Causes of Terrorism

[rollyourown]

Here is an interesting bit from the WPost on just who it is that supports terrorism and why.
link
From the story:
"The polls found those who regularly attended prayer services were no more likely to back terrorism than those who did not. Nor were Muslims who agreed that religion "was an important part of your daily life."

"About 25 percent of all Muslims with higher-than-average incomes supported the Sept. 11 attacks -- slightly more than those who had below-average incomes or were poor. Among high school or college graduates, 44 percent held extremist views, compared with 38 percent of less-educated Muslims. And the unemployed were no more likely to back terrorism than those who worked full time, according to the poll of 8,000 Muslims in October."

"What did distinguish terrorism supporters? Belief in self-determination, Mogahed found. Extremists were only about half as likely as moderates to believe that the United States would allow people in the Middle East to fashion their own political future."

[bobman0330]

[ QUOTE ]
Belief in self-determination, Mogahed found. Extremists were only about half as likely as moderates to believe that the United States would allow people in the Middle East to fashion their own political future.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm, that seems like a pretty shaky interpretation of the survey. It would be more accurate to say that terrorism supporters believe self-determination is only obtainable through violence, not just that they like self-determination. (Do they like puppies too?)

[canis582]

They hate us because we are free!

[lozen]

Not Free from a right wing religous agenda

Cause of terrorism below

[New001]

[ QUOTE ]
Not Free from a right wing religous agenda

Cause of terrorism below



[/ QUOTE ]
Does oil cause terrorism in Sri Lanka? What about in Africa? Or Japan? Or Israel?

[canis582]

What is terrorism, new000001? you seem to know a lot about it, so why not define it?

[New001]

Are you asking what I think it is or what this administration thinks it is?

[moorobot]

[ QUOTE ]

"About 25 percent of all Muslims with higher-than-average incomes supported the Sept. 11 attacks -- slightly more than those who had below-average incomes or were poor. Among high school or college graduates, 44 percent held extremist views, compared with 38 percent of less-educated Muslims. And the unemployed were no more likely to back terrorism than those who worked full time, according to the poll of 8,000 Muslims in October."


[/ QUOTE ] But most of the people actually recruited to these terrorist 'training camps' are poor. The wealthier people might support it but they are far less likely to join these organizations because of opportunity cost: they actually have something to lose on earth.

I don't know much about this issue, but when I was talking to a friend of mine, who happens to be an International relations prof, he told me something I will always remember, at least in paraphrased form:

In the short run in IR you almost always have to respond [to international violence against your country] with force, otherwise you look like a push over. But terrorism has a long term cause, and you can't use a short term solution to stop something which has a long term cause: these people (people who join terrorists organizations] have no future. They will always be poor on earth no matter how hard they try. Then these organizations offer them riches in this world and in the next for joining.

[BCPVP]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

"About 25 percent of all Muslims with higher-than-average incomes supported the Sept. 11 attacks -- slightly more than those who had below-average incomes or were poor. Among high school or college graduates, 44 percent held extremist views, compared with 38 percent of less-educated Muslims. And the unemployed were no more likely to back terrorism than those who worked full time, according to the poll of 8,000 Muslims in October."


[/ QUOTE ] But most of the people actually recruited to these terrorist 'training camps' are poor. The wealthier people might support it but they are far less likely to join these organizations because of opportunity cost: they actually have something to lose on earth.

[/ QUOTE ]
O RLY?

[PokrLikeItsProse]

Terrorism occurs when people with strongly-held beliefs believe that violence is by far the best possible (and perhaps only) method for achieving goals. It is completely and utterly unrelated to the actual beliefs and goals of terrorists. Any person or group whose strongly-held beliefs do not include a near-pacifistic abhorrence of violence could be potential terrorists if they feel sufficiently stymied or threatened.