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America, the Disliked, but why so much?

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Israfil View Drop Down
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    Posted: 09 August 2006 at 9:01am

I have to again question because the last time nobody really gave me a definite and personal answer only things THEY saw what was going on in the world in magizines, newspapers etc and attribute them to our administration. Let me first say as I had always been saying for the last three years I've been here is that I love my country. This is all I have ever known and though this country has a very dark history especially with my culture and ancestors I love the people here and what its becoming. This country like most countries if not all, has its definite short comings. Like most countries if not all it has its share of violence. Like most countries if not all, has contradictions, double standards. Even the Islamic empire as it was evolving had a dark history.

It proves that no country is without fault and no people is without blame but the fact that many of you continuously and blindly post things against the United States without criticizing the other side shows how truly bias we can become. Again I am Muslim but I cannot support a Muslim who kills himself for a cause or commits a criminal act for a cause. I know many Muslims here on this site that has indicated to me that they do and though I wont say no names here I find such a belief truly sad. I have been told that a Muslim who does bad should not be excommunicated but should be disciplined by other Muslims. I find that flawed I as a human and law abiding citizen of this country USA believe that the one unalienable law that all humans are entitled to is life.

I cannot support terrorism especially if its from a person claiming to be one of my own faith. I cannot hate anothers country as I do not know the whole of the country meaning, I don't know the people, evironment etc. But I feel that those of you from Turkey, Pakistan etc do not give me that same respect. Many of you who may work or don't watch the news religiously and read the paper (especially knowing that all media outlets are biased) write post on the tragedies of Muslims and how people are dying and how arrogant and ignorant America is but you never post anything from the other side.

I find much of the American hate filled posts redundant and even though MOCKBA once told me "America is the prime aggressor of wars" we too are also the aggressor of our own affairs. I tend to show that we Muslims are obtaining this psychological mindset of moral absence when it comes to conflict. For example if something happens such as an American made Israeli fighter jet that bombs a town and kills innocence we call this a disgusting and terrible act yes? But if a Muslim suicide bomber gets on a bus, looks around and sees elder, young alike who had nothing to do with his torment or his people blow it up we call it a reaction to oppression.

I find such arguments ridiculous and absurd. WE ALL ARE MORALLY ACCOUNTABLE especially if we kill innocence and especially if we kill people who had nothing to do with our torment. There is nothing in Shariah that states even in military battles to kill both the enemey and those who live amongst the enemy. If so, prove this to me now. But what is this moral absence? Many of you with your straw-man arguments tell me that "What can they do?" they fight with tanks and advance weaponry? Those of you who think this way believe that there is some sort of justification of suicide bombing. There is none.

There is no excuse for the mass murdering of any people Israeli, American, Arab or Muslim. Nobody! I would hope even in the anger of those who hate my country would see both sides and condemn wrong doing on both sides. Sorry  brother Suleyman although you are my brother I don't mean to single you out but posting things about my country yet ignoring the issues of your own surprises me. Friends of mine who are Armenian attest to their parents parents on how they were slaughtered by the Turks not so long ago. Whisper who claims to be Afghanistanian, what about the countless woman who, without even a trial get taken into a soccer field only to be executed not with dignity but with two in the head from a high powered rifle.

There is no moral accountable absence! I just get so upset when post after post I see "America lies" or "Israeli murderers" yet nobody post anything about what we do wrong as if we dont do anything wrong. Then, if we do something wrong its only a reaction to being oppressed. LOL give me a break! even an oppressed person is still morally accountable. For instance if I go to jail for 25 years only to be let out at the mistake of the courts investigation does that give me a right to kill a lawyer because I'm pissed off that I was locked up for 25 years? NO! I'm still morally accountable.

So the question I have to ask after my rant is why do you dislike America? Give your own personal reason not some Al-Jazeera version I mean your own version. Please!

