Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Aimless Violence | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Disastrous terrorist operations that strike multiple places will not achieve a positive outcome for a number of reasons, the most important of which is that the terrorism we face today has no aim. They want to take on the entire world, without any concrete purpose, hope or specific demand.

Even terrorist groups that had certain aims like the separation of the Irish Republican Army or the Basque terrorist group (ETA) went on detonating bombs and explosives for decades in vain. In the end, the IRA declared an end to its militant activities a few weeks ago.

The terrorist model in Saudi Arabia also needs to be scrutinized. Extremists managed to lead many youths down a death road, with no clear rationale, or objective. The consequence of this has been the deaths of many innocent people, with the only positive aspect of this being that a number of these terrorists have been killed or captured by Saudi Security forces.

Let us presume that these individuals do have a target, which according to them is to drive &#34the crusaders and Jews out of the Arabian peninsula&#34. If that is the case, what sin did the numerous Saudi victims and the countless other innocent victims commit to be subjected to their wrath?

Suppose their objective is to &#34defend the victimized from their oppressors&#34, what can be more unjust than the killing innocent people?

If they speak about a war against Israel, what”s the connection between bombing residential compounds and that rhetoric? Should we note that Al-Qaeda network that attacked New York, Riyadh, Sharm El-Sheikh, Sanaa and many other cities has not carried out any operations in Israel, which raises many questions? If their chief aim is justice and reform, why do they consider countries seeking democracy to be infidels, parliaments an evil act, and constitution as an anti-religious concept?

Even the violent acts that some Palestinian groups have carried out over the years in the occupied territories have been counter-productive. Operations killing civilian Israelis in restaurant and cafes harm the just Palestinian cause, and stirs global public opinion against them. These acts serve Israeli extremists and hinder all the powers of peace.

Violence will not solve problems; it only complicates them. Global terrorism will not succeed in beating the human community. By contrast, it claims many victims, and brings pain to many including those who were brainwashed and turned into terrorists in the name of religion.