Bendle makes some pretty good points, and even though I'd consider myself a leftie, I think that there probably is an unbalanced view in academic circles that the west is entirely to blame.

On the other hand, the opposite view is firmly entrenched in the rhetoric of both the Labor and Liberal parties, so it balances out nicely - if I've got to have a government and an opposition that just compete to be 'tough on terror' I damn well want an academic circle that questions them.

One point though - the author refers to a timid response of European intellectuals to the rise of fascism in Europe.

Fascism came to dominate governments, and is what led to everybody's favourite comparison, the Nazi party.

I tend to think Bendle's comparison is erroneous. He has compared abuses by the state to abuses by non-state players (i.e. terrorists) all the while, denouncing the attitude that is comparing governments to terrorists.

So, lets rephrase that - the intellectuals of Europe didn't speak out against dangerous philosophies that were gaining prominence within certain governments correct?

Dangerous philosophies such as... the acceptance of torture? increased secrecy in intelligence operations? Legal modifications such as removing habeas corpus and the right to silence in terrorism related situations?

Actually, the european concerns were a little different, but these are different times. I'd argue the spirit is the same.

The author is simultaneously criticising the intellectuals for not criticising fascism in government while criticising present day intellectuals for doing the opposite.

Can't have it both ways I'm afraid.

You only have to look at history and the bombing campaign waged by the IRA for control of Ireland to see want terrorism is all about .

When America was talking about setting up a Democracy in Iraq before they invaded I said the thing that worries me about that are those big tribes there. One wont live under the territorial control of the other . That prediction based on my belief that man at the tribal level is territorial has proven to be correct. The Sunnis and Shiites are now more interested in killing each other than Americans for control of Iraq. I also predicted we would end up back in Timor because we hadn’t solved any of the underlying tribal territorial conflicts.

HITLER was an INSTRUMENT of the German people he was their smokescreen so that when the war was over they could say we didn’t do it Hitler did. There were six million jews displaced or exterminated in Germany. Those people had homes and cars and furniture and jewellery and bank accounts. WHERE DID ALL THAT WEALTH GO. I’ll bet the German soldiers had no sooner removed a Jewish family from their home then those same innocent German people quietly moved in and took possession. THE TERRITORIAL SPOILS TO THE GERMAN PEOPLE. The Germans were too intelligent to elect someone like Hitler without knowing what he stood for.

I just laughed when they said they had paid two British academics for two years to try and figure out why the homegrown suicide bombers would bomb London. TWO YEARS! I could have told them in two minutes. It’s a sample of things to come if one of these tribes doesn’t intergrate and gets big enough in numbers; of looming territorial tribal warfare. This war in Iraq has only bought it to a head sooner. I always knew the West would face a territorial challenge I just hoped it would be a few more decades away .

his blaming of the West for all the territorial warfare on the planet ignores the fact that all of mankind is territorial . There have been many conquerors (territorial males) throughout history from many cultures who have ridden in at the head of armies(territorial males), and taken control of other peoples land and countries. Usually enslaving the people and committing mass ethnic cleansing as they did.

The west who have tribal links going back to the Vikings and the Romans have indeed been successful takers of territory because of their superior weapons and military knowhow that’s why we enjoy just a prosperous life style today . We are also envied for our territorial wealth and that is why with all the young virile fighting males in these overpopulated countries we were always in danger of territorial attack . They know they cant take the great armoured Lion of the West in a head on battle. So they hit and run, hit and run, with these territorial attacks hoping to land enough wounds to bring the Western Lion down.

.They also understand the Western media very well and they play mind games with us which the appeasers grab on to like straws hoping that if only we can find out whats making them angry we can save ourselves. Don’t forget they are probably on the internet with people in Western countries all the time finding out the mindset of the media and public and how to manipulate that knowledge. If I was trying to bring down a superior power like the West that’s how I play the game wouldn’t you.

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Where attention goes, energy flows. the more we keep talking about it, the more we will 'embed' it into our cultural lives. those at the top know this and eventually some futur3e generation will eventually jump, when the new nmasters of the day say 'jump'. terrorism will be the ruling elite's trigger - just like pavlova's dogs.

and the conditioning is already truely under way...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1867405,00.html

9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB ?

to all those who subscribe to this theory, please explain the video released NOT by the CIA, NOT by Fox news, NOT by any western mob, but by AL JAZERA...showing Bin Ladin WITH 2 of the Hijackers.

I can't wait Carl :)

P.S. be careful about anything coming from Brigham Young Uni, they also believe God is an Alien and that we will become 'gods' to other planets as 'God' is to ours in the future... and many other salubrious things. Onya Joe Smith, you really scored with those dissappearing gold tablets. (But hey, they enabled you to score lots of chicks... hmmmmmm)

SHARKFIN I think we have disagreed on a few things from memory, but I can't fault your present series of posts :)

KATRINA LEE KOO - huh?? or..'how to committ academic suicide in one sentence' by suggesting that the view "violence against 'the other'is a neccessary evil" is 'bad'. Yawn..another academic who failed prep, but must have known someone to get a well paid job foaming at the mouth. DUH... the safety you enjoy, and from which you WRITE this drivel is based on....wait for it...VIOLENCE and its also against the 'OTHER'.. which other ? (I should start invoicing for these consultations about the obvious) errr that 'other' who would rape you, steal your stuff, murder your kids, invade your country and if it was Ambon Indonesia grab an old dirty razor blade and CUT OUT your clitorus and hold a gun to your childs head until you recited the Islamic conversion prayers 3 times etc etc etc..... how much of a dimwit does one have to be these days not to "get" this ?

The mind doth boggle...still. The best description of this mindset was illustrated by my adopted dad during the still coherant but muddled days of Alzheimers... he wandered everywhere repeating the phrase "They're all idiots but us...they're all idiots but us" :)

Hey..SIAPADIA... indeed...siapa kah saudara/i ini yah ? nampaknya saudara/i berpengalaman di Indo ? Berasal dari Indo ? Ugama apa ?

Welcome to OLO anyway :)

Will someone turn UP the thermostat here in Melbourne... brrrrrrrrr...