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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tekboy who wrote (32926)	6/23/2002 2:41:08 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

fair enough. but the author was talking about the personal characteristics of terrorists, and assuming that they would be parallel to street criminals. That was what I thought was dumb. Question: if all of foreign policy wonkhood knows this is dumb, why do we have to listen to pronouncements from various state departments and prominent officials (particularly in Europe) about how the Palestinians bombers are "desperate" and "have no choice" and therefore we must address the "root causes" of terror?

To: tekboy who wrote (32926)	6/23/2002 2:48:32 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Respond to of 281500

but the author was talking about the personal characteristics of terrorists, and assuming that they would be parallel to street criminals. Indeed some are... Remember.. it's likely that not every member of the 9/11 hijackings realized they were on a one way trip... It's really a matter of how they justify their criminal actions... Street criminals are normally in it for the bucks and economic and financial power... They try and make enough scratch to survive on (in a lifestyle they desire), and some actually attempt to give their kids a better life than they lived. Others just are thugs who are on a path of self-destruction, blowing their money on drugs, and fast living.. But ideological terrorists are PERFECTLY willing to engage in criminal enterprise, both for personal gain, but as a means of funding their political goals.. Whether it be taking hostages for ransom, or robbing banks and trafficking in narcotics (or providing "protection"). And oftentimes they will enlist criminals to assist them, who are not nearly as politically motivated as their leaders. There is also one more comparison between crime and terrorism.. Both involve obtaining what they want outside of the prevailing system. Criminals steal property and money, or on the black market by smuggling/selling illicit materials, while terrorists are motivated by seizing (stealing) political control from the established political order (which can be legitimate, or illegimate). Crime and terrorism often work "hand in hand", since once political control has been seized, laws are enacted to favor those obtained economic power by illegitimate means. They know that they can replace the new political order just as they replaced the previous one, given enough time (and avoiding what occurred in Nicaraugua, where the average middle class businessmen who had supported the Sandinistas, soon found their property being expropriated by them)... In sum... both crime and terrorism are about power, economic and political power... About seizing it from those who have it, and giving it to themselves. They can jabber all they want about "noble ideas" and "serving Allah"... but they'll just as quickly engage in the same activities they once denounced, as soon as they have control. And they will exploit the delusions of weak-minded people willing to die to achieve political power for those who control and guide them. The Saudis are a prime example of this.. As I mentioned in a previous post, they used their Ihkwan to intimidate and subjugate rival tribesmen. But once they achieved power, and the Ihkwan harder to control, he had them killed. I really believe there is was an economic element behind the 9/11 attacks. The short-selling of airline and re-insurance stocks just prior to the attack is indicative of a conspiracy... And if that was the case, this is more of a war to destroy, or diminish, American economic might, and we must fight this battle economically as well (weak dollar policy?) If only we heard as much about THAT Federal investigation, as we hear about Martha Stewart's... :0) Hawk