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How Do We End The War on Terror?

What Should We Do To End The Terror War?

  • The West is doing the right thing.

    Votes: 4 7.5%
  • We need more WAAAUGH! We need to bomb more! Boots on the ground!

    Votes: 6 11.3%
  • The West needs to change their foreign policy. Stop meddling in other countries.

    Votes: 30 56.6%
  • Other

    Votes: 13 24.5%

  • Total voters
    53
It seems "other" got so many votes, because it's a complicated situation that we exacerbated, with our trying to democratize the Muslim region of the ME to change their extremist zealotism. You can't fight ideas by coining the phrasing incorrectly from the beginning. I, basically, only respond to someone who doesn't like my ideals or attitude, by ignoring them and only reacting when necessary. But, I've never fought to lose or break even, which is partially what we're doing with our military.
 
I agree that there are no easy answers to what's going on there. Sometimes I wonder if a pan-Arab state created after WWI would have been the best option for the Middle East, or if that too would eventually have blown up.

The Ottoman empire was fairly close to a pan-Arabic state (not that the Turks are Arabs) before WWI that was broken up to punish them for siding with the Germans. Who knows what might have happened if it was allowed to continue.
 
You are mistaken about the bolded. Reading can be educational.

I see now that you later elaborated to say that you only want to kill ISIS supporters.
 
Its been 13 years since 9/11 and yet it seems there are now more terrorists than ever before. Can this war be won? What are your thoughts on this? Are the governments of the West doing the right things or are they making the situation worse?

As for me, I dont want to see another American solider or civilian killed in a pointless war with no end. The West needs to stop minding the business of other countries. No more overseas military bases or occupation- if these Islamists want to live according to their religion then I say let them do it. These very governments like Saudi Arabia, who we are fighting with to maintain their status quo over there are the very people who bankroll these terrorists. The US has got the largest shale oil deposits in the world- more than the entire middle east combined, why not spend billions in developing these fields and get oil form then instead of letting the Arabs do it and paying them for it?

We re-enter Iraq with 500,000 troops, occupy it just like we occupied Japan. Rebuild the country and secure it. Use it as a base for combat opperations in the ME against extreamists and wipe all the groups out with relentless and unapologetic force. That is the only way we will finish with the war on terrorism. And this is a battle that may take 50+ years, but it is a battle that if not fought, will terrorize us much longer and possible spark a world war.
 
Its been 13 years since 9/11 and yet it seems there are now more terrorists than ever before. Can this war be won? What are your thoughts on this? Are the governments of the West doing the right things or are they making the situation worse?

As for me, I dont want to see another American solider or civilian killed in a pointless war with no end. The West needs to stop minding the business of other countries. No more overseas military bases or occupation- if these Islamists want to live according to their religion then I say let them do it. These very governments like Saudi Arabia, who we are fighting with to maintain their status quo over there are the very people who bankroll these terrorists. The US has got the largest shale oil deposits in the world- more than the entire middle east combined, why not spend billions in developing these fields and get oil form then instead of letting the Arabs do it and paying them for it?

"shrug" Conservatives often steam that green "soft terrorists" like Bill Ayers enjoy respected positions in society, but Ayers is nothing on that scale. Those guys who killed the 1972 Israeli Olympic team in Munich went on to become well respected figures in their own social context. Similarly, for as many terrorists groups that are struck down by NATO or the U.S. there are many more climbing into power by infiltrating or reaching settlements with ruling governments, which I believe has happened and continues to happen in Libya. Not to mention that the ex-leaders of the Irish Republican Army are currently the leading figures in the Republic of Ireland.

The point I'm trying to make is that terrorism can become a respected profession in some cultural contexts (the Sons of Liberty were terrorists against the British Empire who went on to become the Founders of the American Republic), in some ways as easy a segue way into politics as joining the Army or the Peace Corps or the diplomatic service. The sort of agitation it produces in many communities in the developing world is no different than the sort of agitation that Congress causes ordinary Americans. Terrorists do things that annoy local populations, but they also do things that population can respect, or at least understand. That was broadly the feeling of the majority of the Irish toward the IRA during the years its operations, or the feelings of Americans toward the Sons of Liberty.