BTW those of you who may respond please spare me your justification of immoral acts by either side I have refuted from several comments above on how there is no absence of moral ccountability so please spare me the "But they are only reacting to oppression"

 



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MOCKBA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 August 2006 at 12:27am

Bismillah

Assalamu'alaikum!

Originally posted by you you wrote:

I find much of the American hate filled posts redundant and even though MOCKBA once told me "America is the prime aggressor of wars" we too are also the aggressor of our own affairs. I tend to show that we Muslims are obtaining this psychological mindset of moral absence when it comes to conflict. For example if something happens such as an American made Israeli fighter jet that bombs a town and kills innocence we call this a disgusting and terrible act yes? But if a Muslim suicide bomber gets on a bus, looks around and sees elder, young alike who had nothing to do with his torment or his people blow it up we call it a reaction to oppression.

 

Brother Israfil, I would appreciate if you remind me when I made such statement and also provide the context in which it was featured since this is not the first time you mention my ID in your posts.      

 

Originally posted by you you wrote:

This country like most countries if not all, has its definite short comings. Like most countries if not all it has its share of violence. Like most countries if not all, has contradictions, double standards. Even the Islamic empire as it was evolving had a dark history.

 

There should be no comparison of Islam's development with the growth of whatever materialistic empires you want to mention. The principles, the fundamentals, the intentions are totally different. The Islamic empire never had any "dark history" contrary to what you mention in your post. Islam's growth was always with the light of faith and conviction and resulting from it action. I suggest you go back and re-read history again. Perhaps the events that you are referring to were no longer part of the growth of "Islamic Empire" but rather the beginning of its destruction... despite territorial gain through lands and people that declared Islam before taking time to understand its true meaning.

 

Your patriotism for your country is deserving of respect. However, with all consideration to all members in this board, whenever the word 'Israel' or 'Israeli' is mentioned I cannot stop thinking of the land being stolen from the Palestinian people and the suffering that continued in light of the official statements made by the Zionist governments and their leaders.

 

I can still recall crowds of Russians boarding planes and lining up in visa counters to become "Israelis"... many of them openly faked their identities and fabricated all kinds of "discrimination" reports only to escape from the Soviet Union... others are still pursuing opportunities to settle for free and live on a welfare package in a safer environment of Germany... �No Israel, please! Germany� send us to Germany�� is what they beg at today�s counters.

 

I also recall numerous Palestinian friends I met in many countries... they, too, faked their papers to raise families in a safer though not as comfortable environments and not on easy terms. Forced out of their rightful birthplace they however prevented themselves from blowing-up everything in the world of silent "Muslims" and violent non-Muslims in despair but never to forget their birthplace and never to rant uselessly about their misfortunes. Quite a contrast, if you want to agree. And this is no al-Jazeera or Steven Spielberg, as per your request.

 

Regardless of whether the land and lives of the Palestinians were sold by a Western capitalist group or an Arab traitor organization, the establishment and further expansion of Israel was a criminal act. Regardless of Saddam�s licentious behaviour, invasion of Iraq was a criminal act. And the link between Afghanistan and 911 no longer interests anyone� Ignorant Afghan tribesmen and their lack of knowledge of Islam has nothing to do with America. Somehow it is America who feels it is in her priority to rescue nomad woman in Afghanistan instead of attending to her own people drowning in faeces of New Orleans.

 

You should not ignore anyone's reminder of attacks being a "reaction to oppression". There are different people with different characters and different cultures. It is not without horror that I read of beheaded captives in Iraq... but I do not refuse to listen to the story of those who deliver such horror, too. And painfully, it often makes more sense...   

 

Some aspire to die for the land, others aspire to die for their family and property. There are some who aspire to just DIE, because they have been robbed off everything they had... unfortunately, though seldom, faith too. And they no longer want to believe in Allah, not to mention of fruitless peace parades, hypocritical solidarity and endless chains of petitions. And since their faith becomes clouded with immence emotional trauma, they are capable of doing anything... Once again, it is easy for us to build our own versions of peace models in the comfort we are having. Let's keep that in mind, too.

