Reply #70: What do the 13 colonies have to do with anything?

[K-W]

You cant generalize history like that.

Something else was going on... well, of course, lots of things were going on. It was a unique and complex situation and to get a full understanding you have to research the history of the region.

Keep this in mind. There have been europeans attacking or occupying the middle east almost continuously since the Roman Empire, only to finally be replaced by tyranical governments installed and controlled by the British and other modern eurpean states. When the British power finally faded the US picked up the reigns snuffing out any threats of nationalism and independence including any popular government or popular movements.

We are talking about monarchies here. Some of these people still live under brutal monarchies in the year 2005, and for all possible relevant history have been occupied, under attack, or under a brutal local regime.

The Middle East was never allowed to develop freely the way that Western Europe and by extension European-Americans did.

So you tell me why the main expression of nationalism, of rebellion, of independence is extreme violence? Could it possibly be that nothing short of extreme violence is even possible? Coult it possibly be because they have lived in a culture of violence for generations on end?

These people dont have hope, they only have faith. And they dont have a voice, they only have violence.

Muslims arent some crazy religion, just like africa isnt the dark continent, and banana republics arent the result of racial inferiority. These regions are ugly godamn messes because of outside intervention throughout history.

The international empires saw them, concluded they were savages and proceeded to do everything in thier power to keep them savages. The third world developed because as the first world developed, it controlled, suppressed and exploited the third world.

It comes down to self-determination. These socities must be allowed to determine thier own fate.