Point is, terrorism is cultural in many societies. Once something is cultural, it is here to stay.
 
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Terrorism is a result of the radicalism of a society.
Educating that society towards moderate world views is the only way to eradicate terrorism.
That cannot happen on the short run, only on the long run, and in the case of the Islamic societies that breed those terrorists in modern days it's not going to happen anytime soon if anytime at all.

That being said the current solution to terrorism must be force and force alone, massive use of force that will kill them faster than they recruit new idiots for their barbaric organizations. As simple as that.

Listening to their silly claims about why they engage in terrorism and believing that if the West fulfills those claims they'll leave their ways and stop murdering people is insane - they aren't rational, their causes and claims aren't rational, their ultimate final goal isn't one you can simply accept and compromise with. They cannot be reasoned with. They can only be locked in prison cells or eliminated from the face of earth.

There are too many terror apologists on this thread who believe that those people we're dealing with are rational, ordinary human beings.
 
The Ottoman empire was fairly close to a pan-Arabic state (not that the Turks are Arabs) before WWI that was broken up to punish them for siding with the Germans. Who knows what might have happened if it was allowed to continue.

The ottomans missed out on the oil boom (thankfully) but if they had not, looking at the genocides in Greece, Armenia, etc it would have been antagonistic to the west, and probably many more would have been killed. Its not to wild to see them joining the Axis in WW2, meaning the war in eastern europe, north Africa, and the mediterranean would have been protratd.
 
We will end the "War on Terror" the same way that we will end the wars on drugs and poverty- by reducing them to the point where they no longer pose a threat to the existence of humanity.

This will never happen as fast as the right-wing in the USA would like to see it happen.
 
Its been 13 years since 9/11 and yet it seems there are now more terrorists than ever before.

As was predicted by the Western intelligence organisations themselves and some , marginalized , independent analysts. Big Brother , or rather big business , were the ones pushing for wars simply because they profit from them.

The revolving doors between the personnel from the corporations and politics needs to be recognized and stopped imo
Can this war be won?

No, but it serves as a useful pretext, time and again, to extend Western and others big business interests as well as consolidating the rising global influence of the market

Are the governments of the West doing the right things or are they making the situation worse?

That largely depends on who you think the governments works for imo. Do they work for the people who elect them , or do they work for the people that bankroll their election campaigns ? For me it's the latter
As for me, I dont want to see another American solider or civilian killed in a pointless war with no end.

Nor the peoples of other nations. I think it high time people here realized that the " we are the 99% " applies on a global scale

The West needs to stop minding the business of other countries.

I agree but the special interest groups ,AKA the corporations/national ruling elites ,are the ones pulling the strings. Not just in the West either imho

No more overseas military bases or occupation- if these Islamists want to live according to their religion then I say let them do it. These very governments like Saudi Arabia, who we are fighting with to maintain their status quo over there are the very people who bankroll these terrorists. The US has got the largest shale oil deposits in the world- more than the entire middle east combined, why not spend billions in developing these fields and get oil form then instead of letting the Arabs do it and paying them for it?

I agree that people in other countries should just be allowed to run things how they like for themselves. Not just in religious terms but also in political and ideological terms too. Unfortunately , due to the reasons mentioned above , I can't see that happening even in the distant future , provided humanity even has one.

What is encouraging though , is that there appears to be some rays of hope that enough people are starting to question their own doctrinal systems , as the result in the poll here goes some way to highlighting.

