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Europeans Should Feel They Impose Consequences on Al-Qaedaâs Actions
From a column in Slate by William Saletan about Bin Ladenâs proposed truce with Europe.... If Bin Laden can make you think of his attacks as "reactions to your actions," he can dictate your behavior while leaving you with the illusion of control. Pull out your troops, and the killing will end. Itâs your choice. Unless you act, heâs helpless to stop the cycle of violence. "Stop spilling our blood so we can stop spilling your blood," he pleads. To Europeans, itâs a tempting message. They sense that events are out of their control: The United States calls the shots in Iraq, while death comes to them in Madridâand perhaps London or Rome next. Many see the latter as a consequence of the former .... This is what Bin Laden wants. If heâs just a cog in the cycle of violence, then the only participant who can stop the cycle is your government, and the only person who can stop your government is you. .... But Bin Laden isnât a cog. His reaction to your governmentâs action isnât determined by a law of nature. Itâs determined by him. He could just as easily decide to blow up your trains for protecting Christians, Jews, Shiites, or women as for occupying Iraq. ..... And he would. .... The people who brought the death [to Europe] will bring it again. Take away their current reason, and theyâll come back with another. They speak the language of harsh consequences because itâs all they understand. You will have to start choosing the consequences of their acts, and stop letting them choose the consequences of yours. Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-04-17 |
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