Why did terrorists attack the U.S.?

[JitC]

In your opinion, why do you think terrorists attacked the U.S.?

(I'm not looking for a debate here. I'm just curious what opinions people have.)

[Shammu]

In your opinion, why do you think terrorists attacked the U.S.?

(I'm not looking for a debate here. I'm just curious what opinions people have.)

For the same reason they are called terrorists. To install "TERROR" into peoples hearts. I myself do not fear the terrorists. I belong to the Lord. If the Lord Jesus Christ wants me to die from the hands of terrorists, there is a reason for that to happen.

Psalms: 1:1-6
Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence:
But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.
Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.
Therefore the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: nor sinners in the council of the just.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want.
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me
The quiet waters by.

My soul He doth restore again;
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
Even for His own Name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill;
For Thou art with me; and Thy rod
And staff my comfort still.

My table Thou hast furnishèd
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house forevermore
My dwelling place shall be.

Praise his name for God, my Lord, Jesus Christ is worthy.
DW

[JitC]

For the same reason they are called terrorists. To install "TERROR" into peoples hearts.

  What I meant was why do you think they wanted to instill terror?

[Shammu]

For the same reason they are called terrorists. To install "TERROR" into peoples hearts.

  What I meant was why do you think they wanted to instill terror?

Read my first post to you. That explains it all. If you need more to debate with, then start to read more.

[Shammu]

September 11th is a date that when heard causes people to remember tragedy.  Americans will never be able to forget what happened on that date in 2001, when the world stopped turning and dreams burnt to the ground.  When terror fell out of the sky and took innocent lives.  What Americans don’t think about is why this attack occurred, and they are left wondering if the precautions they are taking will really work if such acts are attempted again.

September 11, 2001 started out as a normal day, skies were clear and in New York City commuters were on their way to work.  Then the world stopped, and the city that never sleeps fell to their knees.  A hijacked plane from Logan International Airport flew into the World Trade Center.  As one of the two towers burned and crumbled to the ground a second plane was heading for the second tower (Halliday 2002).  That was not thee end of it, two more planes were headed for the Pentagon Building in Washington D.C. and the other, United Airlines flight 93, was headed toward the White House.  United Airlines flight 93 never made it to the White House, the passengers on the plane up rose and the plane when down in Somerset County Pennsylvania (World 2003).  President Bush vowed to punish those that were responsible.  In his Television address he states:

“America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world.  And no one will keep that light from shining…the search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts.  I’ve directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and bring them to justice.  We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed the act and those who harbor them.”(World 2003).

This response to the terrorist attack is one that lets Americans feel that they were victims.  That America did nothing to bring on such hatred.  The truth is far from that.  America and her actions had plenty to do with why this outrageous attack occurred.

The group that the United States believes is responsible for the death of thousands of American civilians is a terrorist group from the Middle East named al-Qaeda.  This group is headed and established by Osama bin Laden (Combs and Slann 2002).  Al-Qaeda is a radical Muslim terrorist organization.  They believe that America is “The Great Satan.” America is untrustworthy and immoral.  America is a bully that needs to be stopped.  In a recent letter to the States Osama bin Laden gave six “ways out” for the United States, they are:

America must:

1. Embrace Islam

2. Stop the lies, immorality and oppression

3. Discover and admit that America is a nation without principle or conscience

4. Stop supporting Israel

5. Pack up and get out of the Middle East (this includes bases and peace keepers)

6. End their support of corrupt leaders

 

Bin Laden finished this letter with the promise of showing America defeat if they do not follow his wishes (McCartan, October 18, 2003).  As Dr. McCartan pointed out this is a very clever and well written letter.  When America rejected this letter, which we were bound to and maybe even expected to do, it was because we found it a little silly and childish.  But the Al-Qaeda leader was able to twist our rejection into showing the Islamic people that the United States does not want to give up their immoral ways.  The letter was written so when we rejected it the appearance would be that we enjoy telling lies and oppressing people and that we don’t want to stop.  That is how most Islamic people viewed it.  This caused more Muslims to reject and enforce even more hatred for the United States.

Most Muslims have a distorted idea of the United States.  They only get flashes of news and TV shows, such as Madonna and Brittney Spears making out, and they do not get the context.  They are handed a false sense of the United States.  But this is not how the perception of the United States began.  The first time that the Middle East had seen Americans was during World War II.  And then during the 1950’s they were given images of Elvis Priestly and other “happy go lucky” themes such as Singing in the Rain the perception of America was justice, freedom, opportunity, wealth and power (McCartan September 11,2003).  But soon after this German Influence and Soviet Marxism changed everything.  Adolph Hitler and his Nazis influenced the Ba ath party of Iraq, and through them the view of America became materialistic, civilization with out culture, no spirituality and a nation of non authentic people.  Then in 1953 Great Britain and The United States supported an overthrow in the Mossadeq Government of Iran.  The two “superpowers” helped install a puppet leader and then turned their back on him when he needed help.  This taught the Middle East that the west is not loyal and will do anything for Oil, including turning their back on someone they help place in power.

