Terrorists

Over the last few months that I've been deployed to Afghanistan things in the US seemed to have gotten rather ugly. I often wonder if I'm better off out here than I am back home. But this isn't really about that. What this is about is how I have seen my fellow Americans treating each other over the last 3 months. Comparing each other to the Taliban as though there were even a cursory comparison to be made, or calling each other the "enemy" as though they were somehow in mortal danger. Let me lead off with some examples:

1. Tea Party leaders are like terrorists-Las Vegas Sun

I want my country back from the TEAliban! It’s time that its terrorist leader, John Boehner, be held accountable for the attack he and his other terrorist leaders, Ted Cruz, Paul Ryan, Kevin McCullough, etc., are making against our president and our country. Their attacks against women’s rights, the middle class, the sick and the poor are deplorable! They have made it clear that they have no respect for the law of our land, the Affordable Care Act.

2. Rangel: Republicans better than terrorists at hurting the country-CNN

(CNN) - Longtime Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York compared congressional Republicans to terrorists and likened supporters of the tea party movement to “white crackers” in an interview published Friday.

Rangel said House Republicans are doing more damage to American competitiveness than al Qaeda, according to The Daily Beast. "What is happening is sabotage. Terrorists couldn't do a better job than the Republicans are doing.”

3. The tea party's terrorist tactics

It has become commonplace to call the tea party faction in the House “hostage takers.” But they have now become full-blown terrorists.
They have joined the villains of American history who have been sufficiently craven to inflict massive harm on innocent victims to achieve their political goals. A strong America has always stood firm in the face of terrorism. That tradition is in jeopardy, as Congress and President Barack careen toward an uncertain outcome in the tea party- manufactured debt crisis.

Some images being fostered by this type of rhetoric:





Before this goes on any further let me put terrorism in perspective for you:
Boston Bombing





Westlake Mall in Nairobi, Kenya



I could go on. But I have some personal experience with REAL terrorists. I am dealing with the REAL Taliban. They are not like you and me. They do not think like you and me. They do not value life like you and me.

Whatever your political differences are, nothing can justify this level of disgusting and accusatory rhetoric. People have seriously lost perspective over the last ten years we have been fighting real terrorists. Real people who want you dead. Not because you're a democrat, or because you're a republican, a Tea Party member, or a Libertarian. They want you dead because you're American. You're the symbol of all that is vile to them. On the left you have people who believe in gay marriage on the right you have people who believe in Jesus Christ. 2 strikes right there. You both have one thing in common. The same people want to kill you for both of those things. Terrorists kill people because they have justified it in their hearts and minds that killing people will achieve their goals. That somehow the blood of innocent people will be what washes the world clean.

You cannot compare ANY American to this type of thinking at all. And I really wish it would stop. Here in Afghanistan I have been on missions where kids have been killed or severely maimed as a means to an end. To get to us because they know we will come. That is the type of mentality that drives these people. The ends justify the means, period.

I don't know any American on any side of a political spectrum who would do these things to get to one another.

In all of my time on ATS I have been in some damned good fights with people. I have seen the best and worst in myself and others here. But nothing has disheartened me more than watching my fellow Americans declaring each other the enemy, calling each other terrorists, and being led by the media and politicians that you people don't even like to begin with, into believing these god damned lies.

Enough America.

The phenomenon which you express great discomfort over has caused me immense grief to witness as well.

I was home sick from work on 9/11, and it's almost as if the world I knew ended on that day, as if I died and went straight to hell.

Nearly everyone in the USA has taken up imaginary arms and constantly talk out their hind end about things they have no clue about, at odds with each other in a way that resembles a Jerry Springer show, at odds for only the sake of bickering and fighting with one another.

I really think that a big part of it is just for show, because people are bored and need something to do with their time.

It is painful to watch, but it's absolutely everywhere....

They want you dead because you're American.

Yeah right. So our invading their country for no reason because they never attacked America has nothing to do with them wanting Americans dead. America is murdering people that never did anything to America. And they are the ones that don't value life. The Bush propaganda doesn't work anymore.

reply to post by projectvxn


S&F (and i wish i could give you more)

The overuse of the word "terrorist" is one of my biggest peeves, people just dont really seem to understand what the word means. Its like people who use the word "Nazi" with out properly understanding it.

I could not agree with your OP

reply to post by buster2010


I think you missed the point of this thread entirely.

So, you're one of those guys following orders to protect the opium fields of Afghanistan?

en.wikipedia.org...

Excerpt from that link, "Opium production in Afghanistan has been on the rise since U.S. occupation started in 2001. Based on UNODC data, there has been more opium poppy cultivation in each of the past four growing seasons (2004–2007) than in any one year during Taliban rule. "

Is risking your life even worth that? Or are you just one of those types that want to kill and not go to jail? Legit questions.

reply to post by qwerty12345


Not the topic.

If you must know what I do here it is:



Note this is not my unit.

The "Tea Party" certainly has become the target of all targets.

Obviously, they have struck nerves bigtime.

Always be suspicious of the ones who shout the loudest against somebody.

They themselves might be supporting the real threat to citizens !!

xuenchen
The "Tea Party" certainly has become the target of all targets.

Obviously, they have struck nerves bigtime.

Always be suspicious of the ones who shout the loudest against somebody.

