My view of the ME probably is naive but I never had the luxury of spending 4-6 years in college or the time after those years to learn/study the middle east
Nobody can blame you for that. We all go through life with different challenges. If I told you some of the stuff I had to live through, you would think I am making it up :-)
You seem to be a very well educated person just from the way you write but seem to think I/others are totally against you and out to get you.
Not really. There are a number of nuts out there who just might think they will avenge their intellectual defeat on SI by showing up at my door, and so I will not be posting my address nor name anytime soon. But aside from that, no, I don't think anyone's against me or "out to get" me.
I admit your views have pissed me off at times but have to admit you COULD be right and maybe this dumb ex plumber could learn from you.
Thank you for that. Would you believe, my intention is not to "piss off" yourself or anybody else. I just find it incredible that there is so much misunderstanding between Americans and Middle Eastern people. Just as they get fed all sorts of nonsense about the west ("women forced to show their legs", "US, the great satan, out to get all Muslims" etc), Americans also get fed all sorts of rubbish about the Middle East ("they hate freedom", "they teach their children hate", etc)
I grew up in various parts of the ME, although educated, for the most part, in American schools. I am not fallible, but I do think I understand both mindsets and points of view better than the average American or Middle Eastern.
I have never seen any parent teach hatred to his/her kids. And I have never seen any indication that they "hate freedom" (I don't even think that is a probable human sentiment). These are superficial, simplistic answers to a complex question - "Why do these guys hate us enough to risk death in order to hurt us?"
The answer lies not in indoctrination and one side being less human than the other, but a series of mistakes in a global scale that has led these people to believe America is their enemy. One big factor in this is Israel's ongoing occupation of Palestinians, sustained and made possible on a daily basis by American financial aid and international support. Another is America's long-standing support of a number of oppressive regimes, which suggests to them that the US is hypocritically preaching freedom but helping in their oppression for the sake of oil or other favors.
Of course it doesn't help, either, when Bush or his people come on stage calling this war a "crusade" or saying "my God is greater than their God" which makes them think this is indeed a war of religions.
It is just not as simple as "They hate us because they are jealous". I wish it were. Then the solutions would be so much simpler... |
