What do you think?

Triman19 · 02-02-2010, 17:21

I was in class today and my professor asked that each student write a brief synapsis of this statement. I do not know how I feel about it. What do some of you think and feel? (I'm not looking for someone to give me the "answer", just a view from very experienced people with very good ideas.)

Thank you,
Triman19

Pakistan’s Brigadier General Bashir Baz to Greg Mortenson (2003): “You have to attack the source of your enemy’s strength. In America’s case, that’s not Osama or Saddam or anyone else. The enemy is ignorance. The only way to defeat it is to build relationships with these people, to draw them into the modern world with education and business. Otherwise the fight will go on forever.”

**Pete** · 02-02-2010, 18:24

I wonder if nothing is something?

If you are thinking of nothing are you thinking of something?

What are you thinking? I'm thinking of nothing.

head · 02-02-2010, 18:26

Uh oh. I remember what happened to the last guy who wanted help on his homework. It did not end well.

Triman19 · 02-02-2010, 18:57

Already turned the assignment in.

CSB · 02-02-2010, 18:58

That's simply not a true statement. Look at some of the 911 hijacker/pilots. They were not ignorant, some had college degrees.
Osama Bin Laden is the son of a respected, well educated (and wealthy) member of the Saudi upper class.

head · 02-02-2010, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triman19

Already turned the assignment in.

Ok - let's hear what you turned in.

Triman19 · 02-02-2010, 19:22

The assignment was just a response to the quote itself; do not read too much into it we were told. I honestly said that the enemy is not a lack of education or business participation. The enemy really was Saddam (and his administration, sons ect. and other people in other areas) I also stated that simply because some of the 9/11 hi-jackers were formally educated has nothing to do with drawing them into the modern world. These people (being Taliban and AQ-please correct me if I am wrong) do not want to be part of our (the western) civilized world. They are completely against such a way of life, maybe even ignorant to it all together.

I ended my repsonse by saying why would we invite these "people" to a civilized western world of business, trade and freedom when they advocate so strongly against it in the first place. In my opinon, there simply is not a place for such a mentality of death and destruction. How can these "people" AQ, UBL ect live in a world and functin when they advocate the iniliation of jews and anyone who wants to live freely. Having a formal education or a wealthy background/family (as seen from some of the 9/11 hi-jackers) does not entitle a person to intelligence. That was my response to the assignment.

Sigaba · 02-02-2010, 19:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triman19

What do some of you think and feel?

The attachment to this post summarizes the thoughts and feelings of this back bencher in regards to GEN Bashir Baz's comment.

02-02-2010, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by head

Uh oh. I remember what happened to the last guy who wanted help on his homework. It did not end well.

In the beginning there was nothing, and then it exploded.

The answer lies in the illusion that this is a Geo-political, perhaps theocratic question.

head · 02-02-2010, 20:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triman19

The assignment was just a response to the quote itself; do not read too much into it we were told. I honestly said that the enemy is not a lack of education or business participation. The enemy really was Saddam (and his administration, sons ect. and other people in other areas) I also stated that simply because some of the 9/11 hi-jackers were formally educated has nothing to do with drawing them into the modern world. These people (being Taliban and AQ-please correct me if I am wrong) do not want to be part of our (the western) civilized world. They are completely against such a way of life, maybe even ignorant to it all together.

I ended my repsonse by saying why would we invite these "people" to a civilized western world of business, trade and freedom when they advocate so strongly against it in the first place. In my opinon, there simply is not a place for such a mentality of death and destruction. How can these "people" AQ, UBL ect live in a world and functin when they advocate the iniliation of jews and anyone who wants to live freely. Having a formal education or a wealthy background/family (as seen from some of the 9/11 hi-jackers) does not entitle a person to intelligence. That was my response to the assignment.

Thanks. I'm not going to take the time to write an essay - but I disagree with both you and the quote. The quote is terse and I have to "read into" it - is he saying that the leadership figures are not the enemy? Or are all of our physical combatants not the enemy? I know that the threat we are fighting against rallies around the figureheads of UBL, Mullah Omar and the other leaders of the islamic-fundamentalist movement - true, when we remove one mid-level leader, he will be replaced in a day - but these men ARE the enemy, there is no rehabilitation for them, and they need to removed - and many times the organization under him will be severly damaged. It is up to us to take advantage of the transition time needed to find a suitable leader.
As to ignorance, that is also another war that we need to win. Many of the uneducated population are poor, rely on religion as the only meaning in their life, and are easily manipulated especially when they are young. Does that mean that if everyone is educated and rich, they wouldn't want to end our way of life? No and there are several examples contrary. But the general populace becomes damn harder to recruit - Insurgencies begin when a portion of society feels disenfranchised. True, the anti-American sentiment is going to be there - and that will be enough motivation for some (and we would deal with those by force) - but removing poverty and ignorance would address the motivation of others - alot of the "nugs".

Utah Bob · 02-02-2010, 22:28

Quote:

I do not know how I feel about it.

Why not?

Richard · 02-02-2010, 22:36

I think that sometimes our enemies’ opinion of us comes closer to the truth than our own.

And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

T Jerrel · 02-02-2010, 23:16

Good question; I can give you a different side to your thought. First, the Bible says that light shall not fellowship with darkness. As soon as we build a relationship with evil, we become of acceptance of their view. This passive behavior is unacceptable. We are a Christian Nation built on Christian morels values. This is a spatula war.

Eph 6:12 for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. He said Osama and Saddam are not to be presumed. I disagree. It was been my experience, if you bite the head off of the snake, it will die.
Now saying that all that, there is some truth to what he is saying. We are called as a nation to develop relationships with other countries for the betterment of the world.
BUT I don’t believe we should allow the enemy like AQ and others to be apart of our country.
cloverjay

Richard · 02-02-2010, 23:19

Oh - my - gawd!!!

And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

head · 02-02-2010, 23:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by T Jerrel

Good question; I can give you a different side to your thought. First, the Bible says that light shall not fellowship with darkness. As soon as we build a relationship with evil, we become of acceptance of their view. This passive behavior is unacceptable. We are a Christian Nation built on Christian morels values. This is a spatula war.

What do you think about the soldiers I fight along side who are muslim/wiccan/buddhist or atheist? Are they part of the darkness? I'm a Christian but this war is not a crusade.
What is a spatula war? I don't understand the reference.

Quote:

Eph 6:12 for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. He said Osama and Saddam are not to be presumed. I disagree. It was been my experience, if you bite the head off of the snake, it will die.
Now saying that all that, there is some truth to what he is saying. We are called as a nation to develop relationships with other countries for the betterment of the world.
BUT I don’t believe we should allow the enemy like AQ and others to be apart of our country.
cloverjay

Osama isn't the head of the snake anymore and Saddam wasn't even the same animal. Yet, still, the snakes are biting.

You are right about not letting them be a part of our country. My interpretation of the quote, granted so brief it is, was to pull them out of the Dark Ages.

Still, as others have alluded to, they feel they are the enlightened ones and they know we don't think that way about them.