Say what you will about McCarthy at least there was a kernel of truth to his accusations. There was a world wide Communist conspiracy that was in many ways headed and controlled by the Kremlin.
While he was a dangerous political opportunist who used the war against Communism to support his own craven goals, the Communist threat was real. A systemic response focused on Soviet Communism was indeed warranted.
Having defeated Communism the right naturally has wanted to
"Islamist Extremism" is another kettle of fish altogether. There is not one Islamist conspiracy directed by one organization. But many conspiracies by many different Muslims located in many different regions of the world that are as much at odds with each other as they are with us. Understanding the threat this way the term "Islamic Extremist" is too broad and perhaps even underestimates the threat.
But in another sense the term is much too narrow. One of the most dangerous lies perpetrated by the likes of Lieberman is that Islam somehow is unique in its production of dangerous militants.
While Islamic terrorism has presented a unique danger to the United States to imply that actions against Muslim religious terrorism are sufficient is an incredibly dangerous under estimation of the problem.
Religious violence is actually quite common with significant acts of violence perpetrated by Christian, Jews, Sheiks, and even Buddhist and Hindus.
Much of the terrorism and even genocide in Sub Saharan Africa is directed by Christian sects. As Climate driven migration and water wars spread and our competition with China for African raw materials intensifies we are almost certain to face these types of groups.
As for the Fort Hood attacker a profile that could explain his actions could certainly include a Jewish soldier angered by a future American governments vote in the UN Security council to recognize a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders of Israel or a Christian soldier angered by the integration of openly homosexual soldiers into the armed forces.
But rather than propose responding to a threat that is decentralized and complex Lieberman chooses to promote falsehoods about the threat posed by a Fort Hood type radical. These falsehoods could give such a radical a crucial opening to do untold damage.
crossposted at http://www.google.com/sidewiki/entry/robert.lee.hotchkiss/id/RSB7k7_owRUi6r-O2faiYpIvAis
While he was a dangerous political opportunist who used the war against Communism to support his own craven goals, the Communist threat was real. A systemic response focused on Soviet Communism was indeed warranted.
Having defeated Communism the right naturally has wanted to
"Islamist Extremism" is another kettle of fish altogether. There is not one Islamist conspiracy directed by one organization. But many conspiracies by many different Muslims located in many different regions of the world that are as much at odds with each other as they are with us. Understanding the threat this way the term "Islamic Extremist" is too broad and perhaps even underestimates the threat.
But in another sense the term is much too narrow. One of the most dangerous lies perpetrated by the likes of Lieberman is that Islam somehow is unique in its production of dangerous militants.
While Islamic terrorism has presented a unique danger to the United States to imply that actions against Muslim religious terrorism are sufficient is an incredibly dangerous under estimation of the problem.
Religious violence is actually quite common with significant acts of violence perpetrated by Christian, Jews, Sheiks, and even Buddhist and Hindus.
Much of the terrorism and even genocide in Sub Saharan Africa is directed by Christian sects. As Climate driven migration and water wars spread and our competition with China for African raw materials intensifies we are almost certain to face these types of groups.
As for the Fort Hood attacker a profile that could explain his actions could certainly include a Jewish soldier angered by a future American governments vote in the UN Security council to recognize a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders of Israel or a Christian soldier angered by the integration of openly homosexual soldiers into the armed forces.
But rather than propose responding to a threat that is decentralized and complex Lieberman chooses to promote falsehoods about the threat posed by a Fort Hood type radical. These falsehoods could give such a radical a crucial opening to do untold damage.
crossposted at http://www.google.com/sidewiki/entry/robert.lee.hotchkiss/id/RSB7k7_owRUi6r-O2faiYpIvAis
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