Seeds of hate

By: Wes Kimbell

Posted: 10/3/07

"They hate us because we're free," President Bush declared shortly after the attacks on Sept. 11. We've heard it echoed from major conservatives - especially from the neoconservatives like Bill O'Reilly. But after four years into what looks like a never-ending "war on terror" I haven't heard much discussion about why the terrorists hate Americans. Then I watched a recent Republican national presidential debate. Of all the GOP candidates, it was Ron Paul who had the wisdom to bring the war on terror debate back to its essentials when he said, "They don't attack us because we're free." I'm happy at least one person isn't satisfied with Bush's answer that the terrorists harm us because they hate our freedom.

My father taught me at an early age that in order to neutralize and avoid conflict with a person, you must decipher and understand that person's motives first. Americans should constantly evaluate and debate the motives behind the terrorists because it is crucial in preventing future terrorist attacks.

I believe the motive behind the terrorists' attacks is simpler than they hate our freedom. Could it be possible that they hate us just as we would hate anyone who invades and occupies our land with weapons, who steals our property by force and who attempts to tear the foundation of our culture? It's not our freedom that they hate, but instead it's the United States' militaristic foreign policy that has had serious involvement in and around the Persian Gulf and Arabian Peninsula for decades.

During the debate, Paul reminded Americans of the United States-led coup that re-installed the Shah in Iran in 1957 and our current relations with the nation as a sad example of blowback - a term coined by the CIA that describes an unforseen repercussion. Like countless other examples of U.S. intervention, the foreign policy makers for the U.S. believed protecting commercial interests (oil) abroad was more important than respecting the sovereignty of another nation. The U.S. support and re-installation of an unpopular dictator and subsequent actions in Iran led to the capture of 66 hostages in November 1979. President Carter retaliated to the capture of the U.S diplomats and froze $8 million in Iranian assets, which encouraged more hostilities. It wasn't until after Ronald Reagan promised to unfreeze the funds that the captors released the hostages - 444 days after their abduction.

Since then, America has had difficult relations with Iran, especially after Bush declared Iran as part of the "Axis of Evil" and after the fears of a nuclear program made the news. This is only one example of the effects of blowback and how American foreign policy is encouraging hatred.

But the fact is, terrorism is a problem that has to be dealt with now. For this reason, Bush and other neocons need to realize that America should focus its efforts on the threat of violent Islamic fundamentalists, such as al-Qaida, who killed so many Americans on Sept. 11. It's no coincidence that intelligence reports are saying al-Qaida is regrouping in Afghanistan, its original headquarters and where it planned the attacks of Sept. 11. America's occupation in Iraq is only fueling the Middle East's hatred. It is strategically aiding terrorists like al-Qaida who are only now entering Iraq after our occupation. The terrorists are building in solidarity against the U.S while receiving fighting practice against American troops.

The purpose of military intervention was just in the case of Afghanistan and when U.S. territory, sovereignty or liberty was at risk. This was not the case in Iran in 1957, the first Gulf War or the present war in Iraq. The United States needs to befriend other Islamic states in the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf and encourage the nonviolent Muslim community to be on its side instead of ostracizing them and labeling them as part of the "Axis of Evil."

Hating America because it is free is a cop-out. It's an answer Bush and other neocons give because they don't want to swallow the truth that America's debunked foreign policy needs a drastic change. If we want to protect our nation, we need to realize that the "hating us because we are free" theory is hurting America. The people need a war on foreign policy, not on "potential threats" in the Middle East, like Iran. America does not need unjustified pre-emptive warfare and more occupation in the Middle East that would only create more blowblack and encourage more attacks on American soil.

Paul warned at the end of the debate that "if we think we can do whatever we want around the world and not incite hatred, then we have a problem." America would be wise to take this advice seriously.