The one constant undermining every effort, is not the religious war, but the class war. Many Afghanis have lttle concept of the firepower, technology and troops of the US. Or of the innovative and productive strengths, or the personal, economic and religious freedoms. There is simply nothing to compare to in their reality. And all are oppressively poor.
I bet they do know the last two big invaders of Afghanistan, the USSR and GB, are allied with us now. If in their shoes, would you trust a 'food & bombs' approach from an ally of past enemies?
In Palestine, the youthfulness of the population predicates a similar lack of awareness, coupled with an overabundance of testosterone.
Within fertile territories like these, the 'serf classes' face a variety of bad options, without guarantee of betterment. They are ripe for the plucking by demagogues touting a quasi-religious theme. Preaching intolerance and hate of anyone doing better is the work of Islamic clerics who profit by doing so.
Not that all Islamic clerics do so. But like the more intolerant fundamentalists within Christian religions, it only takes a small but vocal minority to create havoc.
Intolerance in the name of God/Allah, coupled with poverty, is dynamite.
But even dynamite is useless against the big Kahunah of Dr. Strangelove.... too often, terror only subsides when it runs into a greater terror...
Till then, we'll be getting the bird often. |
