Letter to the Editor; The bottom line

Why does the US and the other responsible nations continue to flounder in addressing international terrorism?  Why, when obviously a different strategy is called for?

 Bottom line?  You cannot bomb an ideology to kill it.  It feels nothing.  The only way to defeat an ideology-driven movement is to get to the source of the ideological teaching, recruiting, planning, plotting and performing.

 9/11 should have alerted the US and the world to the need for new strategies.  Instead, the Bush administration used 9/11 as the timely opportunity to go after Iraqi oil, extend our military might for control purposes, and act as if we were doing all this in the name of fighting terrorism.  All we did was throw gas on the fire of the most radical and extreme ideological elements trying to emerge in the Middle East to spread their influence as far as possible.   

The US and world intelligence has known about these terrorist, ideologically driven groups for decades.  This is not new.  What is new is their ability to grow and move with impunity.   Poverty, fear and anger feed right into their recruiting strategies.  And they are well funded, too.

We are way behind the curve in all of this.  The present situations in Iraq are the perfect proof of that right now.   In my opinion, ITEM, an International Terrorist Elimination Movement needs to be formed with a team of qualified personnel in the fields of military, diplomacy, education, religion, economics, and intelligence.  They are to form sub-teams, plan strategies, infiltrate, and meet constantly with troubled and vulnerable nations leaders.  They are to be a coordinating power to help change thinking, change young people’s hope for the future, change attitudes, change behaviors and change the present trend in world thinking from fear to a clear vision for peace and prosperity.

As a world, I feel we are capable of this.  This may sound idealistic, even unrealistic, but how about what is happening now?  Is this the realism we are to get used to and live with?  I don’t think so.

Bob McClellan,

Polson