NationStates Jolt Archive


War On Terror Criticized By Defense Science Board

Diamond Mind
30-11-2004, 20:00
Check Page 40 of the report (http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports/2004-09-Strategic_Communication.pdf)

"American efforts have not only failed in this respect: they may also have achieved the
opposite of what they intended.
American direct intervention in the Muslim World has paradoxically elevated the stature
of and support for radical Islamists, while diminishing support for the United States to
single-digits in some Arab societies.
• Muslims do not “hate our freedom,” but rather, they hate our policies. The
overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in
favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the longstanding, even increasing
support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi
Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, and the Gulf states.
• Thus when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic
societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy. Moreover, saying that
“freedom is the future of the Middle East” is seen as patronizing, suggesting that
Arabs are like the enslaved peoples of the old Communist World — but Muslims do
not feel this way: they feel oppressed, but not enslaved.
• Furthermore, in the eyes of Muslims, American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq
has not led to democracy there, but only more chaos and suffering. U.S. actions
appear in contrast to be motivated by ulterior motives, and deliberately controlled in
order to best serve American national interests at the expense of truly Muslim selfdetermination.
• Therefore, the dramatic narrative since 9/11 has essentially borne out the entire
radical Islamist bill of particulars. American actions and the flow of events have
elevated the authority of the Jihadi insurgents and tended to ratify their legitimacy
among Muslims. Fighting groups portray themselves as the true defenders of an
Ummah (the entire Muslim community) invaded and under attack — to broad public
support.
• What was a marginal network is now an Ummah-wide movement of fighting groups.
Not only has there been a proliferation of “terrorist” groups: the unifying context of a
shared cause creates a sense of affiliation across the many cultural and sectarian
boundaries that divide Islam."

This is the crux of the arguement I have had against this administration's actions in post 9/11. This is coming right from the DoD.
Sumamba Buwhan
30-11-2004, 20:04
Well then the Dod is made up of a bunch of whiney liberals :D
Jayastan
30-11-2004, 20:04
I can see the invasion of iraq being disliked. BUt do the average arabs actually think that afganistan would have been better off under the taliban?

ARe they are crack?
Sumamba Buwhan
30-11-2004, 20:06
Muslims can do whatever they want as long as what they want is to do exactly what we say
Diamond Mind
30-11-2004, 20:08
I can see the invasion of iraq being disliked. BUt do the average arabs actually think that afganistan would have been better off under the taliban?

ARe they are crack?

Are you are crack...NEXT!
Sumamba Buwhan
30-11-2004, 20:12
Poppys Poppys Poppyssssssssssss

*prances around in a daze*

Hello Mr Warlord... you have a funny hat :fluffle: :mp5:
Joey P
30-11-2004, 20:14
Are you are crack...NEXT!
He makes a good point. Afghanistan pre-invasion was hardly a thriving open society. Unfortunately, post invasion we have shortchanged the rebuilding effort. We haven't built the infrastructure neccesary for bringing industry and modernity to Afghanistan. So now the main cash crop is opium, and regional drug cartels can flaunt the government's authority.
Diamond Mind
30-11-2004, 20:23
I accept that the Taliban is bad, but I don't know how we can measure how "good" things are now. Besides the fact that this is not a good point in response to the report that this thread is about. I wouldn't be surprised if another Iran/Contra type scandal is developing out of this opium trade there. That is if we're going to go completely on conjecture.
Kryozerkia
30-11-2004, 20:27
The Coalition there could be doing so much more. They got the ball for democracy rolling. I think that it's time to shove the diplomacy with the assholes running the drug cartels. Sure it might put a dent in the economy, but there is always re-education.
Diamond Mind
30-11-2004, 20:29
What diplomacy? As far as I can tell we just let it go hog-wild outside of a limited area near the capitol. Show me any example of this diplomacy and we'll have a discussion.
Joey P
30-11-2004, 20:29
What's needed is more money to build up the roads, power grid, and telephone system so that they can get some factories up and running. Afghanistan needs to participate in the global economy with products other than heroin.