Quote:
Originally posted by FlyingIguana
whether you like it or not, america's actions have contributed to the hatred of americans. these arabs didnt wake up one day and say 'fuck we hate americans'. american actions have fueled the fire. they're still fueling the fire when they have a chance to throw some water on it. its not enough to put out the fire, but its better than nothing.
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I don't disagree with you. The story can be told with any starting point you wish.
One can say "America's policies in the Middle East caused Arabs to hate Americans"
One can also say "Israel was buying American weapons when the rest of the Arab world was courting the Soviets and buying Soviet weapons".
America's relationship with Israel is the prime motivator in Arab-American relations. How is it any more the fault of America for Middle Eastern countries choosing to do business with the Soviets during the Cold War than the fault of those countries themselves?
Only in 1973 did Egypt decide to stop courting the Soviets and make deals with the US. The US was interested in relations with Egypt all along. What resulted when Egypt decided to get our from under the Soviets and court the US? The Camp David accords and peace between Egypt and Israel.
It was Cold War politics which kept the US on one side and the Middle Eastern countries on the other. It was largely the choices of those countries to decide whether they were in the US or Soviet camp. Notice all those T72s and MIGs in the Middle East still?
Regardless of whatever position you choose in the Palestinian/Israeli debate, one must see that the Arab countries made many poor decisions themselves that causes poor US/Arab relations.
Osama is Saudi Arabian and hates the US. He is upset at the US relationship with Saudi Arabia. He doesn't represent a government. He's a criminal.
Saudi Arabia is buying US weapons now. Saudi Arabia is buying F-15s, Abrams tanks, and Patriot Missile Defense systems.