Why do the terrorists hate us?

Question

You're right, the US does maintain its standard of living by monopolizing most of the world's resources, and there is great resentment over that, but it goes much deeper.

Like many on the religious right in the US, militant Muslims have great anxiety over the rapidly increasing secularizing of the world. They see traditional values being abandoned, women forgetting their place, young people having sex outside of marriage, gays being tolerated and even embraced, abortion becoming acceptable, and the love of money taking the place of the love of God. And when they look for the causes of these changes, the most powerful symbols they see are American music, American movies, American television, American attitudes. When they call America "The Great Satan," it's not just rhetoric. Like American fundamentalists, they feel that Satan must be at large in American culture for these things to be happening.

Add to this the forceful removal of Palestinians from their homes by an Israeli governme

Answer 1

I think Muslims are much more unhappy about American economic hegemony than American cultural hegemony.



We don't force people at gunpoint to drink Coca Cola and wear Levis, or to accept premarital sex and abortion. We -do- intervene to meddle in their politics and accept the governments we choose for them. We keep more than a billion people all over the world in desperate poverty by arming and training dictators to keep their own people under control. We get involved in every civil war, every popular revolution, we pick a side based on our corporate interests.



There would be no Islamic governments in the world today if we hadn't intervened in Iran 50 years ago to throw out a legitimately elected president who only wanted to keep more of the oil wealth in the country. We also brought the Ba'athists to power in Iraq, and armed both sides to fight each other in a war that lasted ten years and killed more than a million people. Both the Islamic revolution in Iran and Saddam's 'reign of terror' were unintended consequences of our covert and overt meddling in the region. Presidents of both parties have been guilty of this. We call it 'exporting democracy'.

Answer 2

Ok the hatred and so forth mentioned here is not common to all Muslims.



The breeding ground for the ill feelings of the Fundamentalists towards America is decades of questionable foreign policy and overhanded global policing tactics. America, in the quest to do the right thing, have made many mistakes throughout the world. They have said one thing and done another and many people have died as a result of this and the hysteria about communism and other political and social movements around the world.



No doubt that the US was attempting to help everyone but well we simply didn't understand things as we do now. Oh and America and Australia (my country) and many other countries continue to make poor judgement calls in the name of peace and freedom, but you have to break some eggs to make an omelet.



The money thing is an issue but if this were the biggest issue then countries like India would be rising up too and wanting to kill the west, but they dont, they want to become like us in so many ways.



Sadly now in many ways it is too late, due to poverty, generations of families who have seen casualties and indoctrination by the false versions of the Koran peddled by the extremist muslim groups (which by the way are probably less dangerous than fundamentalist christians who are presently in power in the US) has fostered a very dangerous situation that wont quickly be defused.



It's not right for our side to say "you are wrong pull your heads in" as it is not right for their side to say the same thing. All parties are complicit and must accept that they must do the right thing.



But maybe the rich and in the past harmful nations should take the first step and really try to give something more than rhetoric to these people who have been opressed for so long. Israel and the US really should lead the way, mainly Israel, it needs to realise that simply being there is enough of a problem today so some kind of contributions must be made and acceptance that religion is not a reason to hate others.

Answer 3

Terrorists do no longer hate us for our freedoms. They hate us for their loss of it. because of the fact of this the Arab Spring has been so efficient at scaling down on terrorism. The dictatorial governments that have held sway for see you later can no longer deflect the anger of the streets at some a procedures off boogeyman. And in case you seem on the terrorist strikes only over the final couple of weeks, aside from some NATO and US forces in Afghanistan, they have killed lots extra of their very very own than us. Blowing up a mosque in Kandahar does no longer in any way practice hatred for the US. And now the Irish are at it back and that i be attentive to they do no longer hate the US. Edit: by using how, what freedoms have been taken remote from you?

Answer 4

because we not only show the world that we get by just fine without their fanatical religious beliefs, but that we even live a better standard of living, this is a threat to their status of power over their people, add this to the fact that we led the way in reconizing isreal and that makes us the great "satan".



as for thoes that want to plame bush remember the first wtc bombing as well as the uss cole and the 3 embassy bombing all happened under clinton, so the beliefe that this is Republican. Vs. terrorists is ignorant,

Answer 5

The rise of fundamentalism among the islamic youth are due to the fact that the islam hasn't produced any mahathmaas like ' Ramakrishna paramahamsa, Ramana, Vivekananda, Shirdi Sai, Ramalinga, Gandhiji ' in the recent past.

