tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31417199.post8939202063079098477..comments2023-12-14T11:26:51.959-05:00Comments on Life After Jerusalem: Mountainrunner responds to Abu AardvarkDiggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03856750834804127824noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31417199.post-15429745621310712722008-03-06T19:43:00.000-05:002008-03-06T19:43:00.000-05:00Failing to address grinding poverty and disillusio...<I><BR/>Failing to address grinding poverty and disillusionment in regions creates fertile breeding grounds for extremists, terrorists, and insurgents to attack the national interests of the United States. These are the real propaganda of deeds. Without competent and comprehensive action in these areas, tactical operations are simply a waste of time, money, and life.<BR/></I><BR/><BR/>I've actually done research on the issue and have found that there is little empirical support for the poverty breeds extremism argument.<BR/><BR/>What we really need to do is discourage their anti-secular religious beliefs.<BR/><BR/>How?<BR/><BR/>Combine a truly moral foreign policy (no torture/no unprovoked aggression/robust genocide prevention)<BR/><BR/>with<BR/><BR/>Our cultural exports of free thinking, science, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins (our UK buddies can help us), and equality for women and homosexuals<BR/><BR/>and we get the best means by which to discredit radical mullahs who preach hate.<BR/><BR/>If the great Satan continues to torture and invade, that only makes people more religious. If, instead, we save thousands in Darfur, and send a man to mars, that makes them admire us more and care less about what Allah thinks about female promiscuity and sharia.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com