What Causes Terrorism?

In the Washington Post, today, Dick Cheney made the following comment: "Terrorist attacks are not caused by the use of strength; they are invited by the perception of weakness." It is precisely this reasoning that has led to terrorism in the first place. Dick Cheney is dead wrong.

Cheney, in responding to John Kerry's plea for a more "sensitive" war on terrorism, has frankly admitted the government doesn't have the slightest clue when it comes to the impact of American ideologies on other cultures. He doesn't realize, or frankly won't admit to the fact that the presence of American military in the Middle East, our position in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, etc., is what has led to the breeding of anti-American sentiment in the Arab world – and the rise in terrorism.

The Cheney-Bush doctrine of pre-emptive war only flames the fire on this sentiment, which is growing at an alarming rate.

Cultural divisiveness is the real issue at stake, the perception the world has of American wealth and how we exploit other people and other nations to further that wealth.

But how could the Bush Administration possibly know this when they have shown absolutely no interesting in understanding other cultures of the world. Bush never even traveled as an adult outside of the US until he became President.

They need to understand that REAL strength, is the strength of knowing about people, understanding their lives and their culture, an appreciation of their history, their struggles, their aspirations. This is the strength of understanding the human condition.

Cheney is only bent on destroying it.