Terrorism's Not Inevitable

Ted Lewis and Jason Mark of Global Exchange contribute some thoughts about the misguided approach we have taken towards the "war on terror":

Statements that future terrorist attacks are "not a matter of if, but when" represent an admission that White House's current strategy is doomed to failure. The Bush Administration does not believe we can win this conflict -- but that is because they are fighting the wrong war. The warnings from Washington reveal an important truth: there is no way to defeat terrorism with warfare alone. As long as our counter-terrorism strategy relies on force, terror attacks will remain a threat. Yes, it's true -- sending US troops to the Philippine jungles, Georgia, or the troubled lands of Central Asia won't make us safe.

But that does not mean that terrorism is inevitable. A strategy that focuses on addressing the sources of resentment and uprooting the causes of terrorism in cooperation with other nations offers a way to ensure American security.

Government officials don't believe they can find a solution to terrorism because they misunderstand the problem. The threats toward the U.S. are not based on hostility to our values -- as some of our leaders have claimed -- but because we have abandoned so many of our values when it comes to our foreign policy.

...The disconnect between rhetoric and reality helps explain why we are threatened. Propping up dictatorships and monarchies just to keep the oil flowing makes enemies easily. If, on the other hand, we put human rights, democracy, and justice at the center of our policymaking, we are less likely to attract such hatred. The U.S. should also re-orient its policies to tackle social ills like injustice and poverty -- which provide fertile territory for terrorist recruiters. We need a new foreign policy that genuinely puts these principles at the heart of our decision-making.

Excellent, albeit obvious, points here. They also mirror, almost precisely, what I was trying to say back on May 20.