People want to blame President Barack Obama for the recent terrorist attack on an airliner from Nigeria. But the truth is that President Obama is not the one responsible for what happened on that airplane. The attempted terrorist attack could have occurred under any administration, and although the Republicans are going to do whatever they can to politicize the issue, they know that they don't have a leg to stand on. The attempted attack simply communicates the following facts to all of America:

1. We live in a world of terrorism and Americans are going to have to get used to it: In other countries such as Israel, terrorism is a way of life. But in the United States, we have had the fortune of not having to worry about anyone committing a terrorist act on our land. Unfortunately, we may have to accept the fact that there is a small probability that a terrorist attack can occur on our soil. It doesn't mean that we give in to the terrorists but it does mean that we can't stop every potential threat that may occur within our borders.

2. President Obama's approach to foreign policy is the right approach. The Republicans seem to think that you can dominate and overwhelm every potential enemy, but we all know that you can't kill every person in the world who is angry with you. The best way to deal with the global community is to extend branches of peace and cooperation so that you can exist in harmony. When you feel that you can attack other nations without just cause to take their resources, then you're effectively asking for retaliation. I've noticed when appearing on Al-Jazeera and other international media outlets that there is quite a bit of devastation that goes unreported by many members of the American media. We can't allow corporate interests to encourage military personnel to engage in such unethical behavior, all to fulfill their quest for the obtainment of additional energy.

3. Many of our attacks might be considered to be chickens coming home to roost: Some would argue that the United States has engaged in a borderline version of state-sponsored terrorism all over the world for several decades. We go into sovereign nations and take their land, we take their oil, we blow up hospitals, we kill little children and then have the audacity to think that we can do this without being vulnerable to the agony of revenge. Well, eventually these events come back to haunt you, and the United States is learning that people in the Muslim world are not going to allow themselves to remain oppressed. While we certainly know that every Muslim is not a potential terrorist, we do know that a marginalized Muslim who has nothing to live for might ultimately see the United States as his/her enemy. To fight terrorism, you have to fight it intelligently and not just militarily; we are not a pack of cowboys set to dominate anyone who disagrees with us. Attempting to understand rather than kill and crush, might be a more effective way to combat terrorist activity. But a more humane foreign policy can only begin when we start to see the humanity of those we are attacking. At this point, we have not begun to truly empathize with the suffering we are causing others around the world. That is what worries me to death.

President Obama is doing the right thing. Let's hope he remains strong under the pressure. It's time for him to deliver the hope and change he promised us during the election, and I fully expect that he can do it.


Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of The Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.