The Attitude Is Different, The Actions Are The Same

For a really long time, I have had a hard time why so many Arab people fail to explain themselves politically to people in the West. And I think I now have figured something important. At first when America was not at war, people found it easy to preach universal principles to others. But then when the games has changes, they are having a hard time explaining some things they hear in the news. They just do not want to think about it. And in order for them to get a better night sleep, they will say, the other guy would have done much worse than we have. While this is true....when the US constitution was written, they did not want to copy the other guys.  

In college, my peers would tell me, we do not kill people here in America, but you do kill them back home. I am often speechless as I see this is to be true. I think this is about attitude at the end of the day. Terrorists are dubbed as people who seem to enjoy murdering people, but armies in uniforms are giving a break. Because they have a code of conduct on paper. And such armies would open an investigation in their wrong doings. Good luck with that!    

But then, things now have changes with the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, some pars of Pakistan and Yemen and elsewhere. I have realized that when it comes to killing someone "we" deem as a bad guy, we like to think we do not want to do it, but it's something we have to do.

To begin, I think many of us Arab people were not quick to denounce and condemn suicide bombs and indiscriminate killing. While many did not like the approach, few spoke up against such brutality. It was stupid to try to defend or justify such actions. Luckily for us, Palestinians are no longer using that tactic.  

But then now, I read about drones killing innocent people by mistake, many in Yemen and Pakistan have lost their lives because someone made a mistake. Do I see many American speaking against such brutality? No, but I really know they do not like it. A drone makes killing so easy and so cheap, so America is using it to get rid of bad guys--as they should. But then there's the collateral damage that no body wants to talk about. Exactly like those suicide bombers tried to argue.
  
Arabs do not celebrate, glorify death, they really hate it and at least the religion teaches people not to celebrate death of people we do not like. That's why is was a shame than many Americans celebrate often the death of bad people. Upon learning the news of Osama's death, many rushed to the White House to cheer and celebrate. I am certain those people felt justified as Osama was a murderer.

So recap, Israelis kill people and so do Americans. When they get caught they say, this was  a mistake and they pay up--cannot really bring back the dead. Other guys kill innocent people and try to justify it. After all this is a PR game, wear a suit and speak perfect English more people will listen to you--as long as you are not shouting.