War On Terrorism: Impossible to Win?

Originally posted by drfunk
The way you win the 'war on terrorism' is win the hearts and minds of the people not by bombing the crap out of them

Logicle ^^^

You could put mind conrol devises in all of us and then erase our emotion and keep u locked up and take away all of our rights, that might work.

Mind control devices in all of us? You didnt really think all of that through before you wrote it did you? There is no ending "war on terror".. It's just a crusade like Bush said it would be on late morning 9/11, He said "We're going to catch these people, we're going to do it like an old crusade, putting up wanted posters like the old west" And you could hear the entire room go "ewww" under their breath.. Diplomatic solution is the only way this is going to be "won".. Giving these people something they can live for, not fight against.

You CAN wind the war on terror by winning the hearts and minds of the very people that the terrorists use to support them. This - in my humble opinion - was one of the flaws with the Viet Nam war. By firing, bombing villages, towns and cities as was the case in Viet Nam, caused more people to rally to the guerilla cause, than any other way.

In Malaya after WWII, CTs were causing havouc - assasinating police etc. 22 Rgt SAS was reformed to take the fight to the enemy. To cut a long story short, the SAS won the battle for control of the indiginous population, thus robbing the CTs of 'homeland' support.

At the same time, aggressive 'search and destroy' missions took the fight to the CTs and after some memorable ambushes and small patrol 'contacts', the CTs gave up and went home.

The SAS did the same thing in Borneo a few months later and again, in Oman where we really got stuck in with 'hearts and minds'. Things came a head at Mirbat when 600-800 Adoo attacked this sleepy little coastal town.
Unfortunately 'B' sqn 22 SAS stood in their way but they did not expect such a fight. After some heroic actions by Labalaba, Tobin (to name but 2) and after two BAC Strikemaster attacks, the Adoo also gave up and went home to the Yeman.

The trouble with Iraq is, that they dont want ANY outsiders in their country. Yes, they are grateful to the US for getting rid of Saddam, but they want to be left alone - to do things their own way. They don't like the American, British, French or any other way of life. The Arab is a friendly guy, who just wants to get on and do things their own way and by God, if anybody trys to get them to change their way of life, they'll fight to the death to stop them.

With regards to Osama Bin Laden, it is a well known fact that he is a disafected member of the Saud royal family. He wants to see - what he regards as a corrupt system of government - overthrown by a popular uprising.

BUT Saudi Arabia is virtually a Police State with almost daily public executions at the notorious 'Chop-Chop Square' in Riyhad. People are imprisoned without trial, people 'disappear', prisoners are tortured until they turn in their own families for crimes dreampt up by the secret police.

The biggest crime of all? The West's continual support for a corrupt government in a corrupt country. Can you blame Bin Laden for trying to change things? His methods might not be to our tastes but it is nore more than we deserve.

Before you jump on my back and call for MY public execution by the most gruesome method available (soggy wet lettuce, please) I do not support Bin Laden or any other terrorist/freedom fighter.

You do not have to resort to violence in order to change things, but sometimes it is the only way.

For us here in the UK, a long bloody terrorist war is almost at an end. The Provisional IRA (who many Americans supported) has finally realised that they cannot win the hearts and minds of the British people with the bomb and bullet. They chose instead to fight successive governments with the rhetoric of politics and the ballot paper. Now that works!

One other thing. A long time ago, when westerners were being kidnapped in Beruit during the civil war, some prat decided it would be good to kidnap the Soviet cultural or military attache.

Following some really outlandish demands from the kidnappers, the daughter of a local terror group went missing. The story going round at the time, was that the little finger was sent by messanger to this guy with a letter. In it, the KGB said something like, 'Unless you realease our boss, we'll mail your daughter back to you, piece by piece!' The following day, the hostage was released. It also turned out, that the finger was not the little girl's. Even the KGB were not that barbaric - but in this particular case, meeting terror with terror - did work. Nobody never bothered the Russians again.

