Theos-Talk Archives (September 2001 Message tt00233)

Dear fellow members:
I received this from a friend:

Bomb them with butter, bribe them with hope.

A military response, particularly an attack on Afghanistan, is exactly what 
the terrorists want. It will strengthen and swell their small but fanatical 
ranks.
Instead, bomb Afghanistan with butter, with rice, bread, clothing and 
medicine. It will cost less than conventional arms, poses no threat of US 
casualties and just might get the populace thinking that maybe theTaliban 
don't have the answers. After three years of drought and with starvation 
looming, let's offer the Afghani people the vision of a new
future. One that includes full stomachs.

Bomb them with information. Video players and cassettes of world leaders, 
particularly Islamic leaders, condemning terrorism. Carpet the country with 
magazines and newspapers showing the horror of terrorism committed by their 
"guest". Blitz them with laptop computers and DVD players filled with a 
perspective that is denied them by their government. Saturation bombing with 
hope will mean that some of it gets
through. Send so much that the Taliban can't collect and hide it all.

The Taliban are telling their people to prepare for Jihad. Instead, let's 
give the Afghani people their first good meal in years. Seeing your family 
fully fed and the prospect of stability in terms of food and a future is a 
powerful deterrent to martyrdom. All we ask in return is that they, as a 
people, agree to enter the civilized world. That includes handing over 
terrorists in their midst.

In responding to terrorism we need to do something different. Something 
unexpected..something that addresses the root of the problem. We need to 
take away the well of despair, ignorance and brutality from which the Osama 
bin Laden's of the world water their gardens of terror.
Peace. Abhilashi