by Arlen Grossman

(editor’s note: the following is a response to a March 23 Monterey Herald editorial)

It is fascinating to me that the Herald can write an editorial about the Belgium bombings without once mentioning the real reason for these terrorist acts. But I’m not surprised, as American media and so-called experts in general remain just as clueless.

Isis proclaimed Belgium was targeted as “a country participating in the international coalition against the Islamic State.” As Osama bin Laden told us, the reason for the 9/11 attacks was the deployment  of U.S. forces in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, which he called “the greatest of … aggressions incurred by the Muslims since the death of the prophet.” A Department of Defense study in 1997 concluded that: “Historical data show a strong correlation between US involvement in international situations and an increase in terrorist attacks against the United States.”

So no, it’s not because of our freedom, our values, or our religion. It’s because of our foreign policy and actions around the world: the invasions, occupations, drone strikes, killing of civilians, torture, etc. The more we involve ourselves militarily in places around the world where we are not wanted, the more terrorist attacks we will see here and in the West.