DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Does Newt Gingrich Work for Osama bin Laden?

**viagsjicguara** · 08-08-2010, 11:40 AM

No matter what happens, Osama Bin Hidin will claim it is a sigh of Allah's blessings on the Mujahideen. Matt

No doubt. But on the one hand his grievances will be grounded in fact, while in the other, not. Why make it easy for him?

This all gets at the notion of soft power, wherein a nation's ability to get others to do their bidding relies on something other than physical force.
After the ignorant and arrogant policies of the Bush administration, our soft power in the world was almost non-existent. Obama is trying to recharge it, and he's been somewhat successful.

We can play into bin Laden's talking points, or we can demonstrate that we are in fact a nation of laws, a nation that honors religious freedom and civil rights, and a nation that respects other nations insofar as they act within international norms. If we choose the latter, it erodes bin Laden's standing in the eyes of those who are open-minded enough to evaluate these things rationally.

I recognize that religion is a highly effective mechanism for erroding one's ability to rationally evaluate facts. I see that in America every day. But many people, even religious people, including Moslums, retain their ability to think. Those are the folks that nations try to reach with "soft power."

08-08-2010, 11:40 AM	#24
viagsjicguara Join Date Nov 2005 Posts 458 Senior Member	No matter what happens, Osama Bin Hidin will claim it is a sigh of Allah's blessings on the Mujahideen. Matt No doubt. But on the one hand his grievances will be grounded in fact, while in the other, not. Why make it easy for him? This all gets at the notion of soft power, wherein a nation's ability to get others to do their bidding relies on something other than physical force. After the ignorant and arrogant policies of the Bush administration, our soft power in the world was almost non-existent. Obama is trying to recharge it, and he's been somewhat successful. We can play into bin Laden's talking points, or we can demonstrate that we are in fact a nation of laws, a nation that honors religious freedom and civil rights, and a nation that respects other nations insofar as they act within international norms. If we choose the latter, it erodes bin Laden's standing in the eyes of those who are open-minded enough to evaluate these things rationally. I recognize that religion is a highly effective mechanism for erroding one's ability to rationally evaluate facts. I see that in America every day. But many people, even religious people, including Moslums, retain their ability to think. Those are the folks that nations try to reach with "soft power."
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