Terrorism: US Army Cannot Defeat Terrorists all over the world. Given the terrible damage and high death toll, it is not surprising that most Americans want to destroy the terrorist organizations that launched the attacks and the governments that aided and abetted the terrorists. Unfortunately, there has been very little public discussion about why people from the Middle East chose to become suicide bombers with the intent of flying airliners into huge office buildings full of people. Nor has there been much discussion about the likely consequences of using military force to punish terrorists and the governments that host them. President George W. Bush shocked the public when he charged that terrorists “attacked America because we are the home and defender of liberty. " In his analysis, Americans are innocent victims of barbaric “people who hate freedom and hate what we stand for.” The victims on the four hijacked planes and in the buildings were innocent victims, but President Bush gives voice to a widely held myth every time that claims that the terrorist attacks were designed to destroy freedom and democracy in the United States, or that the United States was attacked because it is the defender of freedom and democracy abroad. In fact, the United States was attacked not at because of their political ideals, but rather because of their government's foreign policy in the Middle East. During World War II and in the years that followed, the US government sought allies in the region fascism, then communism, and finally against an expansionist Iraq. In these conflicts, American politicians were not particularly careful about who to recruit for aid. Brutal dictatorships, repressive military governments, and absolute monarchies were all recipients of U.S. economic and military assistance. In Iran, in 1953, the US government went so far as to overthrow the country's democratically elected parliamentary government. Today, the U.S. government arms and trains the armies of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and American troops help defend these countries. But these countries are run by monarchies who deny basic democratic rights to their people and vigorously oppress anyone who opposes their rule. The US government also supports a corrupt one-party dictatorship in Egypt with massive military and economic aid.

Topic > Terrorism: US Army Cannot Defeat Terrorists all over the world. Given the terrible damage and high death toll, it is not surprising that most Americans want to destroy the terrorist organizations that launched the attacks and the governments that aided and abetted the terrorists. Unfortunately, there has been very little public discussion about why people from the Middle East chose to become suicide bombers with the intent of flying airliners into huge office buildings full of people. Nor has there been much discussion about the likely consequences of using military force to punish terrorists and the governments that host them. President George W. Bush shocked the public when he charged that terrorists “attacked America because we are the home and defender of liberty. " In his analysis, Americans are innocent victims of barbaric “people who hate freedom and hate what we stand for.” The victims on the four hijacked planes and in the buildings were innocent victims, but President Bush gives voice to a widely held myth every time that claims that the terrorist attacks were designed to destroy freedom and democracy in the United States, or that the United States was attacked because it is the defender of freedom and democracy abroad. In fact, the United States was attacked not at because of their political ideals, but rather because of their government's foreign policy in the Middle East. During World War II and in the years that followed, the US government sought allies in the region fascism, then communism, and finally against an expansionist Iraq. In these conflicts, American politicians were not particularly careful about who to recruit for aid. Brutal dictatorships, repressive military governments, and absolute monarchies were all recipients of U.S. economic and military assistance. In Iran, in 1953, the US government went so far as to overthrow the country's democratically elected parliamentary government. Today, the U.S. government arms and trains the armies of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and American troops help defend these countries. But these countries are run by monarchies who deny basic democratic rights to their people and vigorously oppress anyone who opposes their rule. The US government also supports a corrupt one-party dictatorship in Egypt with massive military and economic aid.