Here's a quote from the Wall Street Journal on Thursday November 3 edition from a reader's letter on the war on terrorism

"You cannot defeat an enemy that does not know fear"

Jeff

I'm hearing you about this 'war on terrorism' thing. I agree that the current format is totally counter-productive. It merely serves the West's agenda for control and marginalisation. The US/UK (amongst others) are currently 'terrorists' by definition - they just play a complex propaganda game to justify their actions. However, I disagree that terrorism will always be here, at least in its present form and at its present scale.

(Incidentally, I find the language they use around it is not useful - saying 'war' just perpetuates the violent flavour which suits the Illuminati's program.)

I suggest that there are 2 main causes of terrorism, manifesting in many different ways, which appropriate any number of vehicles that serve the root drive (i.e. religion/race/geographical boudaries/world view et al).

Inequality of opportunity.
Inequality of rights and freedoms.

This is what needs to be addressed if so called 'terrorism' is to be dissolved. Treating the symptom is no answer in the long term. We need to remove the NEED for it.

Whadayouthink?

See here's my problem..

You have the Shiites.. Sunni's and whoever else.. (Sorry cant think of their little name).. They're the same race of people.. same country.. just different belief of the invisable sky fairy.. wwoooo wooo.. yay for them.. And they're killing each other.. in the name of .. god.. pretty much.. well then.. that's their right.. let them kill each other.. we shouldnt be prodding our noses into it for starters..

2. When it became the USA's problem. then they should have been destroyed.. not fought with.. just destroyed.. sorry.. but the innocents think that the American's are dirty infidel dogs too.. so.. they go as well.. If they cant defend themselves.. then they should have thought about that before bringing the pain..

3. There will always be terrorism.. Because there will always be someone fighting for the cause. IE: what they believe in.. and they believe in their freedom.. So.. let them fight for it.. just let them fight amongst themselves for it.. There will always be martyrs.. There will always be the one who wants to go to the gates of the holy land and meet their 71 virgins.. yeah right.. good luck.. here's a match and a can of gas to help you.. For every one terrorist the USA/Britain kill... they create two more.. Simple fact

Jeff

since u people say its kinda like crime then we have like a police force to contain the crime for as long as time will know. have we ever seen terrorist groups ever win wat they wanted in the 20th century, everything politcal demands, etc?

There have been terrorists in the past.. but .. as we get smarter.. so do they.. Usually.. because the USA TRAINS THEM!!! ugh.. The country will never learn..

Momar Khadafi.. There ya go.. do some research on him.. Have fun..

still nobody wants to address the CAUSES..........

Hell i think this whole war on terrorism is a big joke. There will never be an end to this and what pisses me off the most is we are helping these people and every one in the world hates us for being there and i haven't seen any good come out of us being there. What also really pisses me off is the gas prices. We are in a country that produces oil and our prices go up and the sad thing is that the prices arne't going up because of the demands for oil. I knew we wher getting riped offf with the prices of gas but i didn't know how bad we where geting riped off untill my friend told me how much he is pay for gas and he is stationed over sea. He is paying and i poo you not 25 cents a gallon. Now if you ask me that's bull. So you ask me about the war on terrorism i see it never ending as long as congress keeps getting rich off of our troops being there.

Mod Edit: Profanity/Circumvention Of Censors.

[edit on 8/11/2005 by Mirthful Me]

Originally posted by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf
Yes, the war on terrorism is winnable. But not the way they are conducting it now.

To fight a shadow you need to become one. You fight terrorism by bringing their own fruits to their doorstep, via some cold blooded killing spooks who will "lower" themselves to the means of the enemy. Match tactics with tactics.

I could never understand why no one ever thought of terrorizing the terrorists? Sending in armies is just plain overkill.

i know this is an old post skadi, but since the thread has been revived, my two cents worth:

the israelis have been using this tactic for 50 years, and even though they have had a few successes, overall it has bitten them in the rear. every time they take out a hamas leader with a missile strike, it only plays against them in the press, and gives their enemies more fuel for their fire.

no, the only real way to win the WOT is the win over the hearts and minds of the people harboring the terrorists, and we have proven ourselves to be aweful at that concept.