On Ron Paul's Concept of "Blowback"

While I may have some sympathy for it, the theory as stated (the argument that U.S. foreign policy has sowed the seeds of discontent and prompted Islamic retaliation) ultimately fails. Yes, American foreign policy has frequently been boneheaded and has no doubt created enemies but it also must be stated here that radical Islam is a mindset that a) has zero tolerance for pluralism, b) has consistently displayed this intolerance in some of the most brutal displays of violence since the 14th Century; the butchering of homosexuals, adulterers, petty thieves, etc. (at the halftime of soccer games is a common time and place), c) has shown a consistent willingness to slaughter innocent civilians and has even used them as human-shields, and d) continues to have as one of its principle aims the spreading of its dogma world-wide and a universal caliphate (the mayhem currently taking place in Europe is proof of this). For Mr. Paul or anybody to think that 9/11, the Boston Marathon bombings, and Benghazi wouldn't have happened had only our troops not been placed in Saudi Arabia for a spate is a little bit silly and naive in my estimation.