Charlie Wilson's War

#51
#51
droski said:
i hope you are right, but history proves otherwise. can you name a revolt started by the young educated portion of the populace? these people have the most to lose.
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I don't think we've had anything close to this dynamic, really. Hard to predict. But read that CNN article as it gets to a lot of what we are talking about.
 
#53
#53
Significantly reduced presence, and I don't know much about the relation between Spain and Muslims, just that there has been a pretty significant increase in Muslim population there over the last 20 years. Just a quick glance at the numbers, per capita representation of Islam there is about 3x what it is in the US, and considering it is through immigration whereas much Islam in the US is more of a "home-grown" variety, that might contribute to its characteristics.
 
#55
#55
Why I said hypothetical. It's a combination of our presence in Israel and the region abroad as well as our culture.

HBO or somebody did a fantastic documentary on Bin Laden's background which served as a portrait for ME radical Islam as a whole... I need to go watch it again some time.
 
#56
#56
nbakerld said:
It's hard to say what would happen with the ME and the USSR, but I'm certain if we had stayed out 9/11 and other acts of terror against the US don't happen.
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What did Charlie Wilson have to do with Beirut? Bin Laden stated that that moment sparked his desire to attack the US on US soil.
 
#57
#57
volinbham said:
Here's the landing page with a few highlights

2010 Arab Public Opinion Poll - Brookings Institution

It's from Brookings Institute - a powerpoint report on polling they do across the ME.

Bottomline, the U.S. is not liked.
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Ok, that opened. And is very discouraging.

The only bright spot I can see is that, if you look at some of the individual issues/questions, it seems that they are incredibly fickle. In only two years' time, they shift their answers remarkably. Perhaps my point earlier was correct -- that the depths of these sentiments is not that great and so there is opportunity to change their perception of us.

When you think about it, it makes sense. You've got populations that are making rapid increases in education and exposure to world-wide media. As that filters out into their societies and educational institutions, there are so many more sources of information and opinion.

bottom line: There's not a lot we can do about this. I really think sometimes it comes down to backing the winning horse and hoping he doesn't then throw you into the briar patch.
 
#58
#58
milohimself said:
Why I said hypothetical. It's a combination of our presence in Israel and the region abroad as well as our culture.

HBO or somebody did a fantastic documentary on Bin Laden's background which served as a portrait for ME radical Islam as a whole... I need to go watch it again some time.
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i just wonder what % is similar to the commie scare in the 80s. i.e it's easy to point the finger at what ails the country outside the country and the US with our huge influence on the world's culture is the easiest target.
 
#59
#59
It is, and I think what you're saying is definitely a part of the truth, but this just isn't one of those things that you can sum up in a few sentences.
 
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