What Do These People Want?

Peaceful, freedom-loving people are going about their typical daily routines; getting the kids up for school, preparing breakfast, doing the laundry, going off to work, fixing the car, painting the house, camping up in the mountains; and then BOOM! Hijacked airliners start crashing into buildings. People scratch their heads, what in the world is going on? And why? We and those like us around the world harbored no evil designs or ill will toward those that planned and carried out these and other attacks like them before they happened. Our desire is that people everywhere have every opportunity to enjoy the best life possible. To that end the United States and our friends offer aid and support of all kinds to countries and peoples in need. We have for decades. Whenever catastrophes occur we are there with money, medicine, food and manpower. To those who don't like us or want our help we adopt a live and let live philosophy. We may not always understand why we are not liked, but we accept the fact that not everyone is our friend. But it is important to know that we do not threaten those who disagree with us. Unfortunately, some that disagree with us do threaten us. This is what we don't understand. The most prudent course of action is to agree to disagree; peacefully.

Which brings us to the question of 9/11. What do these people want? Surely they don't think they will forcefully overthrow the West. Do they believe that they can terrorize us into submission to their desires? Perhaps. But what desires. They are not yearning for individual freedom or Western culture or even wealth. In fact, they claim that these are the very things they vehemently oppose. To the point of suicide. So is this really all about fanatical Islamic militantism? The forcible establishment of universal worldwide Islam? Something seems fundamentally wrong about a religion that seeks to convert unbelievers by killing them. Are prayers prayed with a gun in one's ear really sincere? There is no obvious temporal, earthly benefit to those forcing such a culture upon the West, is there? No doubt they believe that a grand reward awaits them in the next life for fulfilling what they interpret to be Allah's wishes here on planet Earth. But the only thing they stand to gain before that next life begins is simply the raw exercise of power over another person.
Come to think of it though, over the centuries that has been the cause of scores of wars. So this current iteration is not really so different; just megalomania with a spiritual twist.

How, then; do peaceful, rational people deal with irrational murderers on a self-proclaimed religious jihad? Can you reason with someone willing to die for his wicked cause if he truly believes that he is headed for a grand reception in the sky? Probably not. Then what can we do to protect ourselves? First we do all that we can to educate and inform ourselves here at home. We must be vigilant and wise. We must protect our borders and admit immigrants only with scrutiny and caution. Every step must be taken to keep weapons and instruments of destruction out of the hands of those who mean us harm. A coordinated global effort to root out pockets of terror and hatred must be undertaken and sustained. These cells and breeding grounds of murder must be summarily destroyed whenever and wherever they are found. This effort will never end, just as our city police departments never close. Those who provide money, arms, training, food, shelter and safe-harbor to terrorists must be sternly dealt with. The cost of such complicity must be so high that it is absolutely unpalatable to those who do not share the suicidal zeal of the fanatics. We must continue to provide aid to those in need and pursue the peaceful spread of freedom.