> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Nick Arnett > Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 11:05 PM > To: Killer Bs Discussion > Subject: Re: Great Sam Harris Interview > > On 4/11/06, Dan Minette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > I didn't say that poverty results in or correlates to terrorism. It's > > not > > > that simple. > > > > But without correlation, then it's hard to identify it as a major cause. > > > I don't think you're following me. I didn't say that poverty is a major > cause of terrorism. I don't believe that. > > I was saying that social, political and economic conditions in the Middle > East have created an environment favorable to recruiting terrorists by > demagogues. My point was to argue against focusing on religion as the > reason there are terrorists arising in Islamic countries, as Harris > chooses > to do. I certainly agree with that basic point, and differ with the Fool.
> More to the point, there are many reasons such things happen. Religion is > just one of a bunch of interacting forces at work. And I do think it is > blindingly obvious that more than religion creates the swamps of injustice > in which the mosquitoes of terrorism breed, to paraphrase Jim Wallis. Well, draining the swamp appeals to lots of different people, with many different viewpoints. I think that, it is fair to say, that the Middle East is a region that is uniquely dangerous for the world. The only other hot spot that rivals that area is the Korean peninsula...which has its own unique history. For example, there is little risk of an attack on the WTC by terrorists from Zimbabwe, even though the people there suffer horridly under their government. I think the unique mix of a region that both brings cash in hand over fist and is ruled by a small group of people who control that cash fosters a lot of the danger of terrorism in the Middle East. The leader of Zimbabwe does not have the resources to build atomic weapons that can set of a massive nuclear war. The leader of Iran does...and the West is sending him >$50 billion/year to spend as he sees fit. Bin Laden came from a multi-billionaire family, and had access to millions. That helped fund their operations. Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
