Posted by
Soldier Dad on Friday, July 28, 2006 10:58:22 AM
One of the difficulties in the war on terror, whether it is being waged by the United States or Israel, is determining who is really responsible for the conflict. Most reasonable people understand that the blame for escalation should be placed squarely upon the shoulders of those people who pick up weapons to kill and enslave the innocent in the name of an ideology of hate. But what about the arguments from the other side, that they are responding to perceived affronts and injuries at the hands of the West?
When confronted by such arguments, most Americans get understandably irritated. We may do things they don't like, but this does not absolve anyone of the full responsibility for their actions. It is one thing to think American soldiers in Saudi Arabia are an insult to Islam, but quite another to launch a suicide attack against those soldiers. Similarly, there is a vast difference between wishing the Muslims controlled Jerusalem and actually launching rockets into Israeli civilian towns. At the moment that someone makes that essential transition from disgruntled to destructive, that individual bears the sole responsibility for his actions.
But it gets us nowhere to ignore those of our actions that our on someone else's list of grievances. Acknowledging that American military presence or cultural predominance is a thorn in our enemy's side does not equal appeasement or capitulation. American policies should never be changed unless changing them is in our long-term interests. But if we don't understand what is irritating our adversaries, we'll never learn how to neutralize them. So the next time Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, or the next terrorist group du jour presents their argument against the West, it would do us some good to pay attention. Understanding the enemy is the first step toward defeating him.