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An Unholy War
October 08, 2001
Yesterday, those who claim to hold "civilised values" began their "crusade" against terrorism by carrying out 7 hours of bombardment of targets across Afghanistan.
While raining missiles and bombs on that country, these "freedom fighters" also dropped "humanitarian" relief to hundreds of thousands of Afghan people already displaced from their homes by the well-publicised threats of US military attacks.
Or course, that displacement of large numbers of civilians is not terrorism! After all, this is war with a human face!!!! (Recall the distribution of trinkets to Amerindians by explorers and conquistadors who were preparing their decimation was)
This 'brave' (sic!) attack launched in the dead of night from ships and submarines miles away and from high flying bombers against a poorly equipped defence is the kind of war that we have become accustomed to in the last decade on the part of the US.
But what are the aims of this bellicose military operation that is nobly labelled "fighting terrorism", "defending freedom" and "defending the United States"?
As soon as the bombs and missiles landed, US spokesmen have announced the aim of military action as 1) "to remove threats to US military forces"; 2) "to alter the military balance in Afghanistan".
What these declarations again reveal are the real aims of the US in this aggressive war. Since the September 11 terrorist attack in New York, the US made its aims in Afghanistan clearer i.e. the overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and use their new-found friends of the Northern Alliance as "allies" to reinstall an Afghan monarch driven from power since 1973 favoured by the "world's only superpower".
These aims of US global domination have nothing to do with fighting terrorism but with advancing American interests in that part of the world and further reinforcing the hegemony of a country that now describes itself as a mega-power.
The people of the world are supposed to support this unholy war on the basis that a) By secret evidence that is not for the eyes and ears of the world, the US alleges that an individual was guilty of organising the attack on New York. It matters little that within minutes of the September 11 attack, the US President declared the guilt of the individual.
b) The so-called "primary suspect" is to be hunted and taken "dead or alive"
c) Those who "want justice" have a right to launch a war to capture or kill a suspect in another country and overthrow that country's government and install a government of their own choosing.
d) Those who "want justice" and represent "civilisation" can refuse to supply evidence and to negotiate with the regime alleged to be harbouring the "suspect" while demanding that he be handed over. Not so ironically, the same people are seeking extradition of another suspect in England by presenting evidence to a court in extradition proceedings.
e) The forces of "democracy and freedom" have made it clear that they will never tell the truth about what they are doing in Afghanistan.
Are we to believe that the "war against terrorism" is a war against Afghanistan? If not, if the methods used here are acceptable, will anyone suspected to be involved in terrorism anywhere in the world also be hunted and killed as a means of "bringing them to justice" and the rulers of those countries overthrown by US military action?
Already today (Monday) the US has announced that military attacks will be launched against other countries and the Pakistani military ruler is begging the US not to install a regime of its own choosing in Afghanistan. Well, they will learn the bitter lesson of what it means to support hegemonic warmongering disguised in noble clothing.
All the developments since September 11 confirm that terrorism is a tool of anti-democracy and has nothing to do with struggles for freedom, democracy or progress waged by the peoples of the world.
In the wake of that attack, in the US and several countries draconian legislation is being introduced to give greater powers to invade privacy and increase spying against civilians, curb protests against this unholy war and to give states the right to freeze assets and take other actions against persons "suspected" of terrorism. So much for the presumption of innocence until conviction.
Freedom is the real victim, in the sense of the rights and freedoms of the people.
Terrorism takes a number of forms - individual, organised and state-organised. Therefore, it is not possible to conduct a "war on terrorism" by addressing the first 2 forms and not the third.
This war in Afghanistan to install a regime approved by the US is an unholy war being waged not for any noble objective but for furthering the interests of US global domination.
It no more deserving of the support of the people than the aggression in Viet Nam, the invasion of Panama allegedly to "capture" Noriega for drug offences or the UN-condemned Falklands war.
HOMEPAGE
Copyright © Clyde Weatherhead
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