U.S. To Blame for Extremist Islamic Movement?

I got into a political/philosophical discussion with someone today. Their basic premise was this:

The U.S. is to blame for the increase in Islamic extremism around the globe because of our response to 9/11 and the subsequent invasion of Iraq. The U.S. is to blame for anti-U. S. sentiment in the Middle East because we have been oppressing Arabs, and other peoples in the Middle East since the 1950's. The person I was debating said he could see why Bin Laden would hate the U.S.

I remained calm. I try not to get emotionally involved when discussing such issues. When the person I was talking to said the U.S. has been oppressing people in the Middle East for decades I asked, "How?" "Can you give me some examples?" To which I got a stare that seemed to imply I was stupid if I did not know all the ways. Therefore, I would not be given an answer.

I was then told how many innocent civilians we have murdered in Iraq. On this point, I agree. I still do not see why we went in to Iraq instead of fighting the Taliban with full force in Afghanistan and going after Al-Qaeda in Pakistan. The implication the person I was debating with was making was that if I was not willing to condemn Bush and his policies, I agreed with, or supported the killing of innocent civilians in Iraq.

Then I said, "I have one question for you: Did 9/11 happen before of after the U.S invaded Iraq?" No answer, just a "Hmmmpf!"

"Well", I replied, "one could say that Anti-American sentiment was pretty high before 9/11. Isn't that why it happened?"

Back and forth, we went, on and on the debate went. America has done wrong. We have made mistakes. Our government has killed countless civilians needlessly. This sucks. It is terrible. I disagreed with Iraq from day one. However, am I willing to say Bush is a horrible guy who hates Muslims and caused Islamic extremism? Hell no. I have no idea what Bush's CIA briefing was like EVERY DAY OF HIS LIFE after 9/11. I do not know the reasons behind all the decisions he made. I am naive enough to believe he probably was trying to to his best to protect America under extremely difficult circumstances.

I still believe the reason we were attacked on 9/11 is because radical extremists see the U.S. as the biggest threat to their control over their people. Principally their women. (And yes, extremist Islamists consider women "theirs".)

I still believe man's right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness is the reason Islamic extremists hate us so. Those ideas threaten everything they believe in. Does this mean we have never screwed up? No, I am sure we have.

I believe in calling a spade a spade. I believe that the awareness of evil (ego) in our midst (all of ours, myself included) is the only thing that will defeat it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123362422088941893.html

Perhaps my debate opponent has a view closer to that of former President Carter. I tend to agree with Mr. Pearl.

I think that vilifying America is exactly the WRONG path to take if we want to defeat extremism around the globe. Instead, we should focus on her best; the principals of freedom and equality on which she was founded.