Aren't we just creating a new bin Laden?

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Foxxern

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So apparently the US government has determinded that the al Qaeda organization, under the leadership of Osama bin Laden, is guilty of the terrorist attacks on the US. I won't dispute that claim, as I trust that they have more than sufficient evidence to begin a large scale bombing effort. I do believe that the members of this organization, especially those at the top, should be brought to trial. However, I can't help but wonder what exactly we're doing to prevent new organizations and new anti-US setiment from cropping up. Is a crack down on al Qaeda going to be effective, or will it simply encourage other terrorists to take similar actions, convinced that a war between the West and the Islamic nations is being waged.

My concern is that the people of these poor nations, without any reason not to hate the US, will indeed continue to feel hatred towards the nations who they blame for their plight. Whether or not their poverty is our fault is irrelevant--what they believe is what matters here. To see children as young as 5 years old being recruited into terrorist schools is indeed disturbing. But what is being done to keep parents from sending their children there? I doubt the bombing of their cities and villages will be a deterrent. Instead, they will remain hateful towards the US, and continue to blame us for the destruction in their country. Eventually, one of these children could grow up to be the next Osama bin Laden, regardless of whether we kill the current one.

It is in their poverty that this type of hate is born. In fact, throughout the history of the world, almost every infamous tyrant of mass murderer has been borne out of a situation of desperation and hopelessness. When the average Afghan wakes up in the morning, their main concern is having enough food for the day, and avoid being killed on the streets. Is this the kind of world we want our fellow man to live in? If not, what exactly are we doing to help them? Certainly the provisional government currently being set up would be a start, but I question whether the government would be set up to help the Afghan people, or would simply result in a puppet of the Western nations. I just think that until we are able to get to the root of what causes these problems, we will not have anything close to peace, in the Middle East or elsewhere in the world.

Perhaps our civilization is just too different from that in the Islamic countries, and I believe it could end up being very difficult to assist them, especially if the resentment of the people prevents any sort of coalition from taking power. In the end, this war on terrorism may be too much like the war on drugs--we win a battle here, we lose a battle there, and at the end of the day, we pat ourselves on the back for coming out in a draw. Meanwhile, the powers at the top never go away, they just pass on from one location to another, and so it continues.

I hope that this can be somewhat sorted in out in my lifetime, but sometimes I just don't know. I question the motives of leaders on both sides, and can only hope that one day they will all manage to do what is best for their people. If not, we could be breeding something much worse than Osama bin Laden, especially in a world with weapons of mass destruction, and chemical and germ warfare. We could find an enemy much more ruthless than bin Laden, who uses one of these weapons to wipe out huge sections of this, or another nation. Preventing any such thing should be our ultimate goal.

The greatest victory is to turn an enemy into a friend. George W. Bush, are you listening? For the sake of this earth, I hope so.

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Change is the only constant
 
Hmmm...I think one thing that we commonly overlook is the fact that Osama is VERY intelligent. He and his advisors have made and are making very good strategic plans to avade getting kille, kill others, and above all recruit others. Where am I going with this? Well, we can't expect all of them to be as bright. Once we kill Osama, will there be another? Sure. But we now know to keep closer tabs on whoever his successor may be. One obstacle at a time.

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Taste is the enemy of art.
 
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