Wisdom is the best weapon to fight against the real evils which work against the vital and fundamental codes of islam and other religions.

Answer 6

This is great. To an extent, the muslims have a point. They are not completely correct though. But they make a good point. A reasonable President would recognize that and see about improving things. Hollywood is trash. They create lots of it. What do we stand for? We seem a bit lost. We want to be more tolerant but there has to be a line and it needs to be reasonable. Who defines reasonable? I don't know. Someone who is smart and intelligent with honorable intentions. In some ways, I think our freedom is our biggest enemy because some people just avoid the responsibilities that go along with it. It's like my way or the highway. There aren't enough shades of gray. There isn't enough give and take. There isn't enough consideration for others.

Do we want to live in a civilized society? People are ruder, more short-tempered, and more selfish. Why? We are all stressed to the max and don't feel in control. That's what I think. That's how I feel.

What right do we have to tell them how to live? We need to get out of their country but we can't because we want the oil. That's what brought other countries to that region in the first place. They have been fighting with each other for years. That's why my relatives left Lebanon. They got tired of the fighting.



I would pull Hollywood out and work on respecting their culture and way of life. I would not try to thrust our opinions and business on them. Look at the U.S. Do we have any moral authority anymore? We are arguing about if waterboarding is torture? It is torture and it is illegal. I hope the U.S. government (Bush/Cheney) do get sued. It is not American. I will not make any excuses for what they have done. They most certainly have tortured innocents. Even if they did torture the bad guys, it's still torture. It's wrong and illegal. All of this is complex and it's not black/white. I don't want to bring it to that level. It doesn't belong there.

Answer 7

The original goal of al Qaida was to overthrow the Saud royal family and turn the holy sites in Saudi Arabia into a new Islamic caliphate.

bin Laden's first act of terorism was an attempt to overthrow the Saud regime, and he was exiled. His hatred of the western world stems from the monetary and weapon support that keeps the Saud royals in power.

That is why he attacked our financial center.



The Saud royals walk a tightrope between the wahabbi fundamentalists clerics that give them political support, and the western money. They keep a lid on a powderkeg.



It's more of a "rule the world" thing than a culture clash.

Answer 8

How can you honestly equate Islamists to even the most fundamentalist of Christians in America? Being religious doesnt make you an insane killer who believes all who are not of your faith deserve to die. You will not find a group of Christians terrorizing civilians or physically attacking other religious groups.

A lot of people grow up poor and in this world hundreds of millions grow up somewhat oppressed but they do not become terrorists. Terrorism stems from a black heart. People may fight back against a government or military targets when they are oppressed but only the pure evil will attack civilian populations to instill fear.

There is no equating American Christian fundamentalists (who can be a little wierd and may preach that God looks down upon you or whatever) with Radical Islamists who slaughter all those who oppose them including moderate Muslims



Disengenuous argument but I think you knew that when you posted it

Answer 9

The American government has the position that we must spread our brand of democracy by force. At least that is what they tell the American people, and unfortunately, a lot of them buy it.



The reality is that the US supports brutal dictators all over the world because these leaders return the favor by giving preferred access to local resources, and exploitable labor, to American, and European, corporations.



This is what they rebel against.

Answer 10

They hate people who go on their holy land that aren't Muslim such as the american military! They are also religious fanatics that are swayed easily by their governments to hate anybody that disobeys their Gods orders. They hate freedom because they are blinded by their rulers(priests, politicians that "give them things(shitty things)", and brainwashed parents)! They remind me alot of Republicans and Democrats, just with more hate!

Answer 11

Because they are right-wing extremists, and all right-wing extremists view any beliefs that do not agree with their own, as evil.

They, like abortion clinic snipers, the McVeighs, and people who kill their children because God told them to, are the most extreme fringes of ultra-conservatism, and oppose anything that may change their views or the world around them.

