General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: It's really, really hard to talk about radical Islamic terrorism [View all]thucythucy
(8,038 posts)and were, at least in part, motivated by historic religious differences. As is the case with the Middle East today, the conflict was also mired in social, economic, and political issues, the basic one being the long history of English oppression of the Irish.
The intense religious conflicts in India see Moslems as often the victims of horrific acts of violence and mass terrorism by Hindus as the other way around. The Serb massacres of Moslem men and boys (and the mass rape of Moslem women and girls) are also within living memory. The religious conflicts in Sri Lanka have nothing to do with Islam at all, but also generated terrorism and atrocities. In central and southern Africa there is horrible violence against LGBT people, much of it motivated by fundamentalist Christianity (and much of THAT originating in the US).
What is different is that these conflicts and instances of oppression were/are by and large localized, because the political context was localized. Whereas American and western disruption of the Middle East draws in a vast geography, and generates a vast resentment, of our support for oppressive regimes and elites, not to mention a long history of military and political intervention, from Lebanon and Iran in the 1950s all the way to Iraq in 2003. Then too, American support for Israel is another factor added into the mix.
It's difficult to talk about the complexities without being accused of being apologists for the terrorists. Add into the mix the vast numbers of people in our various societies who feel displaced, alienated, and may have genuine mental health issues, and things get even more complicated.
None of this matters much to the victims and their families. Whatever the causes or motivations, nothing justifies such barbarism, ever. How to heal the victims and their loved ones to the extent possible, and how to prevent the next atrocity, must be the over riding concerns, at least at this point in time.
Best wishes.