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

To: Bilow who wrote (103393)	6/29/2003 9:25:56 AM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

You're basically too clueless to understand why it is that Osama beats Bush in Arab popularity polls. LOL!! That's rich!! You telling me that I'm clueless?? And as for it being human nature to support the underdog, then why haven't millions arose to support Eric Rudolph, Ted Kaczynski, and any other "underdog" within American society?? Why don't we all answer the "call to arms"?? Could it be that we don't perceive ourselves as being oppressed by our government? Could it be that, because we have a 6% unemployment rate, instead of a 30% rate that exists in Saudi Arabia? Where we have hope, opportunity, and relative stability, the Saudis people primarily have plenty of time on their hands to ponder who's to blame for their plight. 30% percent unemployment Carl.... Almost 1/3 of all work-age Saudis not able to find a job... That's almost identical to the situation in the West Bank and Gaza... Maybe this will help you understand, if you bother to take the effort, why so many Arabs have enough time on their hands to even bother contemplating who Osama Bin Laden is.. And it explains why it's imperative for the Western nations to take some steps to modernize and liberalize these Muslim states, even if it requires military action and nation-building to accomplish it. They just have TOO MANY "IDLE HANDS" REACHING ADULTHOOD, with no prospect for a prosperous future. And their natural response is to lash out at who they believe are responsible.. And that's what Arab governments don't feel much pain in deflecting popular anger against the US from their own corrupt and inefficient regimes. It comes down to two to three strategies.. 1) Pressure regimes to economically and politically diversify, with the rish that these new freedoms create further instability as the people are finally able to find their "voice" and it's full of rage.. 1) Foster and nuture internal democratic revolutions in these nations, wherein economic and political change becomes internallly generated (with generous support from Western economies). This seems to be the strategy we are following in Iran. or 3) Use military action to overthrow particularly despotic and repressive regimes in order to jumpstart economic and political change... But in all three cases, the bottom line is that if they don't change and provide for their people, the people will rise up and overthrow them. Which means IF THE WEST DOESN'T EFFECT THAT CHANGE, or play a large role in it, they we'll be held hostage to it. That's what you need to pay attention Carl... WHY are the Arabs susceptible to following Osama Bin Laden and his ilk?? Not just pawning it off as "human nature" and pride.. Hawk