What SHould Be Done About Teenage Children of Terrorists?

[uh Clem]

SlowwHand, the fact that your daughter's opinion is different from yours should demonstrate to her that children don't necessarily believe or act like their parents.

Trying to predict who's going to be trouble in years to come is pretty futile IMO. Those 2 ***holes in Columbine had thoroughly respectable parents (in the eyes of society), which made no difference. And most of OBL's siblings aren't much like him, if reports are accurate, nor is he very much like his father.

[SlowwHand]

First let me say that Krazy Horse, David, and especially needle d1ck Infatuation need to consider remedial reading lessons.


Clem, as you make some good points, let me point out that differing opinions is not the same as being brainwashed.
As I said, more than once, I don't think a blanket condemnation should be made, but walking away and letting the feelings they currently have fester is not the answer either.

[Ramo]

Efficiency and progress is ours once more
Now that we have the Neutron bomb
It's nice and quick and clean and gets things done
Away with excess enemy
But no less value to property

[Ramo]

These terracts weren't completely arbitrary. They are rooted in our foreign policy, particularly propping up brutal regimes in the area. You don't end terror by mass-murder, but by invalidating the terrorist's political cause; stop funding Saudi Arabia and Turkey for instance.

[The Mad Monk]

I was thinking about this a few weeks ago, after reading an interview with one of OBL's teenage sons...I left that article with no doubt in my mind what would happen if that kid got any kind of power.

It really is the 'Baby Hitler' question come to life...

[Goingonit]

Originally posted by Ramo
These terracts weren't completely arbitrary. They are rooted in our foreign policy, particularly propping up brutal regimes in the area. You don't end terror by mass-murder, but by invalidating the terrorist's political cause; stop funding Saudi Arabia and Turkey for instance.

One of the most interesting positions I've heard is, "By developing the Alberta tar sands, we can end terrorism". Here's how:

-Terrorists need support: look at how many terrorists were put out of biz after the Soviet Union collapsed.
-Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest funders of terrorists in the world
-US can't do anything cause they have oil, and US needs oil.
-To get oil, US can use Alberta tar sands!

It's a little more expensive, but who knows? It might work...

[Frodo]

If you don't want people to try to kill you in the future, the solution is not "to kill them". Be nice to them. They will respond to that. The few crazies who don't would remain crazies no matter what you do, and it would be impossible for you to pick them out, so there really isn't much you can do other than be prepared.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Frodo
If you don't want people to try to kill you in the future, the solution is not "to kill them". Be nice to them. They will respond to that. The few crazies who don't would remain crazies no matter what you do, and it would be impossible for you to pick them out, so there really isn't much you can do other than be prepared.

That's very chic, but pretty stupid really. Dead people won't kill you. (Not that there's anything right with that.) How many Saudis has the U.S. killed? What percentage of the 9/11 murderers were Saudis? The U.S. has been pretty damned nice to the Saudis over many years. Wtf?

[Sprayber]

Originally posted by Frodo
If you don't want people to try to kill you in the future, the solution is not "to kill them". Be nice to them. They will respond to that. The few crazies who don't would remain crazies no matter what you do, and it would be impossible for you to pick them out, so there really isn't much you can do other than be prepared.

Exactly how nice should we be?

[Natan]

Ramo, we don't fund Saudi Arabia, and our troops only protect them from a barely existant external threat; meanwhile, no Turkish terrorists are attacking our country, so I don't think that's it.

As for the original question of this thread, I don't think this issue is really up to us to decide. But my guess is, governments in that part of the world know how to handle the matter.

[Frodo]

I'm not sure why you assume I'm referring to nations when I say to "be nice". If we are nice to a nation that doesn't mean that all of its citizens will necessarily view us as benevolent. Someone planning a terrorist attack on the US would take into consideration for their justification more than just national issues- religious and ethnic ones come to mind. In any case, when I spoke of "crazies", I had the 9/11 murderers in mind. I believe that this thread refers not to those who have already mentally martyred themselves, but those who yet stand a chance of becoming terrorists. These are the people the US would need to focus on- swing voters, so to speak.

Dead people won't kill you, it's true. However, their friends and neighbors might. I won't pursue this argument, though, since I see that you're not advocating killing off everyone who seems liable to adapt terrorism.

But perhaps my "chic" approach did not get my point across. Rationally or irrationally, those who target the US usually have a vendetta based on something. At times the justification will be so irrational that there is little the country can do about it- these people are just looking for a fight. The best way to prevent the rest of the "potential terrorists" from perceiving the US as a greedy monster that must be humbled with a devastating blow is to do our best not to look like a greedy monster. In other words, "be nice". Or at least pretend to be nice for those who favor national interests over altruism and don't consider the two compatible.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
First let me say that Krazy Horse, David, and especially needle d1ck Infatuation need to consider remedial reading lessons

Ummm...I'm aware that you didn't come up with this suggestion, but:

Something needs to be done, whether it's a detox of the poison that they've been fed or eradication

seems to imply that "eradication" remains a viable possibility in your mind.

[KrazyHorse]

I do, however, agree with you that Infatuation is a "needle d1ck".

[Dimorier Maximus]

Re: What SHould Be Done About Teenage Children of Terrorists?

Originally posted by SlowwHand
You've seen them on television news programs.
Already chanting and burning American flags.
So what's to be done? Seriously.

Seriously, burn them alive.

[Shi Huangdi]

"being nice", as Sikander says, sound chic, but it doesn't really work. Yes, there are reasons they hate us. The chief one stated is the US troops in Saudi Arabia, but they need those troops to protect us from Iraq. They are not hurting anyone there, and it is the right of the soverign government to have them should they so choose. Without US support, that country might fall to the Islamic fundamentalists, and Saudi Arabia is too important for that too happen. They don't like how we fund Israel, but Israel's economy is already hurting and if we suddenly withdrew aid, the economy could worsen and with it the political system- and without our aid to Israel, Sharon would be free to do whatever he wants. They don't like what they call U.S.A. cultural imperialism, but I doubt many of the liberals who are calling "being nice" as a solution would favor stopping the export of culture. The same applies to other countries- we favor moderate governments that stop islamic fundamentalism, such as Egypt. You have to look at their stated goal- to unite the Islamic countries into one fundamentalist state- I do not believe this is something anyone but the most extreme libertarians would advocate us doing nothing to stop.

The world is a complicated place, and no matter what decision you make, that decision will have consequences. Unless you are ultra-isolationist, you will piss someone off. But as we saw with the rise of fascism, isolationism has it's consequences too.