Why Do Terrorists Hate America? Posted by Michael Cohen

In my latest AOL column I make a concerted effort to drive AOL's right-leaning readers into an apocalyptic rage by arguing that in the wake of the Times Square bombing (allegedly perpetrated by Pakistan Taliban terror groups) it's worth remembering that some terrorists hate us not because of who we are . . . but what we do:

While there's no question that al-Qaida resents Western influence in the Muslim world -- and has yet to make peace with the forces of modernity -- many of its grievances are more specific. It resents the presence of U.S. soldiers near Islamic holy places in Saudi Arabia. It is angered by U.S. support not only for Israel but also for corrupt Arab regimes in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. And it seeks to weaken U.S. influence throughout the Middle East.

It's not that terrorists simply hate American values -- they hate America's foreign policy and its impact on the Muslim world.

This is not to suggest that America's policy choices have been necessarily wrong. There's plenty of justification for them. But there's been very little discussion in the U.S. as to whether these policy choices continue to serve America's interests -- and may in fact be doing more harm than good.

. . . .When it comes to the war on terrorism, the U.S. likes to portray itself as a benign force in the world: We're innocent bystanders being attacked by terrorists for who we are, not what we do. In that plot line, terrorists are fundamentally irrational and "evil." In reality, they're often rational political actors using what they believe to be their most effective weapon: terror.

A more honest national discussion about terrorism would recognize that America's policies and its broad definition of national interests -- for better or for worse -- can have direct, and often deadly, consequences for the American people. In other words, what we do -- rather than what we are -- matters.

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Comments

[Huitzil]

Not to get into an apocalyptic rage, but your so-called ideas are too idiotic to take seriously. I know you take them very seriously, which is why you're so ridiculous. But before you get into your mode of the bane "right-leaning" readers, you should get your facts straight. If not, the result will not be "apocalyptic rage," as you require. You'll just be laughed at as the ignorant useful idiot you are.

It resents the presence of U.S. soldiers near Islamic holy places in Saudi Arabia. It is angered by U.S. support not only for Israel but also for corrupt Arab regimes in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. And it seeks to weaken U.S. influence throughout the Middle East.

1. The US military withdrew from Saudi Arabia years ago. Although this was one of al Qaeda's original grievances against us, our withdrawal has not changed anything with respect to the war they declared on us. Can you explain that?

Moreover, Muslim so-called law, which formed the background for al Qaeda's original grievance about the troops in Saudi Arabia, prohibits the presence of infidels on the Arabian peninsula, which, according to them, is "holy land." Now you're extending the reach of Muslim so-called law by saying that the US shouldn't even be near the Muslim holy places. Even al Qaeda itself didn't dare to demand such absurdity, probably trusting that useful idiots like yourself would do it for them. Are you happy with your role as a Muslim stooge?

2. "It is angered by U.S. support not only for Israel…"

Yes, indeed, they're angry about that. Have you ever thought about why?

It turns out that Muslims inherited the ancient belief that once a land is conquered it belongs to the conqueror forever. This belief justified many a Roman war, for example, once anyone conquered land that they had previously conquered.

Muslims conquered the land in the Middle East and effectively exterminated the cultures that had lived there since ancient times. Who speaks Aramaic today, for example? It used to be one of the world's most popular languages.

This land was re-conquered by the state of Israel, which cannot stand, according to Muslims belief. Once god has acquired a land for Islam, it cannot be relinquished. Ever.

This is why Muslims rejected the original UN partition plan and why they reject a Palestinian state peace process after peace process. They can't accept it since it means recognizing Israel along with it. This they cannot do without violating a principle tenet of their so-called religion.

Now you propose that the US withdraw its support from Israel so that Muslims are not quite so "angered." This presumably will generate "peace" and "resolve a conflict" without violence, which is why it figures in your useful-idiot credo.

I'm sure you're right that this would make Muslims very happy. But you're wrong that it will generate "peace." Once the US withdraws its support for Israel, Muslims will have a free hand to re-conquer the land, exterminate the state of Israel, commit genocide against the Jews there, in accordance with their beliefs, etc etc. That should make them happy for a while, right? But then, who will you blame for the slaughter and subjugation of Israeli Jews then? For sure, you'll continue to blame the US, but how? One might think that you can't blame the US for withdrawing since you wanted the US to withdraw in the first place. But you'll think of something, I'm sure.

3. "it seeks to weaken U.S. influence throughout the Middle East." Very true. But why on Earth would you want to let them do it, or even make it easier for them to do it? We naturally want to weaken fanatic Muslim influence throughout the Middle East; they want to increase it. That's why we have a war. You want us to side with them and weaken our own influence and increase theirs, so as to achieve "peace" or whatever is in your little head as an ultimate goal.

Leaving aside the absurdity of your proposing that your own nation give up and declare defeat against an enemy that has declared war on us, why do you imagine that this will achieve "peace?"

It will not. The reason is again found within the Muslim so-called system of belief. Muslim law divides the world into the "Abode of War"and the "Abode of Islam." Muslims are tasked by god to wage war, or jihad, against the "Abode of War" until it is annexed into the "Abode of Islam."

If we withdraw from the region, it will not generate "peace" but only more war, in accordance with Muslim belief. In this case, Muslims will be incomparably strengthened because we will have withdrawn from the region, leaving them a free hand to impose their own version of corruption on today's corrupt Muslim governments and, most importantly, acquiring state resources with which to continue the fight against the "Abode of War."

I can't understand why a nice Jewish boy like you would entertain such ideas. What would your mother say? Are you so blinded by progressive group-think that you simply can't think? Or what?

Waiting for your explanation, most respectfully…

[James Gundun]

This question is by far one of the least discussed and most polarizing in America, and I support your raising it. Perhaps, like the above commenter predicts, withdrawing from the Middle East and reducing Israeli obedience won't generate peace by itself, yet the status quo is clearly unsustainable and US strategy in the region is flailing. Foreign policy demands introspection and an understanding of the enemy - not absolving ourselves and refusing to ask why this "Long War" exists. America has committed fundamental strategic and tactics errors in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Palestine, propping up a totalitarian Egypt while isolating Syria. Of course America isn't the only root cause of terrorism, but anti-US sentiment in the Middle East isn't a fluke or all "the terrorist's fault." We've miscalculated in the past and we're paying the price in the future.

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[m3 real]

Great article. Terrorism is very big issue not just in America but in every country. It must be solved on just from killing terrorist but also from base of terrorism. It is very difficult to answer Why Do Terrorists Hate America.. I am sure this issue will be solved as soon as possible. I think this may be because they hate America's foreign policy and its impact on the Muslim world.

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