What Terrorists Want

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It is a pedestrian observation that terrorists are human beings and therefore have a human psychology which we can study and understand. Strangely, that simple observation seems almost heretical, possibly even subversive in our currently political climate. It seems to imply that terrorists are not aberrant monsters, or possibly even that they are normal in some respects.

Maybe it does imply that, but it is certainly true that it also means that we can understand the enemy better if we try to get in his head rather than just demonize him as a sub-human, brain-washed automaton, living only to kill for his cause. There is no greater folly than to fail to use all the civilized tools at our disposal to defeat terrorists. If we dismiss the advantage that truly understanding our enemy can convey out of some idealogical commitment to portraying the enemy as a caricature, rather than as full human beings, we only harm ourselves.

Here is a wonderful discussion with Dr. Louise Richardson, Executive Dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University on how to understand terrorism and contain the threat through a deeper understanding of the motives and goals of terrorists. She is the author of a book entitled "What Terrorists Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat." Both the conversation and the book may challenge your assumptions and push you out of your comfort zone.


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4 thoughts on “What Terrorists Want”

  1. thanks for putting this up. It’s like analytical and reality based and stuff. (!)
    The pants-shitters can’t handle it, so they gravitate to Giuli9/11!ani and this very stupid ad by the know-nothing Mitt Romney who decides to conflate everything and its brother to scare the shit out of whitey.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOPp9K1JUCs

    We’re under attack, people!! put on your flag pins! Next up: is one flag pin enough?

  2. So let me get this straight:

    understanding your enemy so you can defeat him = drinking tea with him

    Carter standing for freedom = supporting the Shah, a ruthless monarchical dictator whose Savak secret police murdered Iranians with impunity

    so apparently:

    Talking like a alarmist nut job = the American Chauvinist being a candidate for Congress

  3. If you did not get what the Hitler of Iran said while he was at Columbia University as he said Women are saints and there are no gays in Iran you must be smoking a hubley bubbley with some pretty stong stuff!

    I have pictures on my web-site of what the Hitler of Iran does to Gays in Iran and if you want to see that take place around the World and in The United States as we “Drink Tea” with this Jerk we will get what we deserve as did Rome as it let illegal’s overtake its society that lead to the destruction of Rome!

  4. Jimmy Carter sat in The White House while Terrorists in Iran held American Hostages after he let the Shaw fall and resulted in the installation of radical islamic nut jobs that are now killing American Men and Women in Iraq and Afghanistan through sending trained suicide bombers ; and arms and men not only into Iraq but into Palestine and Lebanon.

    If Cater had stood for Freedopm then we would NOT be in Iraq today or even Afghanistan; and the Palestinians might even have had a chance to get a State living in Peace with Israel!

    This “LETS HAVE TEA WITH THE TERRORISTS IS NUTS!”

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