[the short version of Anna's answer]

Answer 12

What is it going to take to get people to understand that the "terrorists" are raised to aspire to do one thing, and that is to kill others. They want to kill everyone, including each other. And they'll even kill themselves by blowing themselves up and crashing their planes into things if it will get the job done. There is no intelligence, rhyme or reason to it.



Unfortunately, Presidents who wish to do everything possible to protect us from them are labeled war mongering freaks. I wonder if they label FBI agents who go after serial killers the same way?

Answer 13

LOL *women forgetting their place*

Too funny



Seriously though...its cuz theyve been brainwashed to hate us. The ones they should really hate are their leaders. I'd HATE to live in a theocracy where only a handful of people have $$

Its misdirected hatred

Answer 14

If I were a cop in Karachi and all I knew about America was NAMBLA and the Castro District, I'd have beef, too.



It's the permissiveness of the left and their complete abdication of morals that has Akbar Farazwa pissed.

Answer 15

I can make this very clear and easy for you to understand.



Take your mom or sister to Iraq and drop her off there for about a month. If she survives the experience, she will have lost probably about 30 pounds, ate food that had bugs in it, had to stay in her house for fear of terrorist bombings, and drank water with live sewage in it.



I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT TERRORISM IS ABOUT.



IT GOES AGAINST EVERYTHING WE HOLD DEAR TO OUR HEART AS AMERICANS.



For those of you with your head up your a s s that don't understand WHY terrorism is, LET ME EXPLAIN IT TO YOU.



TERRORISM happens because the psychotic people that used to be in charge FEAR LOSING CONTROL OF THE PEOPLE.



THEY DO NOT WANT WOMEN TO HAVE RIGHTS.



THEY DO NOT WANT THEIR WOMEN TO DRIVE.



THEY DO NOT WANT THEIR WOMEN TO BE LAWYERS, DOCTORS, OR ANY KIND OF PROFESSIONALS.



THEY DO NOT WANT THEIR WOMEN TO VOTE.



AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY HAVE LAWS THAT ALLOW THEM TO STONE THEIR WOMEN TO DEATH FOR JUST ABOUT ANY REASON THEY CAN COME UP WITH.



THEY DO NOT WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO WEAR JEANS AND LISTEN TO ROCK AND ROLL OR RAP MUSIC. (Like every other country where the people have become FREE.)



One of the big secrets about terrorists is they thought they could bring down the world economy (our quality of life and civilization) by destroying a fair chunk of the world's petroleum distribution system. I guess you don't realize what would happen TO ANY COUNTRY ON THIS PLANET if enough of the oil distribution were interrupted. Besides not being able to drive your car, YOU COULD EASILY FREEZE IN THE WINTER. So for all of the dummies that said Bush only did this for oil, understand that without oil, the world stops turning. So yes, this war did have to do a lot with oil. Take away any country's food and you will have a war. Take away any country's land, and you will have a war. Well, taking away any country's energy source will also cause a war.



BUT THE PART THAT REALLY HURTS ME PERSONALLY, IS THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO COME INTO OUR COUNTRY AND DESTROY OUR PYRAMIDS ON SEPTEMBER 11th. (I watched the buildings fall that day. If you didn't, try YouTube.) Over three thousand people died that day. It was America's job to protect those people. The fact that we've been at war for these few years and only lost only a little over 3,000 of our God Blessed soldiers is proof of how well we can fight a modern war. When we were fighting for your grandfather's freedom, to remove the last scourge of the planet, (Hitler), 20 MILLION OF OUR SOLDIERS DIED.



SO YOU COULD HAVE THE LIFE YOU HAVE TODAY.



Keep these facts in mind.



It may take a while, but all the FREE countries of the world WILL REMOVE TERRORISM FROM THIS PLANET.



No matter what they do, or how badly they hurt a few of us, FREEDOM WILL PREVAIL.



TERRORISTS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN THE MODERN ROACH OF PLANET EARTH.



And by the way, to the morons who say we are no safer today than 9/11, when was the last time that American soil was attacked? It seems to me that they are doing a DAMN GOOD JOB protecting us. REMEMBER, the terrorists only have to get it right once, WE have to get it right every time.