  

You want reason but only the one that fits framework of your own worldview and understanding. You want to fight but strictly with a condition that only YOU are allowed to win. You don�t want graphics, visuals, reports, video- evidence of horror or firsthand experience of blood and pain... You want philosophical contemplations... you want "versions" to conveniently pick from for further analysis and judgment.

 

Perhaps this, to give you a preview, is one of the reasons why I dislike America... for her advocating self-centered behaviour and aspiring to achieve her targets either through breaking the rules or shamelessly distorting them in her own interest... promoting only her right to live with no consideration of others' existence... achieving her success even if it needs elimination of competitors and even friends� with utter hypocrisy and artificiality... paranoia and self-suggested phobias� walking in zigzags instead of focusing on the Straight Path...

 

Now, where is the �moral absence�?



Edited by MOCKBA
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Israfil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 August 2006 at 10:07pm

MOCKBA,

A very moving and passionate statement by you indeed.....

You said:

Brother Israfil, I would appreciate if you remind me when I made such statement and also provide the context in which it was featured since this is not the first time you mention my ID in your posts.      

 

Unless you have different individuals using your ID the comment you made to me was indeed in a PM which was made in context of an issue that I had (which alludes my memory).

 

It is undestandable of your passionate plea (in the sense of the word) of how the suffering of the people of the Middle East must take prescedence of our hearts and minds. However, even in your plight for our understanding of the people of the Middle East you still fail to see (as well as mention) the plight of others. What ever happened to those who are suffering in Africa far longer than the precious and fragile people of Palestine? Perhaps there is some cultural bias here in mentioning the suffering of others. Sure we mention what goes on in the Middle East because its what is going on but rape, plundrer, murder and the like are happening everyday in Africa as well as historically.

 

You said the following:

 

The Islamic empire never had any "dark history" contrary to what you mention in your post.

 

As you have suggested to me perhaps you would re-read the history of the Almohad Dynasty who, slaughered many Jews and Christians (non-military personnel have you) for the city of Cordova. Or perhaps you'd like to reflect on the Caliph of Egypt in 1055 in a fit of rage ordered the destruction of the Holy Sepulcher. Or perhaps you'd like to review the Ummayd dynasty period or the Almohad period and how Muslims at one point were fighting each other for land. Yes this civilization had its own dark period at one point. Another thing you'd might want to look at is the Ottoman Empire and how it took little boys as slaves and made them into janissaries.

 

you said:

 

>>>>You should not ignore anyone's reminder of attacks being a "reaction to oppression". There are different people with different characters and different cultures. It is not without horror that I read of beheaded captives in Iraq... but I do not refuse to listen to the story of those who deliver such horror, too. And painfully, it often makes more sense...   <<<<<

And also:

 

Some aspire to die for the land, others aspire to die for their family and property. There are some who aspire to just DIE, because they have been robbed off everything they had... unfortunately, though seldom, faith too. And they no longer want to believe in Allah, not to mention of fruitless peace parades, hypocritical solidarity and endless chains of petitions. And since their faith becomes clouded with immence emotional trauma, they are capable of doing anything... Once again, it is easy for us to build our own versions of peace models in the comfort we are having. Let's keep that in mind, too.

 

Let me remind you MOCKBA that the very country whom I proudly represent had taken my ancestors from their land, sold them to the auction block then proceed to use us as slaves. Spate on, hanged, tortured. We were not oppressed for decades like the Palestinians but for Centuries! Do you not think that there is some reaction from that historical period til now? Crime rates, iliteracy are up in some areas in the African-american community. A large gap between education between whites, Asians and Blacks. All stemming from the hisorical injustices that have been sowed for centuries in this country. Do you think for one moment I do not carry some sort of hate for this part of America's history? I'm not getting into a racial discussion here but my point is, is that your argument about the reaction of a people who were kicked off and oppressed in their own land is no justification for the reaction of today.

