Former President Bush expanded the definition of terrorism, by saying that anyone who knowingly harbors and/or assists terrorists is to be considered terrorist themselves. The only problem that I see with this expansion is that it implicates its author, who knowingly gave asylum to many known terrorists, like former CIA operative, Luis Posada Carriles. Carriles committed numerous terrorist attacks, including blowing up a Cuban airplane killing 73 people.
If you notice, the definition of terrorism and Bush’s expansion of that definition does not give any justification for killing innocent people, because there is none. People imagine in their own minds that some acts of terrorism and some terrorists are acceptable. In 1941, Japanese pilots attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor. They destroyed several of our ships, aircraft and they killed about 2400 people, wounding close to 1200. In response to this despicable surprise attack, which was specifically intended to weaken our military, President Franklin D. Roosevelt executed United States Executive order of 9066 on February 19,1942, which authorized the detainment of 120,000 American, who were of Japanese descent. This order endured until April 19, 1976. 34 years!!! Imprisonment of civilians for the military attacks of others is terrorism. Luckily, in 1983 the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC), gave the survivors of these concentration camps reparation because they concluded that their detainment was done out of “race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership” and it had no military or security justification. The CWRIC’s findings would have labeled President Roosevelt’s actions as terrorism had they been perpetrated by anyone of Arab descent. Though the label was not implemented, our actions qualify as acts of terrorism according to its definition.
Very few Americans view the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki as acts of terrorism, even though an overwhelming majority of the causalities were civilians. At the beginning of the Iraq War, the sentiment “nuke ‘em all” was widespread. And the justification for the bombing of these cities in Japan, as well as Iraq, might sound eerily similar to the justification used by Muslims who use terrorism as a means to accomplish their goals. But the America of today should not be characterized by the mistakes of those of the past. Neither should Islam be demonized for what some Muslims have done. And the Muslim must take the cue from America and The CWRIC and renounce the wrongs done in the name of Islam. This comparison is not to vilify America or lighten the burden on terrorists, but to illustrate that there is a double standard here. Though later found to be completely erroneous, FDR sincerely believed that his actions were necessary. President Truman felt the use of the atomic bomb was absolutely necessary. And the Palestinian, with every fiber of his being, believes that suicide bombing is the only means which he is afforded. Each of these persons knowingly harmed or killed innocent people through terrorism, yet only one party’s belief in the necessity for their use of terrorism is not heard, accepted or even acknowledged. I am totally and completely against killing any innocent person, but we must realize that any person who is willing to do such a thing is in a state of desperation. We must ask, “Is the desperation warranted?” WHY are suicide bombings happening?
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