Soros critical of

Soros critical of ‘war on terror’ at Rice talk

BY FRANZ BROTZEN
Rice News staff

Financier and philanthropist George Soros criticized the Bush administration’s handling of the “war on terror” during a panel discussion Sept. 8 at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 100 Rice faculty, students and staff in the Shell Auditorium, Soros said U.S. influence in the world has declined since the attacks of Sept. 11, not because of the attacks themselves, but because of the government’s response. “Everyone realizes that the invasion of Iraq was a terrible blunder,” he said.

JEFF FITLOW

At a Sept. 8 panel discussion hosted by Rice’s School of Social Sciences, financier and activist laid out what he sees as the fundamental mistakes made by the Bush administration in its pursuit of those responsible for the attacks five years ago on New York and Washington.

Joining Soros on the panel were Tom Haskell, the Samuel G. McCann Professor of History; John Bryant, the Henry S. Fox Sr. Professor of Economics; and Richard Stoll, professor of political science. Lyn Ragsdale, dean of the School of Social Sciences, moderated the event.

The Hungarian-born Soros came to the United States in 1956 and accumulated a large fortune through currency speculation and international investments. He has become a leading philanthropist over the years and gives away about $400 million annually to promote democracy and open societies.

Citing his latest book, “The Age of Fallibility: Consequences of the War on Terror,” Soros laid out what he sees as the fundamental mistakes made by the Bush administration in its pursuit of those responsible for the attacks on New York and Washington.

He said that while all wars cause victims, fighting a guerrilla war causes more victims, which creates an even greater pool of potential resentment. Secondly, Soros said, the U.S. errs when it views all Islamic militants as a monolithic force. Hamas, Hezbollah, the Mahdi

Army and al-Qaida are different organizations, he argued, with differing agendas. Thirdly, the current emphasis on military action is misplaced because the problem can be solved only by political means. Finally, the “war on terror” creates an artificial division — an us-versus-them view of the world — that leaves the U.S. in what he called a “vicious cycle of escalating violence.”

Responding to a question from the audience about Iran, Soros said Islamic fundamentalism is now a greater threat to the United States than it was five years ago. He maintained that many things the Bush administration has done in that time have served to strengthen Iran. “We will have to reach some kind of understanding with Iran,” he said, but acknowledged the prospects for any rapprochement under current conditions are very low.

According to Soros, terrorism is fueled by a sense of humiliation linked to occupation. He cited Hezbollah’s origins during the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, Hamas’ creation in response to the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and the rise of Shiite militias amid the U.S. occupation of Iraq. He urged the U.S. to adopt new ways of thinking to deal with the challenge.

“Using military force is not necessarily the best way to defend the country,” he said.