A new world order? Pt II
May 04, 2003
by Dr Winford James
In the first instalment of this column (published on April 13, 2003), I argued that the real reason for the Americo-British invasion of Iraq was, not to find weapons of mass destruction or free a repressed citizenry or capture that country's oil wealth, but rather to take revenge for the 9/11 terrorist attack on America and send a signal to the world, especially America-haters, that from now on America would pre-emptively strike against terrorist groups and nations. I said in part, 'America is sending the message that no so-and-so third-rate, non-Western (= non-White) country will get away with no terrorist stupidness against it. Let other America-haters beware!'
I think Bush's May 01 speech from the deck of the USS Lincoln strongly confirms my reading.
To be sure, Iraqi freedom is a strong, repeated theme in the speech (though capture of the oil wealth is not!), and may even be a genuine reason for the invasion, because freedom is far more politically appealing as a reason for war, both within and without America, than vengeance or retribution. But it must be true, given rigid laws of ethnic and national self-interest, that, to American eyes, Iraqi freedom is subordinate to American self-interest. And one effective expression of that self-interest is revenge and pre-emptive self-protection against perceived threats of terror.
In contrast to the strong theme of Iraqi freedom is the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), which was a palpably weak theme in the speech, available in three hapless mentions, the most hapless being: 'We've begun the search for hidden chemical and biological weapons, and already know of hundreds of sites that will be investigated'.
But even stronger than freedom was the theme of revenge, couched as American justice. I have counted at least 19 direct references to terror(ists) against America and the rest of the free world as the target of the Americo-British invasion. It is as if, with the war now over or, as Bush put it, with the end of 'major combat operations', Bush felt so liberated that he could now voice the truth. Indeed, he unambiguously dates the justification for the invasion - September 11, 2001!
The 19 direct mentions of terror come between an introduction on the freedom initiative and America's might in that regard historically and currently and a conclusion that focuses on the heroism of his American soldiers and the hope they bring to repressed peoples. That is, the mentions are at the heart of the speech. Here they are:
1. 'The battle of Iraq is one victory in a WAR ON TERROR that began on September the 11th , 2001...'
2. '19 evil men, the shock troops of a hateful ideology, ...imagined, in the words of ONE TERRORIST, that September the 11th would be the beginning of the end of America.'
3. 'By seeking to turn our cities into killing fields, TERRORISTS AND THEIR ALLIES believed they could destroy this nation's resolve...'
4. 'In the battle of Afghanistan, we destroyed the Taliban, MANY TERRORISTS AND THE CAMPS WHERE THEY TRAINED.'
5. '...the 82nd Airborne is on the trail of THE TERRORISTS...'
6. 'From Pakistan to the Phillipines to the Horn of Africa, we are hunting down AL QAIDA KILLERS.'
7. 'Nineteen months ago, I pledged that THE TERRORISTS would not escape the patient justice of the United States.'
8. 'The liberation of Iraq is a crucial advance in the CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERROR.'
9. 'We have removed an ally of Al Qaida and cut off a SOURCE OF TERRORIST FUNDING.'
10. 'No TERRORIST NETWORK will gain weapons of mass destruction from the Iraqi regime, because the regime is no more.'
11. 'We have not forgotten the victims of September the 11th. ...[W]ith those attacks, THE TERRORISTS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS declared war on the United States, and war is what they got.'
12. OUR WAR AGAINST TERROR is proceeding according to the principles I have made clear to all.'
13. 'Any person involved in committing or planning TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE becomes an enemy of this country and a target of American justice.'
14. 'Any person, organisation or government that supports, protects or harbors TERRORISTS is complicit in the murder of the innocent and equally guilty of TERRORIST CRIMES.'
15. 'Any outlaw regime that has ties to TERRORIST GROUPS and seeks or posseses weapons of mass destruction is a grave danger to the civilised world and will be confronted.'
16. 'The advance of freedom is the surest strategy to undermine THE APPEAL OF TERROR in the world.'
17. 'The scattered cells of THE TERRORIST [AL QAIDA] NETWORK still operate in many nations...'
18. 'The WAR ON TERROR is not over, yet it is not endless.'
19. 'NO ACT OF THE TERRORISTS will change our purpose, or weaken our resolve, or alter their fate.'
These mentions speak for themselves, but 7, 9, 11, and 13-15 must be further highlighted. They express the theme of this column: American justice (= retribution, revenge) for Iraqi/Al Qaida terror against America. Mention 9 tells us clearly that Iraq was an ally in the 9/11 attacks, and mention 11 boldly proclaims that Al Qaida and Iraq perpetrated those attacks, and America responded in kind nineteen months later. Mention 7 posits that such a delayed response was an expression of patient American justice!
When the WMDs turn up, as they must, we won't be able to believe that they were not planted.
A new world order? Pt I | A new world order? Pt II
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