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*It's the Occupation, Stupid* > > > Extensive research into the causes of suicide terrorism proves Islam isn't > to blame -- the root of the problem is foreign military occupations. > > *BY ROBERT A. PAPE > > **October 22, 2010** "**Foreign > Policy*<http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/18/it_s_the_occupation_stupid> > *" -- -Although *no one wants to talk about it, 9/11 is still hurting > America. That terrible day inflicted a wound of public fear that easily > reopens with the smallest provocation, and it continues to bleed the United > States of money, lives, and goodwill around the world. Indeed, America's > response to its fear has, in turn, made Americans less safe and has inspired > more threats and attacks. > > In the decade since 9/11, the United States has conquered and occupied two > large Muslim countries (Afghanistan and Iraq), compelled a huge Muslim army > to root out a terrorist sanctuary (Pakistan), deployed thousands of Special > Forces troops to numerous Muslim countries (Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, etc.), > imprisoned hundreds of Muslims without recourse, and waged a massive war of > ideas involving Muslim clerics to denounce violence and new institutions to > bring Western norms to Muslim countries. Yet Americans still seem strangely > mystified as to why some Muslims might be angry about this situation. > > In a narrow sense, America is safer today than on 9/11. There has not been > another attack on the same scale. U.S. defenses regarding immigration > controls, airport security, and the disruption of potentially devastating > domestic plots have all improved. > > But in a broader sense, America has become perilously unsafe. Each month, > there are more suicide terrorists trying to kill Americans and their allies > in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other Muslim countries than in all the years > before 2001 combined. From 1980 to 2003, there were 343 suicide attacks > around the world, and at most 10 percent were anti-American inspired. Since > 2004, there have been more than 2,000, over 91 percent against U.S. and > allied forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other countries. > > Yes, these attacks are overseas and mostly focused on military and > diplomatic targets. So too, however, were the anti-American suicide attacks > before 2001. It is important to remember that the 1995 and 1996 bombings of > U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in > Kenya and Tanzania, and the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen were the > crucial dots that showed the threat was rising prior to 9/11. Today, such > dots are occurring by the dozens every month. So why is nobody connecting > them? > > full -- > > http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article26664.htm<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=iqnuv6bab&et=1103817652991&s=109652&e=001VFd8UgCAbGPsPN1fD5jrYT5FA3jLfoT8Va0nUweOLj1m6gS4f8YxL6pByA1A3RkgUlSBuci8r64gLd6evsjqt4HVfMtZtzBelXC7vfhcnc2lrhuPdAYkj9Wso0DkAWHsjVpiABGRai7AFifyRJ5Sjb81_iuj1oyq> > > ** > > *Robert A. Pape teaches at the University of Chicago and is co-author, > with James K. Feldman, of Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion of Global > Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop > It<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0226645606?ie=UTF8&tag=fopo-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0226645606>. > * > > ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
