"Counterterrorism Expert Says US Spending Money Wrong Place"
JUNE 18, 2016
According to one expert on Islamic extremism and counterterrorism, potential lone wolf terrorists can be de-radicalized the same way they were initially recruited – online. Nadia Oweidat, Ph.D., a fellow at New America Foundation, has been in contact with hundreds of former extremists working to change the current narrative promoting the idea the world hates Islam. Oweidat says pouring money into physical force and weapons against radicalized people ultimately won’t help.
“We hear about the online space being a place where people get recruited to terrorist propaganda but it is also the place where they are getting de-radicalized,” she says. “You cannot kill an idea with weapons, with drones, essentially it’s about persuasion.”
In Arab countries, much of the population is young. Approximately 60 percent are under the age of 25 years old and many are active online.
“Arabic speakers are the most engaged online in the world,” Oweidat says. “We don’t have debates in our classrooms, we can’t ask questions, but that debate is taking place on Facebook.”
...
Here.
On the other hand, for those who prefer to foster hate and keep the war going forever, there is always the option of sending sending more drones than ever, and talking up anti-Muslim fervor here.
At least our kids won't be able to say we never gave them anything.
= new reply since forum marked as read
