Blog Post #1 A military brat's perspective

Better mechanisms, fewer bombs? 

Hattie Pipes
Professor Shirk
Global Politics of Terror 
February 26, 2017 

     Growing up with a father in the military terrorists were always portrayed as radical and evil, no exceptions. They were the bad guys who chained drivers to trucks and then detonated bombs strapped to the driver remotely. They threw their own children into the line of fire so they could claim U.S. soldiers intentionally killed them. My father doesn't speak often about his two tours in Afghanistan or his most recent deployment to Iraq but when he did the stories often emphasized the cruelty which Al Qaeda and ISIS employed to achieve their goals. My father was shocked by the violence of terror organizations, the violent acts they engaged in made them appear inhuman and alien.

     It is no wonder that taking the course Global Politics of Terror challenged my fundamental belief that terror and evil are synonyms. After 9/11, the United States response to terror was relatively unsuccessful at best and destructive at worst. This may be because the mechanisms through which the nation combats terror are ineffective. Instead of deploying military personnel perhaps the "war on terror" should deter schools which promote radical Islam. The non-state Quomi Madrassas schools in Bangladesh do not adhere to the precepts established by Bangladesh or the standards created during the United Nations 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. Twenty eight years after the Convention many Bangla children are still enrolled in institutions which demonize Western values and encourage radicalism. At times it is necessary to use hard power, but violence aimed at deterring violence is hardly a long term solution. Today terrorist groups rally around divisive cultural differences; it has yet to be seen if those cultures can be reconciled. 

     My father always reminds me that it's hard to have a meaningful conversation with someone who wants to kill you. The question then remains: How does one reconcile the East and the West and effectively change or display the value of different cultural values? The simple answer is that one does not. A foreigner, especially one from the West, will only spur on hostility if they attempt to persuade or advise. However, this was not always the case. When the United States first entered Iraq the Iraqi people at least passively supported the United States involvement. Perhaps winning over the common person could halt the growth of radical groups. The issue then becomes assuring stability and securing a better life for those who might otherwise fall prey to joining terrorist organizations. Terrorist organizations and gangs attract young members by promising perks like food security, status, and purpose. There must be a compelling reason behind societal change if it is to be effective. Einstein noted that an object in motion stays in motion, the key in this situation is to ensure that people are moving in the right direction. It is difficult to stop a large object or organization with momentum, let alone change the direction or mission of it. However, individuals are more easily swayed. 

     Those who engage in terror, are different from those who engage in crime despite potentially similar economic situations. A terrorist is thrust into a world larger than himself which often targets civilians. While a criminal who robs a house tends to avoid the owner of the house. Thus a criminal who isn't involved in gang activity cannot be considered a terrorist as they do not strategize the demise of others. A criminal gang may be compared to a terrorist organization, as there is an emphasis on the group violently acting in solidarity to achieve a common goal. 

     The mechanisms used thus far to combat terror have quelled the flames but have not put out the spark which ignites the fire of radicalism in the Middle East. For peace to occur in the Middle East there must be a solution which promotes reconciliation and understanding by ensuring security for those surrounded by terrorist organizations. Maslow's hierarchy of needs should be given more attention by the military as well as international organizations like the UN to prevent young people from aligning with terrorist groups like ISIS. 

Citations:

"Aims and Objective of Jamia." Jamia Hosainia Islamia Arjabad. http://www.jamiaarjabad.com/en/?page_id=82, 23 Feb 2017. 

"Bangladesh Secondary School Madrasas." The World Bank. 10 August 2010. http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2010/08/10/bangladesh-secondary-school-madrasas, 24 Feb 2017. 

"An education: Inside Bangladesh Madrasas." The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/21/inside-madrasa-for-girls-bangladesh-tahmima-anam 23 Feb 2017.