gosmo
09-20-2011, 04:06 PM
hxxp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-adam-lankford/ron-paul-9-11_b_969112.html
Some excerpts
Studies of suicide terrorists have shown that these attackers' primary motivation is usually not political anger, or even political ideology at all. More commonly, these individuals are struggling with severe personal crises and suicidal tendencies. Psychological assessments of preemptively arrested suicide bombers in Palestine found that more than 50 percent were depressed and 40 percent were suicidal. As one suicide terrorist admitted, he was willing to serve terrorist leaders for his own reasons, but not because he shared their priorities. "I thought hard and decided to accept their offer to carry out an act of itishhad [martyrdom], not because I belonged to the organization, but to realize my wish to die."
While it's true that suicide terrorism attacks against U.S. forces increased after the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, this does not necessarily mean that bad foreign policy is to blame. After all, any policy -- good or bad, peaceful or aggressive -- which brings hundreds of thousands of U.S. personnel closer to the terrorist organizations sworn to kill them is likely to increase attack rates. The undeniable fact is that it's easier to attack someone five miles away than five thousand. But of course, even if it makes U.S. personnel safer, this does not necessarily mean that they should run and hide.
For comparison's sake, police chiefs know that the safest thing for their officers would be to never leave the station. At least in the short term, that would ensure that they never get assaulted, never get shot. But it would also give criminals free reign, and that has its own dangerous consequences.
When Paul responds to the tragedies of 9/11 by pointing the finger at U.S. foreign policy, he is engaging in the most transparent of offenses: victim-blaming. It is common for victims of violent crimes such as rape and assault to take responsibility upon themselves. It is natural for them to ask "Why did this happen to me?" and "What could I have done differently to avoid this pain and suffering?"
However, you don't tell a rape victim she should have worn a different dress, kept her friends closer, or not gone jogging. You don't tell a mugging victim he should have hidden his wristwatch, parked on a different street, or never made eye contact. You don't say those things because doing so is cruel, unhelpful -- and most importantly -- mere speculation.
Some excerpts
Studies of suicide terrorists have shown that these attackers' primary motivation is usually not political anger, or even political ideology at all. More commonly, these individuals are struggling with severe personal crises and suicidal tendencies. Psychological assessments of preemptively arrested suicide bombers in Palestine found that more than 50 percent were depressed and 40 percent were suicidal. As one suicide terrorist admitted, he was willing to serve terrorist leaders for his own reasons, but not because he shared their priorities. "I thought hard and decided to accept their offer to carry out an act of itishhad [martyrdom], not because I belonged to the organization, but to realize my wish to die."
While it's true that suicide terrorism attacks against U.S. forces increased after the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, this does not necessarily mean that bad foreign policy is to blame. After all, any policy -- good or bad, peaceful or aggressive -- which brings hundreds of thousands of U.S. personnel closer to the terrorist organizations sworn to kill them is likely to increase attack rates. The undeniable fact is that it's easier to attack someone five miles away than five thousand. But of course, even if it makes U.S. personnel safer, this does not necessarily mean that they should run and hide.
For comparison's sake, police chiefs know that the safest thing for their officers would be to never leave the station. At least in the short term, that would ensure that they never get assaulted, never get shot. But it would also give criminals free reign, and that has its own dangerous consequences.
When Paul responds to the tragedies of 9/11 by pointing the finger at U.S. foreign policy, he is engaging in the most transparent of offenses: victim-blaming. It is common for victims of violent crimes such as rape and assault to take responsibility upon themselves. It is natural for them to ask "Why did this happen to me?" and "What could I have done differently to avoid this pain and suffering?"
However, you don't tell a rape victim she should have worn a different dress, kept her friends closer, or not gone jogging. You don't tell a mugging victim he should have hidden his wristwatch, parked on a different street, or never made eye contact. You don't say those things because doing so is cruel, unhelpful -- and most importantly -- mere speculation.