The root of terrorism is not poverty

by: Jay Stevens

Tue Nov 13, 2007 at 12:58:57 PM MST

...the available evidence is nearly unanimous in rejecting either material deprivation or inadequate educa­tion as important causes of support for terrorism or participation in terrorist activities. Such explana­tions have been embraced almost entirely on faith, not scientific evidence.

Why is that important? Poverty often is the cause of many other crimes. Low employment rates and low wages directly correlate to crime levels. Well-paying jobs, then, are the antidote to crime-ridden neighborhoods. A serious effort made to reduce crime should include as much money towards infrastructure improvements - schools, transportation, parks, etc. - that make communities more attractive to employers as towards law enforcement. In short, if you understand the root of your problem, you can correct it.

If poverty were at the heart of Islamic radicalism, then, the solution would involve helping alleviate poverty in the area producing terrorists. Raise the economic level of those areas and -- *poof* -- no more terrorism. Only Kruger persuasively demonstrates that terrorism (and hate crimes, interestingly enough) are not affected by jobs and wages and education or other similar economic conditions. That contradicts a lot of amateurish observations (including mine) that crushing poverty among the Palestinian refugee camps contributes to Arab-Israeli conflicts.

Peace Rallies and How to Destroy Our Credibility

by: Kilgore

Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 12:08:58 PM MST

I have had it with the Vietnam comparisons and I think that we have lost any advantage by comparing the present conflict to our failed police action.  Apparently the pacifists cannot let go of Old School pacifism. I watched students rolling their eyes as they walked by the spectacle. These were not people who think that the Iraq war is the best thing since Nintendo either.

Young people are turned off when they think about their parents for any reason.  Staging a hippy-style rally complete with folk singers, strange speakers, and the bizarre is the exact opposite way to get young people involved in the anti-escalation movement. We need to provide arguments against the current plan, not talk about why Bush is the devil"

I am an ardent pacifist and a weirdo myself, but hippies will never be a majority. Want to stop the war? Tell people why it's a good idea for them to oppose it in accordance with THEIR values. Stuff like this simply shoots us in the feet.