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international | anti-war / imperialism | opinion/analysis

Saturday September 13, 2003 17:26

by iosaf / ipsiphi / O as if - espai alliberat contra la Guerra

barcelona

Stopping the Occupations of Iraq and Palestine

Try Once,
Fail Once,
Try Again,
Fail Better.
:- Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) Irish writer, dramatist, cricketeer, resistance activist and Nobel laureate.

z150 colour frame asks: is it relevant whether or not Oswald or the 20th century Military Industrial Complex killed JFK?

February 15th an estimated 12 million people took to the streets of cities globally to protest against the then imminent war on Iraq.

That they did so proved a level of solidarity accross the international movement many have tried and failed to give a name.

September 27th 2003 we shall in a ripple across the planet ·our world· go back to those who would be ·our masters· with the same words, hopes, slogans, solidarity, anger, prayers, facts and figures, truths, and more besides.

We in "Espai alliberat contra la Guerra" have always maintained that the ·_root cause_· of
transnational conflict is "the quotidien war of poverty, exclusion, hunger, prejudice, disinformation, criminalisation, exploitation and insecurity".

http://belgium.indymedia.org/news/2003/02/49179.php

There are many important differences between this year's campaign [2003-2004] and that of last year [2002-2003]. And for our myriad different tactics and approaches to ·our common task· it is timely to consider some of the main differences.
************************************************
Saddam Hussein is no longer to be seen as relevant, his card has been played.
Muhamed Baqir Al Hakim the leader of Iraqi exiled muslims who crossed the Iranian frontier with 50,000 troops is now dead. his card is played.
Osama is now no more terrible than a t-shirt, if he is terrible then he surely has proven himself capable of undermining the USA, and it is time to parley with him, if not he is an agent of the USA and it is time to expose him. his card has been as overplayed as the joker.

Ireland has through the heroic and costly efforts of Ed Horgan made clear it's attitude to Neutrality. It is worthy of comment that increased activism of our movement was a direct cause of the cancellation of the WEF meeting provisioned for this Autumn in Dublin. We do not see any notable difference in the ·_root causes_· of transnational conflict in the Irish States.

Other characters are facing domestic problems of serious magnitude focussing on their integrity and honesty. Mr Blair's problems will continue.
Mr Bush (2) is now facing his homerun to re-election (or first time election) to the White House. He is thus facing a field of candidates
who vary in their attitude to the occupations of Iraq and Palestine.

Aznar has for various domestic reasons assigned his succesor and left the global stage. In his wake the Left of Spain and those countries influenced by the Spanish left have consolidated their representation in all "deomcratic" assemblies under now ·_stated_· pacifist policies. The alternative and pacifist collectives for the first time in over seventy years engaged with the parties of social democracy to varying levels of success.
We have not seen any notable change in the ·_root causes_· of conflict.

The cost of the War on Iraq has been "too high" for the US to bear. They can not nor could not as I always maintained afford to ·prosecute thier war". The one bomb by Al Qaeda at the UN building @ an estimated cost of 15,000$ has ensured that the UN, IMF and World Bank are not operating in occupied Iraq.

If you're interested the previsioned cost of the US war on Iraq was (of April NY Times)
Military Deployment = $79 billion
Military Occupation = $105 billion (First 5 years only.)
Humanitarian Aid = $10 billion
Governance = $12 billion
Reconsrtuction/Recovery = $105 billion
Debt/Claims/Reparation = $361 billion
Aid To Allies = $10 billion (Does not include quid pro quo deals)
TOTAL: $682 billion
The Bush budget assumes a deficit of $5.4 trillion by the end of ten years (2004), but the addition of a Bush Iraq war deficit of .7 trillion will push it up to $6.1 trillionThe Bush deficit of $304 billion, the largest in history as well as the most precipitous, (see above) is pre-budget. With the new Bush budget in place,
our deficit is $5.4 trillion over ten years. (Bush is back-loading the deficit so the entire economic penality of what he is doing will not
be readily apparent until after he is out of office.)
In short the shiboleeth of US capitalism the "defecit" is as you know how the voter is
led in US elections. The cookie jar of World Oil has been found to be to tightly closed to be worth having.

