Is terrorism ever ok?

Terrorism doesn't just happen. People don't wake up one morning wanting to harm people for no reason. Terrorist aren't evil - they're angry, disillusioned, polarised or feel injustice. Should counter-terrorism be fighting fire with fire or providing counsel?

Terrorism has always existed. Since 9/11, it's become a dirty word. Think about it. Nelson Mandela and his ANC comrades were terrorists fighting apartheid. Rosa Parks was technically a terrorist for not seating on the black part of the bus. Subsequently, Martin Luther King was a terrorist fighting for civil rights. Gandhi was a terrorist against British rule. You could even argue that George Washington was a terrorist for the same reason.

People will always fight for freedom and justice. If someone wrongs you, you will retaliate.

Killing people will lead to those people wanting to kill you. It's basic warrior instinct, yet politicians forget this. They think that by policing people and enforcing a regime that hasn't organically grown or had buy in from the populace, that people will just agree. How many times has your boss enforced a rule or a strategy where you had no input and you can't see the benefit? Did you just conform or did you break the rules?

Terrorists are no different, except they're fighting for something bigger and they don't get to go home at 5.30. The Charlie Hebdo attacks were awful. No one deserves to die just for working at a magazine. And even though I'm a huge advocate for free press, I'm not surprised there was a backlash. There should be free speech with responsibility. This just fuelled feelings of Islamophobia, however massacring people in Paris probably did more damage to the image of Islam than a magazine cover ever could.

What the Islamic world is completely rubbish at and Israel are masters of, is the use of media and playing the political game. There's no denying, Israel is a nation of highly intelligent and educated people. If Charlie Hebdo published a cartoon mocking the Holocaust or supporting the Third Reich, what do you think Benjamin Netanyahu would do? He'd escalate this to Françoise Hollande, Obama and the EU saying that France was an anti-Semitic nation who were disrespecting the memory of 6 million people who lost their lives in the most horrific way and all the people who fought against fascism. Those governments would have no choice but to publicly shame France for its irresponsible press. There would be an enquiry about what the press can/can't say and it would make every single news carrier across the world before the cover even left the printers about how disgusting this all was. 

Because the Islamic world doesn't value education, especially for women, and has no real leaders, thinkers or spokespeople, their answer was shoot the fuck out of everything. Like some sort of retarded Neanderthal.

I'm not saying that Muslims are retarded. They're not. They're just oppressed by these barbarians. Evolution has been sent them back light-years. Maths and universities came out of the region. And the precursor to the Magna Carta was penned by Darius The Great. However, the children of Darius have forgotten his philanthropic and inclusive strategies.

Let's look at ISIS on a bloodthirsty quest to fulfil a 7th Century prophecy to do with the Holy War. They justify killing, raping, taxing, razing and oppressing for this reason. Embarking on a reign of terror similar to Hitler - apart from Hitler was intelligent. ISIS are so stupid, it's laughable.

I mean, who claims to be anti-Western - due to all the interfering we've been doing in the Middle-East since the Ottomans - then loots antiquity to sell to the West, kidnaps Westerners to hold them to ransom and sells blackmarket oil to governments?! If you're anti-West then don't trade with them. What, we hate you apart from when it comes to money?! Works both ways I suppose, but the consequences for not playing ball are devastating.

I'm not sure the reasons for a caliphate nor is being anti-West their actual quest. They're no different to the gangs in Compton and Inglewood. Bored, disillusioned and angry. They don't actually have a cause. So they're true terrorists. They just enjoy killing without a real reason. This makes them more dangerous, how do you bargain with someone who doesn't have anything to bargain for. It's these people that need our counsel. Give them jobs, education or some sort of purpose.

For the other non-terrorists who are fighting for something worthy, let's become peacekeepers and social strategists. Withdraw from their political systems and give them self-rule, with support. Basically, stop pissing them off by bombing them.

Not only should Greece be charged with reigniting the enlightenment, as they did the renaissance. They should also be playing a pivotal role in peace in the Middle-East.

They could be the ones hosting a summit, since they're politically and geographically neutral. Getting leaders from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and perhaps even the real enemy of the Islam, Saudi Arabia.

Not only would such an alliance be beneficial to bringing peace and secular democracy to the Middle-East while fighting ISIS, but also provide lucrative alliance that could help Greece out of the financial rut that it's in. And make Greece a major player in both Middle-Eastern and Western politics. It's win-win.

And no, Greece is not going to be my answer to everything. Sometimes, it'll be Ribena.

First published 02/05/2015