World Trade Center
Reaps the Whirlwind
The
Beginning of Sorrows
On Tuesday September 11, 2001 the United States Of America was rocked
by terrorist attacks that dwarfed the Oklahoma City bombing by comparison.
The symbol of America's economic might was reduced to a heap of rubble,
with the loss of human life feared to be in the thousands. The symbol of
America's military might, the Pentagon building in the nation's capital,
also sustained heavy damage and significant loss of life. Today this nation
reels from the most devastating terrorist attack in history, and the most
deadly attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor. The parallels to Pearl Harbor
have been emphasized by this nation's leaders as the country moves to a
war footing. Emotions are running high and America is in no mood to be
introspective as to the causes of this great tragedy.
As the details of this attack began pouring in, U.S. politicians from both parties united in expressions of outrage. The mood is one of vengeance in Washington. After all, "America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world" said President Bush in a televised address. "A great people has been moved to defend a great nation," the president said, stating later that our response to the disaster would be a "monumental struggle of good versus evil."
The attack was "unprovoked", "cowardly", and "a barbaric act of terrorism" according to media pundits and politicians alike. We are right, we are the victims, and we will settle the score. "I don't care who they are," wrote one participant in a discussion forum. "If they're a country who houses known terrorists, I say level them. I don't care if there is a Middle East left. Modern day earth doesn't need barbarians." This is the prevailing mood in this country.
A Great Nation?
"Those
who do not want to harvest evil, should not plant evil," Saddam
Hussein another ex CIA supported operative
said in a statement reported by the Iraqi News Agency. "Those
who think that their people's lives are dear to them, must think that the
lives of the world's people are dear, too. America is exporting evil, not
only wherever their army lands, but even where their movies land, too."
He want on to say, "Despite the contradictory
humanitarian feelings on what happened in America yesterday, America is
harvesting the thorns that its rulers have planted in the world. There
is no place without a statue pointing to American criminal acts,"
he added. "Nobody has crossed the Atlantic
carrying weapons against America. (But) it has crossed the Atlantic carrying
death and destruction to the whole world."
Pretty sane words for a madman. Perhaps if he were able, former Yugoslav
president Slobodan Milosevic would make similar statements, as would leaders
of other U.S. branded "pariah states" from Libya to Iran, North Korea to
Afghanistan. Perhaps just once it should occur to a "great
people" that nations around the world hate
the United States for a reason. But reason, so long banished from the world's
leading "democracy",
has no part in the current climate of self-righteousness and revenge.
Analyst Bob Djurdjevic wrote an insightful essay entitled "Collateral Damage Comes Home to Roost" where he states:
"When the 'world's only superpower' and its allies bombed and killed thousands of innocent civilians in Iraq, Serbia, Panama, Libya, Palestine, Sudan, to name a few, Americans were told it was just 'collateral damage.' After all, we, the 'champions of democracy and the free world,' were only fighting the murderous regimes of Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevic, Manuel Noriaga, Muummar Quadafi. Some civilian casualties were 'regrettable, but unavoidable,' the Pentagon, NATO or State Dept. spokesmen told us.
"Now the tables have turned. Terrorism begets terrorism. Unnamed terrorists, presumed to be 'Islamic fundamentalists,' have now killed thousands of innocent Americans while fighting, what they think are, the murderous regimes of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Now Americans know firsthand some of the terror the Baghdad or Belgrade residents felt when NATO bombers unloaded their deadly cargo on them...
"What we did to Iraq and to Serbia was a case of state terrorism. What unnamed terrorists did to us today was retaliation to state terrorism. 'Collateral damage' has come home to roost. 'What goes around, comes around.' 'He who plays with fire, gets burned by fire.'
"But make no mistake: This was NOT an 'Attack on America,' as CNN and other networks are hailing. This was a strike at the heart of the Washington led New World Order. Signs are unmistakable. Just look at the targets: The World Trade Center/Wall Street, the Pentagon... Some sources speculate that one or both of the two hijacked planes that crashed in Pennsylvania might have been destined for either the White House or the Capitol.
"America and Americans, meaning innocent civilians who perished today, are 'just collateral damage.' As Iraqi, Serbian, Libyan, Sudanese and Grenadian civilians were. We are now paying for aggressions and crimes against humanity that our government has committed. Just as Iraqi, Serbian, Libyan, Sudanese and Grenadian civilians were. We've become expendable. Just as Iraqi, Serbian, Libyan, Sudanese and Grenadian civilians were.
"So
whenever you hear a politician or a media personality say that this attack
was 'unprovoked;
' that this was a murder of innocent 'men,
women and children;' that it was a strike
at the 'American way of life'
and no doubt you'll see and hear much of that
in the next hours, days, weeks, months and years,
try a role reversal. Imagine that you're listening to an Iraqi or a Serb
politician using those words in reference to victims of American bombs.
And then you'll get a fuller picture of what transpired on September 11,
2001 in NYC, DC and just outside of Pittsburgh."
The American led global economic powers have sought to assert their hegemony over the nations of the world through advanced weapons systems such as cruise missiles and aircraft dropping precision guided munitions. Americans have perfected the art of waging war remotely or from the air as the U.S. demonstrated in Serbia. Many people including those in the middle east cannot match the West's technological superiority so an apparent group of Arab militants have adapted their own version of an "air campaign", more primitive and unconventional but effective because they are not afraid of going down with their target, as was demonstrated yesterday. That kind of self sacrifice called "fanatical" by General Shelton the sophisticated militaries of the West cannot match.
Remember, it was Nicaraguan terrorists (Contras), remember them? armed and supplied by then Vice President George W. Bush Sr., that President Reagan praised as "freedom fighters" a glowing term also applied to the Afghan Mujahideen who were serving U.S. intelligence (CIA) in Afghanistan during the 1980's and which produced the likes of Osama bin Laden a CIA supported and backed, operative of the USA, when it was convenient, to kill Soviet Union Soldiers, they needed him and his like, thus like Saddam, another chicken come home to roost. The word "terrorist"is relative.
It must not be forgotten that Osama Bin Laden was originally financed, armed and backed by US imperialism and was the creature of the CIA. When it suited Washington to stir up Islamic fundamentalism as a weapon against the Soviet Union, they did not scruple at supporting such epileptic reactionaries and mass murderers. As long as the people being murdered were far away in Afghanistan, Kenya or the Middle East, these hypocrites could afford to turn a blind eye. Now they suddenly discover that Osama Bin Laden and his like are the "enemies of civilization ". But in that case, the threat to civilization should be stamped
"MADE
IN USA"