Answer 16

We also have this nasty tendency to flood the place with weapons, to conduct air raid campaigns in different countries, to subvert democratic movements against regimes we like and to look the other way when Israel does wrong. Not to mention Iraq.



If your son or daughter had been 'collateral damage', you might understand how vacuous the phrase "they hate our freedoms" is.

Answer 17

Maybe it has something to do with us monkeying around with their soveriegnty whenever the heck we feel like it. Maybe they don't like Israel. Maybe they don't like bases in Saudi Arabia. Maybe they don't like the feeling that the right psycho over here will eradicate them from the face of the earth.



Oh, and their religious fundamental lunatics aren't the same as our religious fundamental lunatics.

Answer 18

A few selected verses from the Qur’an are often misquoted to perpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violence, and exhorts its followers to kill those outside the pale of Islam.

1. Verse from Surah Taubah



The following verse from Surah Taubah is very often quoted by critics of Islam, to show that Islam promotes violence, bloodshed and brutality:



"Kill the mushriqeen (pagans, polytheists, kuffar) where ever you find them."

[Al-Qur’an 9:5]

2. Context of verse is during battlefield



Critics of Islam actually quote this verse out of context. In order to understand the context, we need to read from verse 1 of this surah. It says that there was a peace treaty between the Muslims and the Mushriqs (pagans) of Makkah. This treaty was violated by the Mushriqs of Makkah. A period of four months was given to the Mushriqs of Makkah to make amends. Otherwise war would be declared against them. Verse 5 of Surah Taubah says:



"But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is oft-forgiving, Most merciful."

[Al-Qur’an 9:5]



This verse is quoted during a battle.

3. Example of war between America and Vietnam



We know that America was once at war with Vietnam. Suppose the President of America or the General of the American Army told the American soldiers during the war: "Wherever you find the Vietnamese, kill them". Today if I say that the American President said, "Wherever you find Vietnamese, kill them" without giving the context, I will make him sound like a butcher. But if I quote him in context, that he said it during a war, it will sound very logical, as he was trying to boost the morale of the American soldiers during the war.



4. Verse 9:5 quoted to boost morale of Muslims during battle



Similarly in Surah Taubah chapter 9 verse 5 the Qur’an says, "Kill the Mushriqs where ever you find them", during a battle to boost the morale of the Muslim soldiers. What the Qur’an is telling Muslim soldiers is, don’t be afraid during battle; wherever you find the enemies kill them.

5. Shourie jumps from verse 5 to verse 7



Arun Shourie is one of the staunchest critics of Islam in India. He quotes the same verse, Surah Taubah chapter 9 verse 5 in his book ‘The World of Fatwahs’, on page 572. After quoting verse 5 he jumps to verse 7 of Surah Taubah. Any sensible person will realise that he has skipped verse 6.

6. Surah Taubah chapter 9 verse 6 gives the answer



Surah Taubah chapter 9 verse 6 gives the answer to the allegation that Islam promotes violence, brutality and bloodshed. It says:



"If one amongst the pagans ask thee for asylum,grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah; and then escort him to where he can be secure that is because they are men without knowledge."

[Al-Qur’an 9:6]



The Qur’an not only says that a Mushriq seeking asylum during the battle should be granted refuge, but also that he should be escorted to a secure place. In the present international scenario, even a kind, peace-loving army General, during a battle, may let the enemy soldiers go free, if they want peace. But which army General will ever tell his soldiers, that if the enemy soldiers want peace during a battle, don’t just let them go free, but also escort them to a place of security?



This is exactly what Allah (swt) says in the Glorious Qur’an to promote peace in the world.

Answer 19

The real terrorists are in the closet. They manage world events that gain them vast monetary gain.

Answer 20

Lets see we drop 5000 pound bombs on civilians and we call them terrorists.







How many wedding parties and faimily gatherings, festivities have we blown away.

Answer 21

They hate all Judeao Christian westernized countries.

Answer 22

They hate anyone who is not one of them not just America.

Answer 23

um because america (which i am proud to live in) is really good making enemies.

Answer 24

Because Bush is in office. I'm sure when a Dem gets elected they'll cozy up.

Answer 25

We are the ''haves'' and they are the ''have nots'' and they are understandably, pissed.