Progress is slow , painfully slow and open to revisions , but there is a general trend that indicates its existence imho
 
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We re-enter Iraq with 500,000 troops, occupy it just like we occupied Japan. Rebuild the country and secure it. Use it as a base for combat opperations in the ME against extreamists and wipe all the groups out with relentless and unapologetic force. That is the only way we will finish with the war on terrorism. And this is a battle that may take 50+ years, but it is a battle that if not fought, will terrorize us much longer and possible spark a world war.

Do you have any idea what your Neocon fantasy will cost?

Trillions and trillions of dollars.

And I guarantee you it will cost FAR more injuries and deaths to Americans and innocent civilians then any terrorist organization could ever dream of causing.

Look at Iraq. More Americans died during Iraqi Freedom and it's aftermath then died during 9/11.

So is that the point? Forget the cost in money (that America does not have) and U.S. lives...just end that fear of terrorism?

Count me out.


ISIS beheads a few people (Saudi Arabia has beheaded way more people then that this year alone), threatens to somehow attack America, and it's 7-10,000 troops (with NO air power) overrun a bunch of unmotivated Iraqi troops (who WAY outnumbered ISIS, btw).
And on this basis you want to commit America to a war along the same lines as Vietnam...only longer?

Jeez...that's not the ISIS tail wagging the U.S. dog. That's the ISIS dust mite causing the U.S. suicide.

Please, PLEASE tell me you will NEVER run for office.
 
Do you have any idea what your Neocon fantasy will cost?

Trillions and trillions of dollars.

And I guarantee you it will cost FAR more injuries and deaths to Americans and innocent civilians then any terrorist organization could ever dream of causing.

Look at Iraq. More Americans died during Iraqi Freedom and it's aftermath then died during 9/11.

So is that the point? Forget the cost in money (that America does not have) and U.S. lives...just end that fear of terrorism?

Count me out.


ISIS beheads a few people (Saudi Arabia has beheaded way more people then that this year alone), threatens to somehow attack America, and it's 7-10,000 troops (with NO air power) overrun a bunch of unmotivated Iraqi troops (who WAY outnumbered ISIS, btw).
And on this basis you want to commit America to a war along the same lines as Vietnam...only longer?

Jeez...that's not the ISIS tail wagging the U.S. dog. That's the ISIS dust mite causing the U.S. suicide.

Please, PLEASE tell me you will NEVER run for office.


Mornin' DA. :2wave: One way to go after ISIS is to offer the Poor.....75k US Dollars, for each dead body of a Terrorist. This will be enough money for them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. It wont costs us Billions at all. No more than 1.

This should be done with All countries using their Intelligence Agencies to hunt on sight......and of course any means they use now. Even Organized crime and criminals. Mercs should be allowed to go do what they do and Hunt them down. All of them.....including their families. Whether hired by Governments or private enterprise and or people.

This does not include all countries using their military to go after them.
 
Do you have any idea what your Neocon fantasy will cost?

Trillions and trillions of dollars.

It's been a useful ploy to put more and more public coffers into private pockets. And to attack the freedoms gained out of centuries of struggle . People should wise up
And I guarantee you it will cost FAR more injuries and deaths to Americans and innocent civilians then any terrorist organization could ever dream of causing.

Correct , but the people in charge don't really care about that , despite their claims that they do
Look at Iraq. More Americans died during Iraqi Freedom and it's aftermath then died during 9/11.

So is that the point? Forget the cost in money (that America does not have) and U.S. lives...just end that fear of terrorism?

Agreed again. And I would rather see the money spent on killing people diverted to actually improving the lives of the living
Count me out.

me too

Please, PLEASE tell me you will NEVER run for office.

People like that already have and have succeeded in occupying them, hence the problem
 
Mornin' DA. :2wave: One way to go after ISIS is to offer the Poor.....75k US Dollars, for each dead body of a Terrorist. This will be enough money for them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. It wont costs us Billions at all. No more than 1.

This should be done with All countries using their Intelligence Agencies to hunt on sight......and of course any means they use now. Even Organized crime and criminals. Mercs should be allowed to go do what they do and Hunt them down. All of them.....including their families. Whether hired by Governments or private enterprise and or people.

