We're letting terrorists turn us into fascists, which is how they see us in the first place. Who wins in the end?
Nobody who uses a library, anyway.