Terrorism Goes Beyond American Imperialism

It's pretty standard, if not typical (and tiresome), now to take the position, in rationalizing 9/11-Islam, by looking at it strictly from an American perspective. Notice it's all about "what" America does. It's rarely, if ever, about the conditions of the kleptocracies to which these people exist. It's never about their own issues.

American imperialism - however defined - is just part of the equation and I submit a smaller, but by no means not less important, one than we think.

American imperialism - or any kind for that matter - is a neat excuse to use as a smokescreen for terrorist organizations. It was the perfect cover to draw the U.S. into an underground war and it was a brilliant ploy. A ploy strictly used to further their own agenda: Religion. Or if you prefer, religious imperialism. They found an all too willing participant in America. The debate should be about whether America should have accepted the dance in that context.

This is not to suggest foreigners on one's soil is not a legitimate grievance. The question is how much weight should it be given?

In that light, said "reasons" why Al-Queda exists and does what it does is too appeals our self-absorbed and naive sensibilities. Read the handbook, readily available anywhere, to really see what they're up to. They don't hide it. And we shouldn't deny it.

Whenever I see a terrorist Imam step up and read out a list of grievances I'm reminded of Hans on Die Hard when he invented a list of grievances to convey the L.A. police to mask his real motive.

I remember back in my wasted days in University professors, almost in lockstep (not all), rallying around the "it's American imperialism, stupid" argument. Conversely, this imperialism kept people poor and disenfranchised with nowhere to go leaving them vulnerable...to fight America. Same routine in Europe.

Somewhat simplistic, I reckon. It never satisfied me this explanation.

As I knew then, and we know now, these dudes are highly educated and wealthy. They just recruit poor pawns to fill out the roster so to speak- like any army on earth. It's always the smart ones the most dangerous - like serial killers.

Geez, I thought people would have figured it out by now.

Frankly, and this is just me, I find it sad Americans take the sole position of their country being an "accessory" to evils being perpetuated on their soil. How about an honest discussion that includes Middle-East countries free of all the buts?
In fact, listening to this Imam and the whole NYC bull shit, I can see why people are rubbed the wrong way with all this.
Sure, Western imperialism has had an impact on the region but the problems of the Arab world go well beyond just the Soviets, British and Americans.

Blaming only America is just another form of denial to a real problem.

I recommend readers pick up Bernard Lewis and the history of the Mid-East. He does a good job of explaining it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is Occam's Razor dudes. Occam's Razor.