Lulua
25-08-2002, 01:14
Terrorism and democracy: Do they go together?’
By Raff Ellis, Special to Arab News
Most dictionaries define "terrorism" as an act of frightening or intimidating individuals, populations or governments. Depending on who’s viewing it, terrorism may be condemned or condoned.
In the negative, the word defines heartless, evil-minded individuals or organizations with no perceived moral compass. In a more positive light, it conjures up daring, self-sacrificing freedom fighters, willing to give life or limb for a noble cause.
Terrorism is the word used most frequently in news reports from the Middle East. The label itself has become a weapon, used most often by the United States and Israel, as justification for any lethal action they choose to undertake.
In Israel and the Occupied Territories, suspected terrorists or "militants" are targeted and executed nearly every day.
We are told that government intelligence is omniscient, to the point of knowing when and where a terrorist is sleeping. Drop a bomb and poof, there goes another terrorist.
Of course we have to take the governments’ word for it, because no proof is ever given. It’s a secret, don’t you know? Of course, "collateral damage" is regrettable, but it’s a small price to pay for a ridding the world of another "suspected terrorist."
One has to wonder, however: if the intelligence that spotted the suspect is so good, why couldn’t it also spot the women and children who were sleeping alongside him? Did the intelligence fail, or is it simply that they did not care?
In fact, in today’s Middle East, there are plenty of terrorists on both sides. Although many try to draw a fine line between acts of terrorism committed by nation-states and those by aspiring states, I believe that terrorism is just that — terrorism. No matter who aims the weapon or detonates the bomb, violence undertaken to frighten and intimidate a population is a terrorist act.
Our State Department has a long list of nations identified as terrorist states, none of which is a "democratic" regime. Iraq, China, Cambodia, North Korea and more than a few African nations have all been identified as engaging in, or sponsoring, terrorism.
In a startling coincidence, all of Israel’s perceived enemies have made the State Department’s list of terrorist states. Syria, Iraq, Libya, Iran and the Hezbollah organization are on it.
And now, Israel and its supporters in the American media and elsewhere are clamoring to add long-time US friends Saudi Arabia and Egypt to the roll call. They claim that "intelligence reports" show these states to be "evil" and aiding terrorists — hardly an impartial assessment.
We are not surprised, of course, because such countries are not democratic and fear freedom and democratic principles.
Unfortunately, however, the list conveniently omits a major "democratic" nation that commits similar acts for similar aims. Pogo said it long ago: "[The enemy] is us."
The United States, in fact, is so good at conducting terrorism that we have a school to teach others how to do it. And after we train terrorist regimes, we arm them to abet the crimes they engage in. Many nations on our current terrorist list were once client states of the School of the Americas and bonanza markets for US arms merchants.
Mass punishment, indiscriminate strafing from helicopter gunships, shelling villages with tanks, rocket attacks and assassinations are but some of the examples of terrorist acts committed by those trained and armed by the US When this is done by regimes we no longer favor, it’s called despotic terrorism. When our friends do it, especially Israel, we rationalize it as self-defense.
But is entering homes in the dead of night, smashing, pillaging, arresting and beating people self-defense? No. It is state-sponsored terrorism.
Of course, suicide bombings are also terrorist acts and, try as some will, there can be no justification for them. I have great revulsion for those resistance leaders who send their youths to kill innocent civilians in the process of their martyrdom.
But I have a similar revulsion for those Israeli leaders who — while claiming the higher moral ground — send their own youths into the Palestinian territories to murder, pillage and destroy. In fact, my revulsion is greater because the Israeli soldiers committing these acts are not the occupied and oppressed peoples. They are not the injured party.
They have not been denied their civil rights and marginalized for 35 years, to the point of believing that life is not worth living. And they have the most sophisticated weaponry ever invented — built and supplied by the United States — to use against a relatively defenseless people. But more to the point, Israel calls itself a democracy.
But does a democracy destroy not only suspected militants, but also their families and the homes of all their relatives?
Does a democracy exact punishment without judicial proceedings? When a state violates its own, heralded democratic principles and summarily convicts and executes a suspect on the spot, is that a legitimate action? The short answer is: No, it’s terrorism.
Albert Camus said it best: "Yesterday’s oppressed are tomorrow’s oppressors."
Perhaps nothing illustrates this maxim more clearly than the way some unscrupulous, power hungry politicians rushed to take advantage of America’s horror after Sept. 11. Fanning the flames of jingoism and draping themselves in the flag, they reminded a stunned people "they have to be careful what they say," encouraged them to spy on their neighbors, and to brand as unpatriotic anyone who dares question the government’s actions. The Bush Administration has imprisoned more than 1,000 persons without charge, most often without legal counsel, while government watchdogs who point out these excesses are told "you’re either with us, or with the terrorists."
