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Billions spent on overseas counterterrorism would be better spent by involving ex-terrorists
By Bernard Loesi SEATTLE©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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Seigi
Terrorists were made because of imperialism. They didn't just become terrorists by accident. They became one because of suppression and oppression by richer and abusive countries!
OnTheTrail
I don't know if those proposals would help, hurt or just cause more problems, but the essential statement that US foreign aid is not helping I can agree with.
Addfwyn
A better, and cheaper, alternative to combating global terrorism would be to stop what is causing people to radicalize and become terrorists to begin with: American bombings. It's little wonder people want to fight against the empire destroying their home, I think Americans call them freedom fighters if they are white.
I suppose it ends up as a self-fulfilling scenario, the US feels compelled to defend itself by bombing countries only to make even more terrorists. It is a cycle that will only be ended by a massive policy shift in the states, that I don't see any major political party there willing to make.
I agree with the article that overseas spending isn't helping. It probably doesn't hurt either, but you don't throw money at a problem you cause and expect people to love you for it.
Alfie Noakes
And there's the crux of the matter: for the Washington neo-cons and the military-industrial complex these endless wars are highly profitable and don't overly endanger American lives. Tax money is sent in the form of foreign aid, which is then returned to the US arms manufacturers who supply the government in question. It's a tax on working Americans, who are funding these wars. The money spigots in Iraq and Afghanistan were switched off, hence the latest endless war we're seeing in Ukraine now, funded by a lend-lease programme.
kurisupisu
There is the answer to the problem.
The US military companies hold sway over the politicians and society in the US.
In a nutshell, the US needs conflicts to power large parts of its economy, from movie making to investment to innovations.
Pukey2
America sure does have a lot of money to throw. You'd never know, judging from the state of its own infrastructure, with crumbling bridges and roads, lack of real high speed rail, rampant crime and poverty, lack of affordable or universal healthcare, homelessness, unemployment.
Desert Tortoise
@Eastman, during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan the US financed the Mujahideen who were mostly northern Afghans. They were not allied with Bin Laden or the Taliban. They would arrive on the scene later and were mortal enemies of the Mujahideen. Unfortunately infighting among former Mujahideen gave the Taliban the opening they needed to take over Afghanistan.
Skeptical
There are really too many points to strongly disagree within this The Conservation piece - at least with regard to the Taliban in Afghanstan - that I'll just save time and my fingers by just respectfully disagreeing. Strongly.