Terrorism

by Dennis Kucinich

The roots of terrorism lie in desperation. People with no hope resort to acts of indiscriminate violence. People with futures don't typically strap on bombs to kill others. We must all refrain from condoning some acts of violence as justified while similar actions by others are dismissed as "terrorism."

We cannot hope to end terrorism by killing terrorists. Hatred feeds on violence and killing. I understand this and am here to offer a more practical approach: to reduce poverty worldwide with bold changes in current U.S. policy. NAFTA and the World Trade Organizations have only served to increase global poverty, thus deepening one of the most virulent causes of terrorism. This is why I am calling for immediate cancellation of NAFTA and U.S. withdrawal from the WTO. For the sake of justice and wellbeing, it is time we established bilateral fair trade agreements that contain strict provisions for workers' rights, human rights, and environmental principles.

World opinion, which fuels much of the terrorism against the United States and threats of terrorism, could easily be turned to America's advantage with less force and more diplomacy, undergirded by an understanding that "We share this fragile planet and are our brother's keeper." This is why I believe it is imperative that we pull our troops out of Iraq, where we are only worsening the quagmire and losing more soldiers and innocent civilians each day, and bring in UN peacekeepers for a rapid transition to Iraqi sovereignty. By reaching out and rejoining the world community, we can wage peace to simultaneously combat terrorism. The United States must develop a deep understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship between history and acts of terror. America's goodwill has been misused by previous administrations, leading to a growing divide between us and our allies and growing mistrust and hatred for the United States among the world's most oppressed populations. There is another path for this nation; it is up to us to choose it.