They themselves might be supporting the real threat to citizens !!

said by the guy who hated on OWS so much.
cognitive dissidence is brought to a new level every time i read your posts,

tea party used threats of damage to the reputation and credit of the us,
to try to get their idealogical veiw point across,

does this sound familiar?

xploder

Fight fire with water= love. Fight fire with fire = hate.

Using terrorism to fight terrorism nurtures the cycle of death and destruction.

Become that which you hate...become that which you love.

It is upon the shoulders of each individual to determine their own course.

reply to post by buster2010

So our invading their country for no reason because they never attacked America has nothing to do with them wanting Americans dead. America is murdering people that never did anything to America.

Nope! You are ABSOLUTELY WRONG!

Arab terrorists started killing Americans long before we, ever, "invaded" one of their countries.

See ya,
Milt

BenReclused
Arab terrorists started killing Americans long before we, ever, "invaded" one of their countries.

See ya,
Milt

edit on 800America/Chicago10RAmerica/Chicago2013-10-20T13:13:24-05:00Sundayu24America/Chicago by BenReclused because: Typo

Apparently western interests haven't been balls deep in the middle east for over two thousand years. I guess we can completely ignore that part of history.Amazing.....Just amazing. Also, just to clarify, in no way do I deny Islamic extremism exists, as it certainly does. Point being, last I checked I didn't see Muslim armies occupying Britain, America, France, or any of the other prominent western countries. There's a big difference between small groups practicing violent extremism and national armies occupying foreign lands.

Well it is the politician who is responsible for the majority of deaths in conflict. Are you sure that comparison isn't fairly true?

I mean, its not often that a bunch of neighbors get together and decide to go invade a foreign country, they are sent there by politicians.

The fact is that many people's lives will be ruined or helped by decisions that politicians make therefore it is a very contentious area in debate.

The left may believe that conservative politicians, who want to pull entitlements, are guilty of terrorism simply for the amount of people they will make suffer.

Likewise, the right may find the liberals guilty of terrorism by their policies of appeasement and subjugation by international organizations.

It all depends how you look at it.

Take the Algiers war conducted by France where they routinely tortured and killed many "dissidents" in that country. The French citizen did not randomly decide to go there and to that, it was started and pushed for by French politicians.

I'd like to thank everyone involved for completely missing the point of this thread.

Thanks.

xuenchen
The "Tea Party" certainly has become the target of all targets.

Obviously, they have struck nerves bigtime.

Always be suspicious of the ones who shout the loudest against somebody.

They themselves might be supporting the real threat to citizens !!

XPLodER

said by the guy who hated on OWS so much.
cognitive dissidence is brought to a new level every time i read your posts,

tea party used threats of damage to the reputation and credit of the us,
to try to get their idealogical veiw point across,

does this sound familiar?

xploder

And of course OWS was looking for solutions from government also.

But they got infiltrated big time.

The NWO NGOs managed to squash the whole movement it seems.

At least the TP has elected people at the Federal level as well as possibly thousands at State and Local levels, and represent millions of people.

That alone is scaring the crap out of opposing organizations.

That's why the TP will be harder to squash, hence the current efforts by the ultra Left NGOs.

The main theme of both OWS and TP is International Banking influencing citizens in all nations.

OWS never got the point across in time to do anything constructive.

They got compromised early on. The TP might see the same fate, but not any time soon.

and btw, there never was any proof of a *default*. That was all MSM Malarkey.

reply to post by projectvxn


First, I want to thank you for your service and bravery. Never does a veteran with his/her identifiable ballcap walk by, that I don't say "Thank You". Forums such as this one has the freedoms to allow those to speak their opinions. It is those freedoms that allow people to say what they want about your service, but I again thank you and those that have served, is serving, and will serve this great nation of ours. Regardless of other people's beliefs, you my friend, are one of the bravest. LET THE ACCUSATIONS OF SOLDIER WORSHIP BEGIN: blah blah blah. Heard it all before.

As for those calling tea partiers terroists, I wish for one day, you could just step into the shoes of those that have lost their life or the life of a loved one to "REAL" terrorism! Speak what you will, because the author of this thread is fighting to give you those freedoms. How lucky you are. Calling American politicians terrorists? Just rediculous! Grow up!

reply to post by GD21D

Apparently western interests haven't been balls deep in the middle east for over two thousand years.

Apparently, you don't understand that the term "American" is most often used in reference to citizens of the United States.

I guess we can completely ignore that part of history.

That certainly seems to be what you are CHOOSING to do.

Amazing.....Just amazing.

Disappointing... Very disappointing!

See ya,
Milt

loveguy
Fight fire with water= love. Fight fire with fire = hate.

Using terrorism to fight terrorism nurtures the cycle of death and destruction.

Become that which you hate...become that which you love.

It is upon the shoulders of each individual to determine their own course.

I'm not about to give a giant hug to a groups of crazed islamist terrorist, hell-bent on killing innocent men, women, and worst of all, children, just because they are pissed at us for being Americans! Save Kum By Yah for the campfire.

I agree totally.

It's amazing to me how people are still buying partisan politics.

It just shows the mentality of the American populace.

It just feels better to blame and belittle the other guy.

reply to post by projectvxn

I don't know why you think any of that name calling over here had anything to do with your mission in Afghanistan, those are two completely different subjects. Occupation of a foreign country and the national debt are as far apart as the two countries are geographically.