1. Do you believe that "terrorists" exist?
Most definately terrorists exist. Now who are called terrorists completely depend on your definition of the term. Many people confuse the insurgents that we are fighting in Iraq with terrorists. I don't believe these people are terrorists, they are simply people who are fighting to protect a belief, a way of life, ideals, etc...misguided as they may be, that is what they believe. I definately believe that people who fly planes into buildings, set off bombs in subways, or attempt the use of biological weapons on innocent people are terrorists. But in Iraq, the people who are fighting are soliders, and the people who they are fighting are attacking armed, prepared personnel. Prepared in the sense that we are expecting violence there. That is a war with an insurgency.
2. Is there really a war against "terror"?
I believe that also depends on your definition of terms. Make no mistake, we are at war. With who is another question. We are at war with religious extremists who believe that violence is necessary to protect their way of life. People who do not agree with or want the west is control of their countries. But these people have been at war with someone since the beginning of time. The region of the world that we are fighting in has been in constant turmoil for thousands of years. Those who we are fighting are coming from a variety of nations and in some cases aren't even doing the fighting themselves, they are paying extremely poor farmers to commit the violence that they need. In some cases, a farmer can get paid enough to support his family for a year just for launching a mortar at a base. A good deal of the population just wants peace, the Iraqis are not bad people, they are just in the home region of some very violent extremists. The bottom line is this...I firmly believe that if we weren't there, they would be here.
3. If so, should there be one, if not, why not?
As I already mentioned, the fact that we are in Iraq is keeping terrorists from coming here. America is not as safe as some may like to think, we still have plenty of vulnerabilities to exploit and if someone had the motivation and money a strike would not be difficult, but we have them occupied and distracted in their own region. They don't have to go halfway around the world to kill americans, they can do it on their doorstep. The thing is....as horrible as this may sound, I would rather them be striking at armed soldiers who are ready for it, then completely unprepared, innocent, and unarmed civilians. If a soldier is attacked, he can retaliate, we can raid villages, find the perpetrators, take weapons caches, etc. I don't know what has set off this most recent round of terrorism and hate of the US, and the reasons don't matter....we are there and they hate us. Arguing about whose fault it is accomplishes nothing.
4. What are the real solutions, in your opinion, to remedy the situation?
As for solutions, I have already stated what I believe the solutions and ways out of Iraq are. But as for the situation of Terrorism....I don't believe that there is a solution. As long as there are different cultures and beliefs, there will always be hatred and resent of others. Terrorism is simply a way to impose your beliefs or try to defend your beliefs violently. It is guerilla warfare, directed at the innocent, mostly through the use of immoral tactics. Will we ever get rid of hatred? No. But we can help the governments of the region to control their citizens, to punish them and create a better way of life for them.
So, you guys are for going after the governments? Do you think if the population had a choice, under better leaders, they would not have the anger toward the west's (U.S.'s and Israel's) policies, and would choose to not support the terror groups, either by man power, or dollars?
Also, another question, for everyone, which is very apparent, and being debated hotly, Do we pull the troops out? Think about it realistically, If the answer is no, then more troops have to be sent there for re-enforcement. This is pretty obvious, I think, because they can't stay there, and do what they're doing, completely, without the help. The only other alternative is to bring them all home. Would that worsen the problem?
I don't belive that we should "go after" any governments, but they should take some responsibility for the actions of their citizens. If an American flew a plane into a building and killed thousands, the world would be up in arms about it, yet Syrians, Iranians, Iraqis, Afghans, etc can and nothing is said to their home countries or governments. No call for punishment and no effort on the part of their governments to find them and stop them. People will always hate us.
As for pulling out the troops, as previously stated, we have gotten ourselves into a hole, we cannot simply pull out. If we leave now, the entire region will fall to shambles and will be twice as bad as when we got there. That will simply cause MORE terrorism. But there are more than two options, it isn't just leave or send more. We just have to find those solutions and act in the most responsible way possible. Cutting and running will just make things worse. The American people need to start accepting that we will have a military presence in Iraq for a very very long time, just as we have in every other country that we have gone to war with. It is just the levels of troops and the level of violence that is at stake now.
I have to run and get on a plane back to the states now, I am very intrigued by this discussion though, I am anxious to hear more opinions.