 

What I know now of the history I learn and try to change the microcosmic portion of the society I live in. MOCKA suffering is not solely exclusive to Palestinians and perhaps maybe you should keep in mind that there maybe someomone in somewhere in part of this world who is suffering as well. We all are suffering on this planet and it appears that our cultural/religious bias makes us define suffering on some sort of cultural scale. Does 400 years of slavery, theft, murder make me wanna go out and kill whites or go rob banks? No! Does it anger me? Yes but it does not overwhelm my conscious to where I want to take other human beings lives because of what happened decades ago.

 

What I have found iis patience is the true tool in disintergrating ignorance. In respect with the situation with the brethren on the other side of the world there must be the same behavior. At some point in the history of the early ummah, there was slaughter of the innocent Muslims and perhaps at that point there was no fighting back. However their patience and matyrdom proved in the end worthy of God's revelation and his wisdom gave them spiritual strength. Such a behavior must be reflected today. Again there is no justification for one killing him/herself if it endagers innocent people....

 

 

 

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UmmTaaha Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 August 2006 at 1:32am

Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim,

I am no scholar, just throwing in my few cents on this topic.

Moral accountability ...

The Quran says, if the ummul momineen were to be guilty of immoral conduct their punishment will be double.

It also says that the hudud of allah, on a free man is double than that on a slave.

It also says, there is no barrier between the dua of an opressed and Allah.

Why is it that the Quran does not see all (who are in varied situations) as eqaul when it comes to accountability? and punishemnts? and supplications?

Deprivation is a cause of certain results, one cannot deny.

Our situations are not an excuse for our immorality, but how many times are we successful in opposing the situations that drag us into guilt? - man was created in the finest of the moulds, but is he who is cast to the lowest of the lows! Why are the angels not cast to the lowest of the lows? why only man? Because we have a will, and we choose, not on fitra, but thru circumstances!

Give someone food, shelter, medicine, schooling, security and peace, and rob the other off everything, and expect both to behave identically on a spiritual scale? is that right? No, it is not. 

Islam says cut off the hands of those who steal, but read the tafsirs, it is not allowed to implement this law of the devine unless the situations in the land are such that ther is no reason for one to steal.

When there is hunger and deprivation, and a person is compelled to steal, should his hands be cut off for the same? NO! And if the sharia is implemented on him it is an abuse of sharia!

Even the religion is flexible to variations in circumstances.

 Everyone has moral accountability, and there is no justification to suicide bombing. There is no justification, and any who invents an evil is punished, like any who follows the evil thus invented is punished. So the inventor of unlawful murder is a criminal, and all those who followed are likewise criminals.

Every infant who was burried alive shall be questioned on the judgement day for what crime it was burried ... ofcourse it is not the infant who committed the crime, and this question is a rehtoric in the Quran. Those who burried this one alive shall be questioned - killing of women and children even in a declared war is HARAAM, thus by the same token suicide bombing is haraam. and,  shelling explosives on civilians is haraam. Not aiding the wounded or restraining help from the wounded is also haraam!

So...

What should be said about the behavior of a self sufficient country that goes on war with a poor nation with an agenda of stealing black gold?

What should be said about the agenda of nations who reduced the inhabitants of a land �nto a do or die situation?

What should be said about nations that have everything from basic needs to every kind of luxuries and sit there dumbfounded when Lebnon is being reduced to rubbles? 

Can we ask about moral accountabilities?

 

why is this happening with muslims is the question we must address.

what muslims must be doing to change the situation is another question we must ask ourselves.

Islam is the best religion. It is THE way of life. It was revealed through the chosen prophet for whom it is said that were it not for him, allah would not have created anything. But, his ummah is humiliated on earth today? why?