This does not include all countries using their military to go after them.

Good morning MMC :2wave:

Well, it's original. And certainly would not cost as many U.S. lives.

But my first thought is that how do you know the dead body was a terrorist?

I think you would have poor people murdering people they don't like, taking their bodies to the authorities, claiming they were terrorists and demanding the cash.


And I don't like the idea of killing a child of a terrorist. Killing innocents is wrong...no matter what the cause.
 
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Good morning MMC :2wave:

Well, it's original. And certainly would not cost as many U.S. lives.

But my first thought is that how do you know the dead body was a terrorist?

I think you would have poor people murdering people they don't like, taking their bodies to the authorities, claiming they were terrorists and demanding the cash.


And I don't like the idea of killing a child of a terrorist. Killing innocents is wrong...no matter what the cause.



Well as Muslims.....they would be saying these are the extremists. They were civilians or supporters of the Caliphate.

Truthfully how would any troops know if they aren't out wearing their Black uniforms. Or engaging in battle.

Moreover with mercs out hunting them and Intel agencies. It sure isn't leaving them much room to go out under blue sky or in the night. With all after them.....they will need to hide their women and their children......and the poor will still be looking for them. They go out to buy groceries they can be taken Right then and there.

They would have to become a secret society. Live under ground.....I am sure some innocents will be killed. Anybody connected to them in anyway.....will be fearing and worried wherever they go.

Also they would no longer be out to recruit as those who want to blow themselves up for martyrdom.....might change their tune knowing their lives wont be miserable anymore. Not if they kill this terrorist that is telling them to go and blow themselves up for their cause. That 75k US dollars might start looking.....reeeeal good!
 
It's been a useful ploy to put more and more public coffers into private pockets. And to attack the freedoms gained out of centuries of struggle . People should wise up


Correct , but the people in charge don't really care about that , despite their claims that they do


Agreed again. And I would rather see the money spent on killing people diverted to actually improving the lives of the living


me too



People like that already have and have succeeded in occupying them, hence the problem

I agree with all of that.
 
Well as Muslims.....they would be saying these are the extremists. They were civilians or supporters of the Caliphate.

Truthfully how would any troops know if they aren't out wearing their Black uniforms. Or engaging in battle.

Moreover with mercs out hunting them and Intel agencies. It sure isn't leaving them much room to go out under blue sky or in the night. With all after them.....they will need to hide their women and their children......and the poor will still be looking for them. They go out to buy groceries they can be taken Right then and there.

They would have to become a secret society. Live under ground.....I am sure some innocents will be killed. Anybody connected to them in anyway.....will be fearing and worried wherever they go.

Also they would no longer be out to recruit as those who want to blow themselves up for martyrdom.....might change their tune knowing their lives wont be miserable anymore. Not if they kill this terrorist that is telling them to go and blow themselves up for their cause. That 75k US dollars might start looking.....reeeeal good!

Well, I am afraid we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

Have a fine day my friend.
 
1) Stop funding and arming the terrorists, or the supposed opposition to them - b/c of course arming group A to fight against group B, only results in group A turning those weapons against us when they decide to impose their particular brand of jihad or utopia upon their region or the world.

2) Stop bombing and manipulating foreign nations - period.

2) Stop doing business with the Saudi's and other supporters of terrorism. Stop importing their goods, and form coalitions to force them to deal with their own problems. If they can't police themselves - they can't do business with the first world.

3) Bring the troops home, and force other nations to contribute to sea lane and airspace security. The U.S. foots a disproportionate amount of cost and responsibility for these necessities - Europe is the greatest beneficiary. They can pony up and contribute resources and personnel.

4) Cease immigration of muslims - period. Europe has a much larger problem in this regard, but stop the importation of muslims, and if anyone who is currently here proves to represent any threat or radicalism - revoke their citizenship and deport them.

