I can't write for too long today, but I really wanted to vent this today.
In the Dom Post today was an article about Al Qaeda attacks on small towns in Iraq, trying to prove the ineffectual nature of Iraqi Police to stop them.
Terrorism is often combined with the romanticised vision of Freedom Fighters, Guerillas and the like. Recently there have been a number of high-profile cases of kidnappings by "freedom fighters" hoping to gain some notoriety to their causes.
Here's a question...
How many of these activities actually achieve the desired goals?
What are the goals?
It seems to me that if you have been in a decade or century long fight against a perceived oppressor using the same tactics as other failed cells across the globe... something is wrong.
It's worth noting that Northern Ireland's long conflict didn't come close to a resolution until the terrorists got wise and started dealing with things politically and diplomatically. All the violence managed to do was eventually tire people out and bring unnecessary pain and suffering.
One can take a relativist argument and say "but you cannot know the pain and suffering that drives someone to fanaticism" but I will state this here now:
- Killing a person is rarely justified. If ever. What happens when you kill a bunch of people in an explosion? Your faction gets called savage or barbaric. Your enemy hardens their resolve to stamp you out. Death usually leads to more death. Why do so many people still have trouble understanding that? People die everyday from nature and disease - why add to the suffering when it does not work?
- Taking your own life is rarely a genuine solution. So you die and take fifteen people with you. What next? Someone else steps up to the plate with a bomb strapped to himself? When does it stop? If it hasn't stopped after so many years, is it possible that it is never going to stop?
These are not rational people, but so many of them start off rational.
I feel pretty confident when I say that neither the Universe, God or Allah approve of the actions that have been perpetrated in their names. It disgusts me that there a people out there with such a lack of respect and reverence for the world around them.
Just a general vent, really. The worst part is, how do you resolve the problem? A show of force merely justifies a terrorist's actions. A show of compassion? Unfortunately many fanatics see this as weakness.
I guess I can only trust in the universe to see that these people learn the error of their actions. At some point in our lives (or afterlives) maybe we become accountable to those we have caused to suffer.
Bringing it closer to home - violence against others and the police. This has been an increasing problem, with many teens showing a complete lack of respect to others. What is the cause of this? So many factors. What can be done?
That is a good question...
Love and Huggles
Conan
Currently Reading: Shock: Social Science Fiction
Currently Playing: REIGN: Resistance of Lamadad
Mood: Most definitely NOT impressed.
In the Dom Post today was an article about Al Qaeda attacks on small towns in Iraq, trying to prove the ineffectual nature of Iraqi Police to stop them.
Terrorism is often combined with the romanticised vision of Freedom Fighters, Guerillas and the like. Recently there have been a number of high-profile cases of kidnappings by "freedom fighters" hoping to gain some notoriety to their causes.
Here's a question...
How many of these activities actually achieve the desired goals?
What are the goals?
It seems to me that if you have been in a decade or century long fight against a perceived oppressor using the same tactics as other failed cells across the globe... something is wrong.
It's worth noting that Northern Ireland's long conflict didn't come close to a resolution until the terrorists got wise and started dealing with things politically and diplomatically. All the violence managed to do was eventually tire people out and bring unnecessary pain and suffering.
One can take a relativist argument and say "but you cannot know the pain and suffering that drives someone to fanaticism" but I will state this here now:
- Killing a person is rarely justified. If ever. What happens when you kill a bunch of people in an explosion? Your faction gets called savage or barbaric. Your enemy hardens their resolve to stamp you out. Death usually leads to more death. Why do so many people still have trouble understanding that? People die everyday from nature and disease - why add to the suffering when it does not work?
- Taking your own life is rarely a genuine solution. So you die and take fifteen people with you. What next? Someone else steps up to the plate with a bomb strapped to himself? When does it stop? If it hasn't stopped after so many years, is it possible that it is never going to stop?
These are not rational people, but so many of them start off rational.
I feel pretty confident when I say that neither the Universe, God or Allah approve of the actions that have been perpetrated in their names. It disgusts me that there a people out there with such a lack of respect and reverence for the world around them.
Just a general vent, really. The worst part is, how do you resolve the problem? A show of force merely justifies a terrorist's actions. A show of compassion? Unfortunately many fanatics see this as weakness.
I guess I can only trust in the universe to see that these people learn the error of their actions. At some point in our lives (or afterlives) maybe we become accountable to those we have caused to suffer.
Bringing it closer to home - violence against others and the police. This has been an increasing problem, with many teens showing a complete lack of respect to others. What is the cause of this? So many factors. What can be done?
That is a good question...
Love and Huggles
Conan
Currently Reading: Shock: Social Science Fiction
Currently Playing: REIGN: Resistance of Lamadad
Mood: Most definitely NOT impressed.
7 comments:
I read a blog post recently on the efficacy of terrorism: http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/07/why_terrorism_d.html
Upshot: terrorists aren't very good at achieving their goals. In particular, the more civilian targets, the less likely they are to get what they want.
I think this is particularly aimed at groups like Palestinians who want Israel to give them their land back; they're unlikely to succeed if they keep detonating suicide bombs on Israeli busses. OTOH, I don't know what Al Qaeda's goals are, so it's hard to judge how well they're doing.
That’s all good stuff Conan but I cant help but feel that it’s based on a definition dispute. Basically who are the terrorist ?
Some points to ponder, when did Nelson Mandela cease to be a terrorist ? because he was never a pacifist. When did the Viet Cong or the Red Army cease to be terrorist organizations ? Probably about the same time they won. Then it’s clear why terrorist never win. Once they do they stop being terrorist organizations and start being the army and the government. I dare say Robin Hood would have been called a terrorist if he lived today (or indeed at all)
Ahhh - but that still raises questions about how those groups behave afterwards. How much "success" is there?
I think that when you play the definitional game, you get caught up in all the ideological chicanery that humanity uses to justify acts that they know are not humane.
I do not claim to have the answer, but I do know that it is not the right action that these people are taking.
Kidnapping, Murder, Violence... I ponder how such things can hope to be solved.
I do think that these actions will never truly be removed from Human vocabulary or activity. But it still breaks my heart when I see it.
Humanity deludes itself into thinking that difference means that you can't be the same as well. But we are all human before we are our ethnicity/culture/gender/class... but many of us spend our lifetimes trying to make differences.
I find it ironic how people try to be so individual and yet strive to be the same or better than others. When we all end up the same when things are all said and done. (Even though people even try to find difference there too...)
I'm not merely targetting terrorists - they are simply a more obvious example of something much of humanity is guilty of.
Conan
I can dig that Conan
quick question Who is John ( first poster) man or 'bot ?
John is not a number! He is a Free Man! :D
Be seeing you...
I agree, though I some to sympathise with the person who has become irrational. Losing loved ones or some such to horrible attrocities is something I can not judge. Who's to say what would become of my sanity if terrible things happened to me?
I do beleive however that there is no quarter, ever, for claiming to kill for one's god. I also would never pass down an irrational hatred to subsequent generations through teaching or any form brain-washing.
My lack of proof-reading in the last comment makes me sound like a retard ;)
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