Can we kick some real terrorist ass please?

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by skywalker
No, diplo would be. And Speer. And Fez.

Can people please stop lumping me with Fez? Thanks.

[Odin]

Of course Diplomat is a moron, he is a Creationist. Creationist = Moron.

[Kuciwalker]

The diplo - you aren't on the scale of fez...

(trying to back away from being isulting )

It's just I found that in this case, I've been agreeing with the liberals in the thread who say that you are not providing any real solutions, just "we should get rid of them".

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by skywalker
Funny, though, IMHO diplo isn't usually this inane.

I am not inane. I am just really pissed. I hate seeing innocent people getting blown up like that. We can't continue to let this happen.

[Whaleboy]

Sorry, it doesn't work like that. Terrorism is a sociological phenomenon, you tackle it on that level, you defeat it. Its the only way. Force will only serve to create more. Its analogous to stepping on ants. The elephant you propose would not defeat the ants - indeed it would incite more.

Violent, emotional, irrational, simplistic reactions do nobody any good, except politicians who reap the political capital of pandering to the simple minded patriotic and militaristic reactions of people who do not understand the problems, whose solutions they propose have little or no effect in reality, and indeed run the risk of being counter productive. The only way to defeat terrorism is the way that would piss off people at home and cause politicians to lose power.

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by Odin
Of course Diplomat is a moron, he is a Creationist. Creationist = Moron.

Not that again. Get over it.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by The diplomat


I am not inane. I am just really pissed. I hate seeing innocent people getting blown up like that. We can't continue to let this happen.

What was inane was your statement "we should get rid of terrorism", which is a goal a) people are not in opposition to and b) provides no actual solution to the problem.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Dom Pedro II
So then who do you represent?

The Ammunition Manufacturers' Association of America. We believe that each terrorist makes a perfect home for one of our products. :shoot:

[Az]

A creationist, you say?

/me gathers an angry intellectual mob.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Oerdin
The Ammunition Manufacturers' Association of America. We believe that each terrorist makes a perfect home for one of our products. :shoot:

[Whaleboy]

Azazel:

The fact that you are pissed would seem to indicate that your ability to make a rational, reasoned decision is somewhat impaired. Emotions suck in international politics... they should stay confined to art and network operations.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by elijah
Sorry, it doesn't work like that. Terrorism is a sociological phenomenon, you tackle it on that level, you defeat it. Its the only way. Force will only serve to create more. .

force isnt also a sociological phenomenon. The fact that something is a sociological phenomenon doesnt mean you dont use force to address it. Theft is a sociological phenomenon - if a person can make more money theiving than any other way they will steal. You can raise the amount they get from any other way. You can make stealing less lucrative, by law enforcement. Or you can do both. The best strategy will vary from situation to situation.

Somebody can gain self esteem and a redemption from cultural failure by commiting an act of terrorism. You can provide him another source of self esteem and redemption. Or you can show him that terrorism is a failure, and so eliminate it as a source of self esteem. There are difficulties with both approaches. So you used whichever works best. In the current situation, we can improve the alternatives by spreading liberal democracy. But for lots of folks that just wont work - running them down and arresting them (or killing when the wont go quietly) is necessary. In addition, whenever we do try to create demo, they will do their best to oppose it.

[yavoon]

Originally posted by elijah
Sorry, it doesn't work like that. Terrorism is a sociological phenomenon, you tackle it on that level, you defeat it. Its the only way. Force will only serve to create more. Its analogous to stepping on ants. The elephant you propose would not defeat the ants - indeed it would incite more.

Violent, emotional, irrational, simplistic reactions do nobody any good, except politicians who reap the political capital of pandering to the simple minded patriotic and militaristic reactions of people who do not understand the problems, whose solutions they propose have little or no effect in reality, and indeed run the risk of being counter productive. The only way to defeat terrorism is the way that would piss off people at home and cause politicians to lose power.

so ur going to get through to simple earth grown folk w/ highly intellectualized jargon and pleas of convoluted logic? sounds like a plan captain.

[Dom Pedro II]

Actually, I was talking to skywalker, but it was worth hearing that.

[Odin]

Originally posted by Azazel
A creationist, you say?

* Azazel gathers an angry intellectual mob.

I think the only thing that will stop terrorism is to improve the quality of life for those people, they go to terrorism because they are desprate. We also need to expose the fundy Imams as the frauds they are.