In the USA homeland, there has been no notable change in the ·_root causes_· of conflict.

here is a list of all US service men who have died in Iraq:
http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display/53050/index.php

The absence of the IMF, World Bank and UN institutions from Iraq in the wake of the Al Qaeda attributed bombing of the UN offices means that there are no legal ways of resolving the cost incurred by the US/K. The above estimates
were passed in June 2003. Accordingly US soldiers no longer recieve "danger pay". Washington doesn't have enough money to "prosecute it's war".

The Superpower is thus no longer to be considered a Superpower.

Neither is it to be considered as the laughable and conceitful "indispensible nation".

The USA has had extensive domestic difficulty best perhaps summed up in the loss of power to 30 million citizens this summer.
*************************************************
Deaths by martyrdom have increased in the last year. There is no sign that they shall stop.
*************************************************
Iraq and Palestine are now completely in the media loop. Indymedia and other networks are guaranteeing the hope that the peoples of Iraq and Palestine may help us help them to combat the root causes of conflict.
*************************************************
the Quotidien War of insecurity, hatred, criminalisation, immoral borders, unemployment, prejudice, ignorance, hunger.

They have long asked for us to help them.
*************************************************

in 2002-2003 we issued as a global movement "without name" facts. Unarguable facts, many of us found it difficult, emotionally, spiritually, psychologically to deal with the blanket refusal to engage with those facts.
Every argument against the war was vindicated.
This year we had better concentrate less on Western Civilisation's politics and energy concerns and _more_ on the lives of our global community.

**************************************************
This year our campaign is perhaps for Life
rather than against War. War whose machinery is fueled and directed by the now non-functional military industrial complex which with the assasination of John F. Kennedy ushered in the last thirty years of the 20th century.

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Comments (7 of 7)

i agree, but...

by bb

Sun Sep 14, 2003 05:46

1)do the above numbers include the further $87billion asked from congress this last week?
2)Are you sure it was Al Qaida bombed the UN building in Baghdad? Many are suspicious of how a truck full of explosives made it through a city full of road blocks... and just look at who happened to be in the building at the time! ...to who's advantage was the bombing?
3) a sobering thought for IMC- but after the events of 9-11 over 40% of Americans polled believed Iraq was behind the attacks, by last week that number is at 70%, regardless of the facts that none of the hijackers were Iraqi, no evidence was found of weapons of mass destruction and so on... the American public finds its security in being hoodwinked... Bush popularity is greater than ever and all candidates so far presented by the democrats are portayed as raving loonies by the media...

The American people are in a bad place and don't yet know it- their government have alienated them and kept them in the dark... face it, the mass protests worldwide in February which mounted to more like 15 million and accounted for the greatest movement of people for a single purpose in the known history of humanity hardly lifted an eyebrow stateside and was openly laughed off by Bush in a press conference...
the best way to start protest is to talk to any Americans you might know... because they don't! Be compassionate, they're under a spell, be kind and empathetic- tell them what their government and policies are doing because, if anything, it is they who need to be thought to protest, to stop living in fear and trust their fellow man..
so call that Aunt you never met in Chicago or those backpackers who gave you their email last summer, and tell them, straight, where the rest of the world stands with their country... because most people stateside really do actually believe they are on a righteous crusade and give no thoughts to the lives of non-Americans- talk to them... find out for yourself...

Public perception of Iraq's Role

by Sean Dunne

Sun Sep 14, 2003 10:15

Shortly after September 11th, 2001, the ABC/Washington Post survey polled Americans and asked a variety of questions, one of which asked about Iraq's role in September 11th. 3% of Americans believed he had something to do with it.
The quote above stating that 40% of Americans believed Iraq was behind the attack, came much later, and most importantly, after the United States government and U.S. media continuously suggested that Saddam was involved. This of course was not seriously questioned anywhere in the mainstream media. This survey (also carried out by ABC/Washington Post) was taken earlier this year, shortly before the U.S. attacked Iraq.
It's important to remember the significant change in public opinion, and more importantly, how it was accomplished.

