Archive for the ‘Terrorism’ Category
Creating more insurgents than we kill
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via Daylife
Quick: explain the US/NATO mission in Afghanistan.
“Well, um … to get Osama—9/11, you know.”
But Osama’s not there.
“Yes, well … there’s the Taliban—flogging women.”
But Taliban forces melt away into Pakistan during a US offensive, then return when our forces leave.
“But we send those missiles into Pakistan to get them.”
Exactly.
Those missiles do exactly what Al Qaeda needs done: they arouse anti-American hatred. They create a sense of helplessness. They make terrorism seem rational—even necessary—to a people whose families suffer sudden devastation from an untouchable, invisible foe.
Here’s how Chris Hedges writes it, in a post called War Without Purpose:
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None of us can identify a winning strategy currently at work in Afghanistan. Killing doesn’t win hearts. Once again, we trust force to accomplish something force has never done. How long, this time?
Let’s stop it. And start over. With a strategy designed first to ruin Al Qaeda’s pitch, rather than provide its background music.
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Gunmen prove Homeland Security right
On April 7, the Dept of Homeland Security issued a report warning of the dangers of domestic terrorism from right-wing extremists.
Outraged, some leading conservatives demanded apologies and terminations.
A month later, the assassinations began.
Follow the story:
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Far-right speakers have continually pooh-poohed the idea that their over-blown exaggerations could stimulate some to actual violence.
The evidence is on the table.
Enough. Time to stop crying “socialism” (Sarah Palin) and “if somebody doesn’t stop him, America will cease to exist…“ and Obama is “the focus of evil” (Alan Keyes) and “… the tree of liberty will be fed with the blood of tyrants and patriots. You are the patriots.” (Rep. Michael McCaul). Time for Republicans to utterly reject demagogues and their hyperbole – for what right-winger would believe a Democrat’s plea?
Just as the world waited to hear from reasonable Muslims after 9/11, our nation should hear now from reasonable conservatives, who should be vigorous in their denunciations of the irresponsible, emotional, and self-serving claims of Limbaugh, Hannity, Gingrich, Palin, Malkin, Boehner and the lot.
Stop it. Tragedy has begun.
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Indonesia: Radical Muslims’ parties lose support
Bravo, Indonesia!
The world’s largest Muslim nation rejects radicals at the polls:
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Wising-up about pirates: Why force will fail
The world cheered last week when US Navy sharpshooters felled three Somalian pirates in an instant, liberating the captain of the Maersk Alabama. Millions celebrated Capt. Phillips’ freedom.
Wonderful as it is that Phillips is free, the overall situation has been made worse. At the price of millions of American dollars, three young Somalians are dead and one American captain free. Other Somalians have vowed revenge, promising that future hijackings (which had been mostly bloodless) will quickly become more violent.
TV plots preach that the right folks with the right firepower actually do solve problems. It almost never happens in real life. Violence douses a momentary flare-up and pours gasoline on the conflict that caused it. Off the coast of Somalia? One captain rescued; ten thousand potential pirates enraged.
The answer surely lies in asking the right question: Why are those young men pirates? Indeed, why are bands of young men sources of violence all around the world? Patt Cottingham writes a thought-provoking summary:
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Not much glam, not many thrills, not many political points scored by addressing the real stuff. But if we spent a tenth as much time and effort on avoiding problems as we do shooting our way out of them, we’d get a lot more bang for the buck.
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- Obama floats talking with Taliban (cnn.com)
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- The U.S. in Afghanistan: The Longest War (time.com)
- Afghan women brave abuse to protest (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- Mortars Threaten U.S. Congressman’s Plane in Somalia (nytimes.com)
UN Rapporteur: Not prosecuting torturers is illegal
From an interview with the Austrian newspaper Der Standard:
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If we hope to bring the USA into a relationship with other nations based on mutual respect of international law, how can we flaunt it ourselves? If we hope to see a world without torture, how can we sweep our own sins under the rug?
Time to face the music, Mr. President. Pursuing good vibrations internally does not justify the excusing of criminal acts or further flaunting of international and American law.
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- George W Bush ‘should be prosecuted for torture’ (telegraph.co.uk)
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Clinton speaks out as Israel hardens
Good news and bad news from the Middle East.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticized Israel for planning to demolish 88 Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem, saying,
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“Clearly this kind of activity is unhelpful and not in keeping with the obligations entered into under the ‘road-map’… It is an issue that we intend to raise with the government of Israel and the government at the municipal level in Jerusalem.”
What a relief it is to hear an American diplomat admit, for once, that Israel is out of line. Perhaps this is a signal of some movement toward fair play in U.S. foreign policy. That could help the region a great deal.
Prof. Juan Cole points out that she’ll be besieged by Zionist critics in the USA for daring to say it, and urges “Please consider sending her a supportive message for daring [to] speak out on the issue. In fact, urge her to use a stronger word than “unhelpful” the next time.”
Now the bad news: Israel’s new hard-line government will probably press ahead on a plan to build 73,000 new settler homes in the Occupied West Bank, doubling the number of Zionists living on Palestinian land to 600,000. One can only imagine the despair and outrage this theft of the homes of Palestinians will cause throughout the region.
If they do so, Cole believes the two-state solution will be utterly dead: Read the rest of this entry »