Another important factor of the Middle East’s perception of the West is an Egyptian man named Sayyid Qutb.  Qutb spent some time in the United States about the time that Israel was established.  Sayyid Qutb is a key figure in the development of new attitudes, he is also responsible for leading ideologies in Muslim fundamentalism.  When he returned from America he wrote that America is full of sexual promiscuity and is a moral degenerate.  Knowing this it is easer to explain nightclub bombings because nightclubs can be viewed as the West’s influence invading and tempting them (McCartan September 11, 2003).

Then in 1979 in Pakistan the American Embassy in Tehran was attacked and sixty two hostages were seized for 444 days.  This was done because peace talks between the Middle East and American were going well; they were going to compromise in order to stop the fighting (Combs et al 2002).  Radical Muslims wanted to break the talks, there was no such thing as compromise when it came to purifying Islam.  Ayatollah Khomeini, the returned leader of Iran, stated that the main enemy of Islam is the U.S. and that the United States is the successor of the British Empire.   They are an enemy because they support Israel and they will do anything for money.  They will even train and support Tyrants in the Middle East so that the Middle East does not unite (McCartan September 13, 2003).  

[Shammu]

Now that we know how the Middle East perceives the United States it is easier to understand why the September 11th attack occurred.  The terrorists wanted to show the United States the capability they have and how committed they are to their cause.  They want to show that they are willing and ready to die for their cause. Believe it or not there ARE benefits for terrorist’s actions.  They can provoke government repression, changes mindsets, they create revolutionary conditions by showing the weakness of the government and they can inspire resistance by example.  No mater what the benefit of September 11th was it did instill fear and got the name of Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden to be a house hold name.  Crashing a plane into a building is a suicide mission but that suicide instilled fear into every heart in America.  The terrorist organization got a one up and the “big bully got punched in the nose”.

The Middle East is full of hatred for the West.  September 11th is a result of that hatred.  So who is to say that the terrorist will not attempt such an attack again?  What has the United States done to prevent such a tragedy from reoccurring?  Shortly after the attack the President announced the creation of a federal Office of Homeland Security in order to improve the nation’s defense against future terrorist attacks. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The Federal Burial of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Coast Guard are examples of agencies that had their security heighten after the attack.  Then in October Congress passed an antiterrorism bill giving the government “expanded investigative powers against suspected terrorist” (World 2002).  This new law allows great capability in conducting surveillance and holding immigrants with out charges.  It also permits the Department of the Treasury to require banks to make greater efforts to determine the sources of large overseas private banking accounts.    Another major change occurred in November, Congress passed legislation that require all baggage screeners in airports to be Federal employees, not just any one the airport decided to hire(World 2003).  This sounds like good precautions but unfortunate they do not and will not work.

Terrorists are motivated.  They have conviction, they have believes and they will not let a baggage screener stop them from reaching their goal.  That is what the United States and President Bush did not take into consideration when they developed theses efforts of protection. They formed security the same way they formed the criminal justice system, they are focused on deterrence.  The problem with this is that terrorists are not criminals, they do not think like criminals and they do not act like them and they will not be deterred like them.  Criminal acts are impulsive, opportunistic, they have no ideology, they have self centered motivation and they are undisciplined.  Terrorists have a deeply embedded ideology, they believe in retribution on a specific target.  They are disciplined, thanks to terrorist training camps, and they are loyal.  Terrorist are highly motivated, team oriented and not at all opportunistic, everything they do is planed (McCartan October 20, 2003).  The police force of America is trained to think “arson” when arriving at a fire in a Jewish temple. They are not trained to think “terrorist act”.  If a terrorist wanted to blow up an airplane and was stopped at baggage screening they would not give up on their attempt, like a criminal would, they would detonate the bomb in the airport instead, and “innocent” lives would still be taken.  That is another problem with our efforts to stop terrorist actions.  By the time a person is processed through security they are already in the building, or close enough to it, to cause significant damage.  

I hope this answers your questions JitC.

Go in Peace with God.
DW

[BFWard]

The United States of America was attacked because it is the most powerful Christian nation on earth.  The United States is the prime example of everything the Muslims hate.

[Kristi Ann]

The United States of America was attacked because it is the most powerful Christian nation on earth.  The United States is the prime example of everything the Muslims hate.

Very True Brother ~ Amen!! Their nations Need Jesus Christ Very badly too!!!!

"Praise Jesus for Today and Everyday!"

Blessings,  \o/

MsGuidedAngel