"Islam" and "terror" are facades over-simplifying the heart of the M.E. struggle

First off, I would like to apoligize if you felt like I was trying to ridicule you. That was never my intention. However, I feel you are misinformed on some things, and was presenting the facts of the situation, that is why we are here. "...the Bush administration recently and unintentionally empowered those leftists." "...James Baker spoke of his support for a favorable Iraqi resolution that would allow him to gain further access to Iraqi oil." I fail to see how a private individual represents the Bush administration. Is oil a factor in this war, yes. It is a major resource, and of great interest to any developed nation. However, you cannot find a basis to logically argue that Bush has tricked us into this war. This country was deliberatly attacked on September 11th, 2001. Thousands of Americans died that day. To say that we had it "coming to us"........angers me. My countrymen died. My country was attacked. That pissed me off. Retaliation is the only logical response to that kind of an event. Fear overides logic? Anger overides fear. Do I support the war in Iraq? Yes. In Afganistan? Yes. Do I support those who are exploiting this nation's tragedy and the subsequent war for personal gain? Absolutely not. Is this personal to me? Yes. I'm sorry if that is not what you are looking for. "...the base of my argument is from an article in "Foreign Policy" magazine." Just because an article has made it to publication does not guarantee it's reliability. Am I discrediting this magizine at all, no. But, the articles in that publication are subject to the journalists biases, the same as our opinions. "Religious texts are not static language, therefore they must be translated through the translators interpretation." This is a hermenuetically inaccurate statement. Though a popular one, any hermenuetical scholar will tell you, you interpret a document according to the author's meaning. The author wills a meaning into the text, and as an interpreter, it is a person's job to discover that meaning. You cannot interpret ancient words in a modern context, because meanings, etc. have changed. This applies to legal documents, religious documents, or any other manuscripts. I have taken college level courses on this subject. This paragraph you cannot refute. So much of what I hear you saying is the same Democratic, party-line stuff I hear on the news. It's the same stuff that so many are saying. I just find it hard to reconcile with the stories I hear from troops, in interviews with Iraqi citizens, of schools being built, improved healthcare, cleaner water. If Middle Easterners hate Americans so much, why were the citizens of Iraq so eager to remove Saddam Huesein from power? If we are being so unjust, why has no other goverment recognized it and said something? Why do we have allies because of our reasons, and the only reason some countries won't help is because they don't want to be involved in a war, not because they think we are not fighting for the right reasons. Now, before you say things like, "You just want war." "You will just support Bush everywhere." NO. Bush has done things I don't agree with, and I HATE war. No one wants war. It drains money, manpower. My brothers are dying on foriegn soil. I hate that. I have friends and family that are deployed. But it is necessary. And they are PROUD to be over there. We are a free country where websites like Debate.org can exists because of war. We have fought for the freedoms we have. They didn't come free. They are not always waged for power and respect. Sometimes a countries basic liberties and soveriegnty are threatened and have to be defended. Such was the case with the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I & II, and Operation Enduring Freedom. My friend, understand that I mean no personal attacks. I am debating my view of this topic. The whole premise of a debate is the belief that you are right, and the other person is wrong. I do not think lowly of you, or your education. I simply do not agree with your political views and the statement you made in the topic of this debate. I am truly sorry if you are offended. Please, find historical facts and present them to me. I am not afraid to lose. I want truth above all else. I may be wrong, but you must show me, with proven facts that I am wrong, not just specualtion and 'that one guy's opinion.'