Time for a new approach

Nothing we have done would justify anyone’s attacks on America. And I agree that our leaders should not give in to the demands of terrorists. But there are two things which have yet to be tried as strategies in our on-going war on terror: telling the truth, and practicing what we preach.

I suggest we open a new phase in the war on terror by doing the following:

• Stop using food as a weapon,
• Stop supporting dictators and oppressive regimes,
• Scrupulously follow all domestic and international laws,
• Arrest and prosecute America’s torturers and war criminals, and
• Start acting as if we really believe the mantra of 9/11: “nothing justifies the killing of innocent people”.

Or we could just continue militarizing our police, installing more spy cameras, violating more civil liberties, and torturing or force feeding more detainees in the vain hope that the rest of the world will once again acknowledge our fundamental goodness.

Which would you prefer?