5) Secure our own borders.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of course none of these common sense remedies will be undertaken. U.S. foreign is designed to provoke terrorist responses - intentionally so.

War is big business - terrorism, or the threat of terrorism is a long standing and very effective tool of governments and tyrants that is used to justify the expansions of power and the curtailing of liberty. Unfortunately, the masses are easily manipulated by fear and simplistic emotional appeals - nothing new under the sun.

Amerika's policies will continue as they have been for years. The policies were intentionally formulated, and terrorism is nothing more than a means to an end - the people are largely ignorant of these things, and will continue to allow themselves to be manipulated until such time as we are living in a police state - for our own "safety" of course.
 
Good morning MMC :2wave:

Well, it's original. And certainly would not cost as many U.S. lives.

But my first thought is that how do you know the dead body was a terrorist?

I think you would have poor people murdering people they don't like, taking their bodies to the authorities, claiming they were terrorists and demanding the cash.


And I don't like the idea of killing a child of a terrorist. Killing innocents is wrong...no matter what the cause.

Let the arabs play by arab rules.
 
Terrorism is a result of the radicalism of a society.
And have you ever wondered why that radicalization happened?

Educating that society towards moderate world views is the only way to eradicate terrorism.
How can you educate a society that you occupy and bomb all the time?

That being said the current solution to terrorism must be force and force alone, massive use of force that will kill them faster than they recruit new idiots for their barbaric organizations. As simple as that.
Really? But thats exactly what we've been doing: the US has been attacking Al Qaeda everytime they pop up for the past 13 years- they are still around. Isreal has been doing that too (for over half a century) and they are still getting attacked.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.
 
1) Stop funding and arming the terrorists, or the supposed opposition to them - b/c of course arming group A to fight against group B, only results in group A turning those weapons against us when they decide to impose their particular brand of jihad or utopia upon their region or the world.

2) Stop bombing and manipulating foreign nations - period.

2) Stop doing business with the Saudi's and other supporters of terrorism. Stop importing their goods, and form coalitions to force them to deal with their own problems. If they can't police themselves - they can't do business with the first world.

3) Bring the troops home, and force other nations to contribute to sea lane and airspace security. The U.S. foots a disproportionate amount of cost and responsibility for these necessities - Europe is the greatest beneficiary. They can pony up and contribute resources and personnel.

4) Cease immigration of muslims - period. Europe has a much larger problem in this regard, but stop the importation of muslims, and if anyone who is currently here proves to represent any threat or radicalism - revoke their citizenship and deport them.

5) Secure our own borders.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of course none of these common sense remedies will be undertaken. U.S. foreign is designed to provoke terrorist responses - intentionally so.

War is big business - terrorism, or the threat of terrorism is a long standing and very effective tool of governments and tyrants that is used to justify the expansions of power and the curtailing of liberty. Unfortunately, the masses are easily manipulated by fear and simplistic emotional appeals - nothing new under the sun.

Amerika's policies will continue as they have been for years. The policies were intentionally formulated, and terrorism is nothing more than a means to an end - the people are largely ignorant of these things, and will continue to allow themselves to be manipulated until such time as we are living in a police state - for our own "safety" of course.

And what order do you propose this in?
 
And have you ever wondered why that radicalization happened?


How can you educate a society that you occupy and bomb all the time?


Really? But thats exactly what we've been doing: the US has been attacking Al Qaeda everytime they pop up for the past 13 years- they are still around. Isreal has been doing that too and they are still getting attacked.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.



Mornin PoS. :2wave: Well.....the Buddhists didn't bomb them nor occupy them. So why did they go and kill the Buddhists and burn down their temples and homes? Buddhists Shrines etc etc.
 
Mornin PoS. :2wave: Well.....the Buddhists didn't bomb them nor occupy them. So why did they go and kill the Buddhists and burn down their temples and homes? Buddhists Shrines etc etc.

Im sorry, which country/region/war are you referring to?
 
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