This question is not so narrow as the events of Lebnon, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq or Kashmir.

man is created in the finest of moulds, but he brings himself to the lowest ... because he is in haste, and he breaks the trust of Allah, which the mountains and the earth were not ready to take.

 Allah does not change the situation of a people unless they change it themselves.

If the muslims in nations outside the above menitoned do not put pressure on their governments for an improvement they are not one body, one ummah.

There is no place for nationalistic pride in islam. For that matter there is no place for pride in islam, because islam is about istislam - submission. One who submits is humble, not proud. Pride is the lower garment of Allah, and whosoever touches it is wretched.

If we humble ourselves with allah, He will elevate our ranks amongst His beloved salves, and if we are proud, he will humiliate us, so which is better?

If we look into ourselves, our affair in this world is not about nationalisitc pride, it is about istislam to one God. This is what the muslims have forgotten, and this is what has brought their humiliation!

The muslim ummah should repent, and again repent, for forgeting its purpose in life.

Muslims should be showing compassion and love , and become the paramount examples of love and compassion. They should feel the pain of another, and pray for deliverance from pain not reproach other for crying from pain. No, those who retaliate like beasts in pain are not true muslims. Those who inflict pain are also not true muslims, and those who are not compassionate to the ailing of human race are also not true muslims.

Muslims are lacking in spirituality. Muslims are lacking in their service to God. Muslims are lagging behind in their duty as the vicergents of Allah on earth ... and, muslims are humiliated!

It is said in a hadith serve this duniya, and it will make you its slave. Serve allah, and He will make this duniya your slave. Muslims are serving duniya and they are humiliated.

It is said in another hadith, make this duniya your goal and you will loose both worlds (ie this duniya and akhira) and make the hearafter your goal, this world will come begging on its knees for your acceptance. Muslims have made this duniya their goals, and they are being humiliated.

So address the question of why muslims are humiliated, and address the issue of the purpose of man on earth! And one will come to the realization that all other questions return to this issue.



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Dear UmmTaaha,

I agree with everything you say!

NajamSahar

 

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Bismillah

Assalaamu'alaikum!

Brother Israfil,

Firstly, it is useful to keep references or at least remember the context if you are planning to quote someone or mention IDs in your posts. You may not have intended to but you have put many members of this board in the context as if they support suicide bombings, violence aggression and killing of innocents.  

Human suffering is, indeed, present in every corner of the world and very likely within a walking distance from each of us. Nobody needs to be reminded of that. In my reply, I was trying to relate to events that were discussed at that point in time and stay close to examples of which you wrote. Having re-read your initial post I hardly found any mention of African plight. Let's try to stay focused.

You have only proven my assumption correct by sharing historical events of the Muslim Ummah that in reality marked the beginning of its destruction which continues today. It was about territorial ambition and material gain that drove Muslims further from true practices of Islam to eventually weaken them completely.   

You are more learned on the subject of opression of African people in America, therefore I will refrain from adding or commenting much on that. If you had a chance to travel outside of your continent, work, live and communicate with common people of the countries you visited you would learn that there are different cultures and values that are cherished. It may take centuries for some to respond to oppression committed against them while others may not wait a second, yet there are some who accept it as their fate and do not resist it at all.  

You are better aware of how 400 years of slavery has effected you personally and how such effect can be compared to a person's who has lost his family in a rocket attack today. I am not sure if it is appropriate for you to draw such comparisons. Do you feel the pain of your 4th generation forefathers' tortures the same way a child is feeling hers after losing her limbs in an a rocket attack today? You may attribute this to my "passionate plea (in the sense of the word") but i find it not very right for the person who had just had a wholesome meal in the comfort of peace at his house to call those starving in pain and in the midst of war for patience. To advise "brethren on the other side of the world" to exercise patience, you have to be on that side of the world and feel it...

It is forbidden to kill oneself intentionally in Islam, regardless of whether it kills or endangers others. I hope we agree on this. Now going back to the main question you posed, have you ever noticed how many innocents has your army killed, raped and humiliated in various parts of the world just over the last few years...? Perhaps if you took a closer look you would't be looking for answers and personal opinions anymore.

