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Originally Posted by Azure
Makes you wonder where the world will be going, considering how we value our moral sense on the battlefied above that of the terrorists.
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I think that is a key point. Our culture and associated set or morals is different than the morals of our "foe". There is certainly some overlap, but I'm sure there are many things we do that we believe are within our rights and don't give a second thought to which different cultures will find heinous. And that goes the other way as well, things which we revile are insignificant to them in their culture.
And when one culture can rally around teh belief that they are being persecuted, it makes it much easier accept actions that would not have been allowed in other times. Jihadists are willing to commit suicide bombings, Western interests are willing to suspend due process and other civil liberties. I know there is a difference of scale there, but there is also a difference in the scale of feeling persecuted, and associated loss of hope.