" ... As part of this constructive dialogue, the US should: 1) honestly and promptly reorient all those economic and political interests and policies in the Middle East countries which unjustly make us rich and powerful at their expense; 2) respect the Middle East's proud tradition of neutrality by not forcing it at gunpoint to be either pro-America or pro-terrorist; and 3) engage in mutual treaties of peace with these countries. On July 7, when London buses were bombed, EWTN's Life on the Rock happened to have as its guest Anna Halpine, an important Catholic UN worker and activist. When she was asked in an email her opinion on why terrorism exists, she answered, "It's lack of dialogue." More dialogue is needed between public officials and their people, as well as between public officials themselves. She emphasized that civil leaders must listen to all the problems, concerns and grievances of their people.
The two big problems today among obstinate conservatives and neocons can be summarized quite concisely: 1) They refuse to recognize and work to rectify US-led social, economic, religious, and political injustice in the world, and just as stubbornly reject the UN as opportunity to do so; and 2) when this hypocritical, blind-eye, deaf-ear policy naturally results in hateful threats against America, they force those leaders to drop their hostility or face war. Does this make any sense? Is it morally upright and sound foreign policy? Not at all, said Pope John Paul. If the US would pursue true dialogue and diplomacy with terrorist nations--shutting its mouth more often to listen--without craftily abusing dialogue to serve its enrichment alone, as JP II and Benedict XVI have urged us for several decades now, global terrorism would drastically decline. ... "
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