Monday, September 12, 2011

Did they really perpetrate 9/11 because they hate our freedom?

The people behind the 9/11 attacks were not just trying to strike fear into Americans. They weren’t just trying to kill Americans. They weren’t expressing their hatred of freedom and love and apple pie. They had other reasons for perpetrating those attacks. Terrorists often feel that there is no other way to accomplish their goals. It isn’t just that they like to kill people. They really do have goals beyond killing people and getting their hands on virgins. Really. I wouldn’t be surprised if many Americans can’t think of a single one, and with ten years having passed since the attacks, that is a real problem. How can we ever truly deal with the threat of terrorism if we have no idea why it happens beyond some foggy notion that everyone wants to kill us for our freedom. It is possible that things like a large number of unemployed men, a crippling colonial legacy, resentment towards Israel and our support of it, anger and resentment about our role in wars and other shadier activities, and any countless number of other things (how about the use of torture or indefinite detention) may be motivating people. It is possible that people may have real reasons for targeting us, and that some of them may either be our fault or within our control to deal with. Is it possible that we will ever recognize any of this and do anything about it?

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