Also, I strongly recommend you (as my Muslim brother) to read "Confessions of An Economic Hit Man", by John Perkins at your leisure. A man, one from your own, sharing the bitter reality (not some conspiracy theory) that deals with the very subject you raised... Perhaps he is a more credible figure than any of those you met or heard from to make you ponder and not ask the same question again...

I also hope you read more than write... 

http://www.economichitman.com/

 

Excerpt:

"In 2003, I departed Quito in a Subaru Outback and headed for Shell on a mission that was like no other I had ever accepted. I was hoping to end a war I had helped create. As is the case with so many things we EHMs must take responsibility for, it is a war that is virtually unknown anywhere outside the country where it is fought. I was on my way to meet with the Shuars, the Kichwas, and their neighbors the Achuars, the Zaparos, and the Shiwiars�tribes determined to prevent our oil companies from destroying their homes, families, and lands, even if it means they must die in the process. For them, this is a war about the survival of their children and cultures, while for us it is about power, money, and natural resources. It is one part of the struggle for world domination and the dream of a few greedy men, global empire.

That is what we EHMs do best: we build a global empire. We are an elite group of men and women who utilize international financial organizations to foment conditions that make other nations subservient to the corporatocracy running our biggest corporations, our government, and our banks. Like our counterparts in the Mafia, EHMs provide favors. These take the form of loans to develop infrastructure �electric generating plants, highways, ports, airports, or industrial parks. A condition of such loans is that engineering and construction companies from our own country must build all these projects. In essence, most of the money never leaves the United States; it is simply transferred from banking offices in Washington to engineering offices in New York, Houston, or San Francisco.

Despite the fact that the money is returned almost immediately to corporations that are members of the corporatocracy (the creditor), the recipient country is required to pay it all back, principal plus interest. If an EHM is completely successful, the loans are so large that the debtor is forced to default on its payments after a few years. When this happens, then like the Mafia we demand our pound of flesh. This often includes one or more of the following: control over United Nations votes, the installation of military bases, or access to precious resources such as oil or the Panama Canal. Of course, the debtor still owes us the money�and another country is added to our global empire."

Courtesy of : www.economichitman.com

 



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Israfil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 August 2006 at 6:03pm

WA alaikum Salaam

Brother MOCKBA I used the comment from an early PM because it was a most striking remark made by you that stuck with me. Yes I am imperfect in my memory and yes I should have noted more thoroughly all what you have said. Well let me address one thing from you. When people make remarks here and when I note them I do not assume that they support anything but merely noting their comments and bringing it to their attention (if they dont know already). MOCKBA regardless what you think there are people here that do support suicide bombings. For instance when someone uses comments such as "Well, they don't have anything else to fight the military (Ahem excuse me Zionist)" it leaves me to believe that, that is an acceptable use of force.

Brother MOCKBA the problem with your ending statment on focusing on the suffering of Muslims is that when we do we lower ourselves to the question: Who is the cause of our pain? Rather what is the solution? We should be more worried on the solution to our problems and how we as a community can rise up against the challenges of life. Another problem with focusing just on our suffering is that people tend to be bias and over emphasize their own pain and their peoples pain. I think we need to realize is that there are others who have suffered in the world (perhaps more so than those in the Middle East). Jews have suffered. Arabs have suffered. Blacks, Whites and Native Americans have suffered.

The solution to our problems vary but what would start is the cognizance that all humans have a stake in this world and the only way to sustain life is to commit to a common goal to save it.

