tmorr37
09-19-2007, 04:43 PM
Why Iraq Matters to Me
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/09/why_iraq_matters_to_me.html
As someone who has professionally examined terrorism for over a decade, I think that the main fuel for this phenomenon is ideology. As scores of examples demonstrate, it is an ideology that relentlessly attacks western civilization and all things not considered "Islamic." It is the result of hundreds of years of theological development and is uncompromising in its application. It is an ingrained idea for many in the region and al Qaida's version of Islamic radicalism is not the only version. Iran's Islamic revolution was also born in that region and is equally as uncompromising and is eagerly willing to perpetrate violence.
One way to defeat that idea is to replace it with another. Many dismiss the practicality of aggressively advancing democracy in the Middle East. However, I think it is a good idea. Democracies generally do not make war against other democracies. Given that the Middle East is the source of ideologies that are willing to violently attack the US, attempting to instill democratic ideals in this region holds the promise of breaking the stranglehold these ideologies apparently have over many in that region. In many respects, it's a race to see who can establish the dominant idea for the region.
If the US is unwilling to fight to establish our ideals, groups like al Qaida have demonstrated they will fight to establish theirs. I would not want to forfeit this fight in Iraq and cede the political initiative to countries like Iran or groups like al Qaida. Allowing Iraq to be cast in the image of al Qaida and/or Iran would be a mistake we will pay for in many years to come.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/09/why_iraq_matters_to_me.html
As someone who has professionally examined terrorism for over a decade, I think that the main fuel for this phenomenon is ideology. As scores of examples demonstrate, it is an ideology that relentlessly attacks western civilization and all things not considered "Islamic." It is the result of hundreds of years of theological development and is uncompromising in its application. It is an ingrained idea for many in the region and al Qaida's version of Islamic radicalism is not the only version. Iran's Islamic revolution was also born in that region and is equally as uncompromising and is eagerly willing to perpetrate violence.
One way to defeat that idea is to replace it with another. Many dismiss the practicality of aggressively advancing democracy in the Middle East. However, I think it is a good idea. Democracies generally do not make war against other democracies. Given that the Middle East is the source of ideologies that are willing to violently attack the US, attempting to instill democratic ideals in this region holds the promise of breaking the stranglehold these ideologies apparently have over many in that region. In many respects, it's a race to see who can establish the dominant idea for the region.
If the US is unwilling to fight to establish our ideals, groups like al Qaida have demonstrated they will fight to establish theirs. I would not want to forfeit this fight in Iraq and cede the political initiative to countries like Iran or groups like al Qaida. Allowing Iraq to be cast in the image of al Qaida and/or Iran would be a mistake we will pay for in many years to come.