Challenging american opinion

by David

Sun Sep 14, 2003 19:11

I know quite a few people born and resident in the united states, and i regularly ask them what it's like living over there and what they believe is happening in the world and why. What i have found is, like people around the world, they have strongly held opinions about what their govcernment is doing but they haven't really thought about how they were formed. One person i talked to about george bush agreed with everything i told her about what her president was doing. She essentially agreed that he was acting totally out of personal self interest with no regard for the world outside 'Das sein' but she still said that she supported her president, the american soldiers abroad and the actions of Her government. She could not give me any reason why, it was just the way she felt. Eventually she started going on about how it was part of her religious belief to "just know" in a kind of stoic perspective, If it's happening then it must be the way things are meant to be
Much of the nation is totally brain washed, just like much of Ireland who will still vote for FF even though they believe they are doing a rubbish job and are corrupt.

public opinion

by sean

Sun Sep 14, 2003 20:25

I think it best to avoid sweeping generalisations about the United States, as well as about Ireland. Not to insult your popularity, but I would imagine your circle of American friends represent an extremely miniscule percentage of the American population. Depending on several factors, you could very easily be in contact with people who don't think it's "just right", and who think the best way to support American troops is to bring them home. They might also question why Bush asks people to support the troops, and then demolishes the pension packages of veterans in the recent U.S. budget. You could just as easily hear opinions that suggest the U.S. should just nuke the entire Middle East, as that also certainly exists.

It is more useful to examine how these people form these opinions, whether it is in Ireland or in the United States. In the U.S., the mass media system is the main source of information for citizens, and so it is extremely influential. Just looking at the issue in Iraq, it is easy to see that the role of the U.S. media continually helped the war effort. Everything from replacing Phil Donaghue (moderate liberal talk show host, who was supposed to rival Bill O'Reilly) with a show titled, "Countdown: Iraq" to how the media left the Bush administration's baseless suggestions go unquestioned, and much, much more, show how U.S. citizens could develop the idea that attacking Iraq was justified.
There are, of course, other factors, but the media was very influential.

Thinking that people are "brainwashed" is very similar to your complaint that people will knowingly re elect a corrupt political party. Both actions ignore existing social structures that affect public opinion, which can be changed, and accept the status quo without question.

I'd also disagree that "much of Ireland" vote for FF, even though they don't like the job they do. Many of their supporters do like the job the do, as they serve their interests. While there is a percentage of FF voters that do vote along those lines, I would argue that they constitute a minority of the Irish population.

on thinking the USA brainwashed.

by iosaf

Wed Sep 17, 2003 13:13

well how would you brainwash people?

TV? -more TV in the USA than anywhere else.

repetitive singing of songs and saluting flags?
-Only the USA teaches the anthem from 4yrs of age and daily salutes the flag.

Drugs? -the USA has the highest usage of mind altering drugs in both legal and illegal senses.

Dodgy Religion? -the USA has more religions claiming tax exemption and holding residential property for their followers than anywhere else.

Militarisation? -the USA has the highest percentage of it's population in armed service.

Prison service? -the USA locks up more of it's people than any other Western country over 12%.

Computer Games? -The USA has developed more computer games than anywhere else.

If anyone is "brainwashed" I humbly suggest it is the USA.

BB:- the figures came from the New York Times in April, I couldn't find them again though, sorry, I presume they are very out of date.

Sweeping generalisations are very very wrong.
Dont make them without backing them up.
Knowingly voting for corrupt parties?
of those who vote in the USA, a substantial number vote for small parties, and of those who vote for either Democrat or Republican, well heck it's the donkey or the elephant.
as corrupt as each other.

on thinking yourself brainwashed

by -the real doctors of Spin. (it's too late now you know) - faustian pax.

Thu Sep 25, 2003 18:48

do you watch to much TV?
do you have a cactus on your PC?
does your dentist seem familiar?
Did you ever have intercranial surgery?
Did you ever get too close to a UFO?
Did you ever earn enough money to get implanted?
Did you ever play Dungeons and Dragons?
Did you ever hang out in zero gravity?
Did you ever take a few too many mushrooms and let the Mormons in the door?
Did you ever believe the JFK?
Did you say your three hail marys?

OH did you say your 3 Hail Mary's?

I nay believe in Queens nor Kings

by ipsiphi

Wed Nov 19, 2003 12:57

nor Presidential excutive order.
I believe in numbers, shapes and form,
in music, poetry and buildings.

Bush is in London this day of writing
he is with the English Queen.

What a wonderful place to have them both.

we weave a sticky web mr bush.
& you are now with the English Queen
and her descendents for ever
in celluloid if not blood.

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Comments (7 of 7)