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http://www.iviews.com/Articles/articles.asp?ref=IV0608-3076

Still do not understand why do they hate us?
8/11/2006
By: Jacob G. Hornberger
Iviews* -

 

 
You'll recall that immediately after the 9/11 attacks, U.S. officials declared that the attacks had been motivated by the terrorists' hatred for America's "freedom and values." That refrain produced the "war on terrorism" and, more recently, the "war on radical Islamo-fascism.�"

Nonsense, said libertarians. The anger and hatred that Arabs and Muslims have for the United States is rooted in decades of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Ending the U.S. government's decades-old policy of empire and intervention would bring an end to the threat of terrorism (and radical "Islamo-fascism") against the United States.

The argument of the "freedom and values" crowd boils down to this: "The decades of U.S. supplying of advanced weaponry and foreign aid to the Israeli government, which is now being used to kill people in Lebanon, and the U.S. government's obeisance and submissiveness to the Israeli government, have had no adverse effect on how Arabs and Muslims feel about the United States. Their anger and hatred is caused by America's freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and rock and roll."

If there is another major terrorist attack on American soil, you can rest assured that the immediate response of U.S. officials will be: It has nothing to do with the U.S. government's unconditional U.S. taxpayer-provided support of the Israeli government ..

Therefore, the argument goes, the chants of "Death to Israel. Death to America" from hundreds of thousands of Shiites marching in Baghdad last week had nothing to do with U.S. foreign policy but were motivated instead by hatred for American principles and lifestyles.

(Reflect for a moment on the utter perversity of it all: U.S. soldiers in Iraq are dying to bring " freedom and democracy" to people who are screaming "Death to America" and whose radical Shiite government has aligned itself with Iran, which U.S. officials consider to be an arch-enemy of the United States.)

The same "freedom and values" argument was made with respect to more than a decade of brutal sanctions against Iraq, which contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children - deaths that U.S. officials maintained were "worth it." People in the Middle East were indifferent to those deaths, the argument goes. Their anger and hatred were caused by the U.S. Bill of Rights and the gambling casinos in Las Vegas.

After 9/11, the greatest fear that U.S. officials had was that the American people would figure out that U.S. foreign policy was at the root of the terrorist attacks and thus demand a total reevaluation of U.S. foreign policy. That might well have meant an end to all foreign aid to the Middle East and a withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region. That could have obviously meant a significant diminution of the U.S. government's overseas empire and the military-industrial complex, along with the enormously high taxes needed to pay for it all. Thus, it's not surprising that U.S. officials immediately went on the propaganda attack after 9/11 in order to divert people's attention from U.S. foreign policy and toward the "freedom-and-values" motivation for the 9/11 attacks.

 
If there is another major terrorist attack on American soil, you can rest assured that the immediate response of U.S. officials will be: It has nothing to do with the U.S. government's unconditional U.S. taxpayer-provided support of the Israeli government, or with the brutal sanctions that contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children, or with the callous position that such deaths were worth it, or with the invasion and occupation of Iraq, which have killed and maimed tens of thousands of Iraqi people. They'll say instead that it's all about anger and hatred for America's "freedom and values." And the sad part is that there will still be Americans who fall for it.

What would be wrong with terminating foreign aid not only to Israel but also to every other country in the world and abolishing the taxes that support such aid, leaving the American people free to keep their own money and decide what to do with it?

What would be wrong with letting Americans support Israel or Lebanon or the Palestinians or any other cause in the world with their moral support and their own money and leaving the U.S. government and U.S. taxpayer money out of it?

What would be wrong with ending the U.S. government's role as world policeman, intervenor, meddler, and interloper, not only in the Middle East but also in the rest of the world?

With the situation in the Middle East degenerating into ever-increasing violence, conflict, death, suffering, and destruction after decades of U.S. intervention, what better time for the American people to reevaluate U.S. foreign policy, not only in the Middle East but also in the rest of the world?

 

Jacob Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. He can be reached at [email protected]

Salam/Peace,

Semar

"We are people who do not eat until we are hungry and do not eat to our fill." (Prophet Muhammad PBUH)

"1/3 of your stomach for food, 1/3 for water, 1/3 for air"
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