{"article":{"id":10768,"heading":"Ten Alternative Responses to Terrorism","author":"Deborah Gerner and Philip Schrodt","created":"2001-09-25 20:20:57","modified":"2005-08-15 00:39:22","last_modified":"Mon, 15 Aug 2005 07:39:22","article":"<p>Ten Alternative Responses to Terrorism\r\n\r\n\r\nTen Alternative Responses to Terrorism\r\nDeborah Gerner and Philip Schrodt<br>\r\nBaldwin, Kansas<br>\r\ncontact: gerner@ku.edu, schrodt@ku.edu\r\n\r\nIndividuals who disagree with the approach of the United States government to\r\nthe tragic events of September 11th are continually being asked \"What's the \r\nalternative?\"  There <i>are<\/i> alternatives.  We offer the following list of five thoughts and\r\nfive actions.\r\n\r\nFive Thoughts\r\n\r\n<\/p><ul>\r\n<li>The events of 11 September were a massive crime against humanity.\r\nThey were not an act of war against the United States.\r\n<p><\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n<li> The acts of terror may have been intended to provoke a massive military \r\nresponse.   The world already knows that the United States has overwhelming military capability \r\nand is willing to use it. \r\nThe world needs to see that the United States can respond to this tragedy with justice, \r\nrestraint, and humility.\r\n<p><\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n<li> Our first priority must be to prevent additional terrorism against anyone.  \r\nAn attitude of vengeance will only alienate individuals who might assist us.\r\n<p><\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n<li> Billions spent on food, roads, schools, and clinics in countries devastated\r\nby war and poverty will do more to prevent\r\nterrorism than billions spent on bombers and cruise missiles.\r\n<p><\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n<li>\r\nOne of the greatest sources of antagonism toward the United States is its tendency\r\nto ignore international law.\r\n\r\n<\/li><\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\nFive Actions\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>This criminal act requires a multilateral police response, not a unilateral\r\nmilitary response.  A \"war on terrorism\" will be no more successful than the \"war\r\non drugs.\"\r\n<p><\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n<li>To demonstrate a commitment to the rule of law, the United States and NATO \r\nshould expedite the arrest of indicted war criminals in the former Yugoslavia and\r\nsupport the establishment of an International Criminal Court.\r\n<p><\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n<li>The United States should reassess foreign policies that our allies view\r\nas counter-productive and biased against Muslims.  For example, the U.S. should end\r\neconomic sanctions affecting the people of Iraq and its opposition to\r\nan international observer force in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.\r\n<p><\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n<li>The United States should only undertake actions and associations that could\r\nbe justified in a public forum.\r\nWord will get out anyway; if an action can't be defended, don't do it.\r\n<p><\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n<li> We cannot eliminate terrorism alone.  We should take seriously the advice and concerns\r\nof the international community.\r\n<\/li><\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\nIn considering this list, remember...\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Dissent in a democracy is an expression of patriotism.\r\nLet your voice be heard.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\nAcknowledgement:<br>\r\nWe have assembled this list from the thoughts expressed by friends and colleagues in\r\nKansas, the rest of the United States, the Middle East, and around the world.  \r\nPlease feel free to share it.\r\n\r\nLast update: 24 September 2001\r\n\r\nDownload the text: PDF format&nbsp;&nbsp;  MS-Word format\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n","contact":"gerner@ku.edu, schrodt@ku.edu","link":"http:\/\/people.ku.edu\/~schrodt\/alternatives.html","address":"Baldwin, Kansas","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/html","summary":"Individuals who disagree with the approach of the United States government to the tragic events of September 11th are continually being asked \"What's the alternative?\" There are alternatives. We offer the following list of five thoughts and five actions.","numcomment":1,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/2001\/09\/alternatives.html","filesize":"3.3 kibibytes","article_url":"\/news\/2001\/09\/10768.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[{"id":10805,"heading":"Ten responses to the above suggestions","article":"\r\n\r\n         \r\n\r\n                          The events of 11 September were a massive crime against\r\n                          humanity. They were not an act of war against the United\r\n                          States. \r\n\r\nYeah, but \"humanity\" won't do diddley for us (they hate us, right?) unless we take the lead.\r\n\r\n                           The world needs to see that the United States\r\n                          can respond to this tragedy with justice, restraint, and\r\n                          humility. \r\n\r\nJustice means self-defense.  Restraint is  a meaningless politesse in this context, and what the hell does humility got to do with the preservation of our nation?\r\n\r\n                          . An attitude of vengeance will only alienate\r\n                          individuals who might assist us. \r\n\r\nThis is abstract and conjectural  to the point of absurdity; after 9\/11 what more do you fear from US response that you don't fear already?\r\n\r\n\r\n                          Billions spent on food, roads, schools, and clinics in countries\r\n                          devastated by war and poverty will do more to prevent\r\n                          terrorism than billions spent on bombers and cruise missiles. \r\n\r\nSure, we pay, they leave us alone.  Paging John Gotti.\r\n\r\n                          One of the greatest sources of antagonism toward the United\r\n                          States is its tendency to ignore international law. \r\n\r\nAs that noted international law scholar Bin Ladin says......\r\n\r\n                    \r\n                          This criminal act requires a multilateral police response, not a\r\n                          unilateral military response. A \"war on terrorism\" will be no\r\n                          more successful than the \"war on drugs.\" \r\n\r\nYou've got your opinion, and for the present at least I'll rely on US expertise on use of military.  Say, aren't you the guy who said we'd get wiped out in Desert Storm?\r\n\r\n                          To demonstrate a commitment to the rule of law, the United\r\n                          States and NATO should expedite the arrest of indicted war\r\n                          criminals in the former Yugoslavia and support the\r\n                          establishment of an International Criminal Court. \r\n\r\nJust like American criminal courts prevent crime, yeah, yeah.\r\n\r\n                          The United States should reassess foreign policies that our\r\n                          allies view as counter-productive and biased against Muslims.\r\n                          For example, the U.S. should end economic sanctions\r\n                          affecting the people of Iraq and its opposition to an\r\n                          international observer force in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. \r\n\r\nWhy don't you propose that Colin Powell be replaced by Bin Laden as Secretary of State...wouldn\r\n't that be more efficient?\r\n\r\n\r\n                          The United States should only undertake actions and\r\n                          associations that could be justified in a public forum. Word will\r\n                          get out anyway; if an action can't be defended, don't do it. \r\n\r\nFrankly, my dear, for self-defense I don't give a damn what the public thinks, except for tactical purposes.   If most countries disagree with what we want to do for self-defense, that's not going to keep my family safe.\r\n\r\n                          We cannot eliminate terrorism alone. We should take seriously\r\n                          the advice and concerns of the international community. \r\n\r\nListen to advice?  of course, why not.  Follow advice?   That depends on its merits, no?\r\n\r\n                  \r\n                          Dissent in a democracy is an expression of patriotism. Let\r\n                          your voice be heard. \r\n\r\nAgreed.\r\n\r\n                ","author":"Mr. Common Sense","parent_id":10768,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2001-09-26 15:21:03","modified":"2001-09-26 16:00:23","fileurl":""}]}