Sadly, polls show that Americans are willing to give up some of their cherished democratic civil rights to insure greater security. It was painful to watch the muted debate over the passage of the clearly undemocratic Patriot Act. Although the Act is billed as anti-terrorism legislation, its purpose is clear: To frighten and intimidate innocent citizens into toeing the government line without question, no matter how undemocratic its actions may be.
Hmm — intimidating the innocent for political gain. Isn’t that also called terrorism?
(Raff Ellis is a retired former strategic planner and computer industry executive, based in the US. For comments: guestbox102@YellowTimes.org)
(YellowTimes.org)
http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=17993&ArY=2002&ArM=8&ArD=22
By Raff Ellis, Special to Arab News
Most dictionaries define "terrorism" as an act of frightening or intimidating individuals, populations or governments. Depending on who’s viewing it, terrorism may be condemned or condoned.
In the negative, the word defines heartless, evil-minded individuals or organizations with no perceived moral compass. In a more positive light, it conjures up daring, self-sacrificing freedom fighters, willing to give life or limb for a noble cause.
Terrorism is the word used most frequently in news reports from the Middle East. The label itself has become a weapon, used most often by the United States and Israel, as justification for any lethal action they choose to undertake.
In Israel and the Occupied Territories, suspected terrorists or "militants" are targeted and executed nearly every day.
We are told that government intelligence is omniscient, to the point of knowing when and where a terrorist is sleeping. Drop a bomb and poof, there goes another terrorist.
Of course we have to take the governments’ word for it, because no proof is ever given. It’s a secret, don’t you know? Of course, "collateral damage" is regrettable, but it’s a small price to pay for a ridding the world of another "suspected terrorist."
One has to wonder, however: if the intelligence that spotted the suspect is so good, why couldn’t it also spot the women and children who were sleeping alongside him? Did the intelligence fail, or is it simply that they did not care?
In fact, in today’s Middle East, there are plenty of terrorists on both sides. Although many try to draw a fine line between acts of terrorism committed by nation-states and those by aspiring states, I believe that terrorism is just that — terrorism. No matter who aims the weapon or detonates the bomb, violence undertaken to frighten and intimidate a population is a terrorist act.
Our State Department has a long list of nations identified as terrorist states, none of which is a "democratic" regime. Iraq, China, Cambodia, North Korea and more than a few African nations have all been identified as engaging in, or sponsoring, terrorism.
In a startling coincidence, all of Israel’s perceived enemies have made the State Department’s list of terrorist states. Syria, Iraq, Libya, Iran and the Hezbollah organization are on it.
And now, Israel and its supporters in the American media and elsewhere are clamoring to add long-time US friends Saudi Arabia and Egypt to the roll call. They claim that "intelligence reports" show these states to be "evil" and aiding terrorists — hardly an impartial assessment.
We are not surprised, of course, because such countries are not democratic and fear freedom and democratic principles.
Unfortunately, however, the list conveniently omits a major "democratic" nation that commits similar acts for similar aims. Pogo said it long ago: "[The enemy] is us."
The United States, in fact, is so good at conducting terrorism that we have a school to teach others how to do it. And after we train terrorist regimes, we arm them to abet the crimes they engage in. Many nations on our current terrorist list were once client states of the School of the Americas and bonanza markets for US arms merchants.
Mass punishment, indiscriminate strafing from helicopter gunships, shelling villages with tanks, rocket attacks and assassinations are but some of the examples of terrorist acts committed by those trained and armed by the US When this is done by regimes we no longer favor, it’s called despotic terrorism. When our friends do it, especially Israel, we rationalize it as self-defense.
But is entering homes in the dead of night, smashing, pillaging, arresting and beating people self-defense? No. It is state-sponsored terrorism.
Of course, suicide bombings are also terrorist acts and, try as some will, there can be no justification for them. I have great revulsion for those resistance leaders who send their youths to kill innocent civilians in the process of their martyrdom.
But I have a similar revulsion for those Israeli leaders who — while claiming the higher moral ground — send their own youths into the Palestinian territories to murder, pillage and destroy. In fact, my revulsion is greater because the Israeli soldiers committing these acts are not the occupied and oppressed peoples. They are not the injured party.
They have not been denied their civil rights and marginalized for 35 years, to the point of believing that life is not worth living. And they have the most sophisticated weaponry ever invented — built and supplied by the United States — to use against a relatively defenseless people. But more to the point, Israel calls itself a democracy.
But does a democracy destroy not only suspected militants, but also their families and the homes of all their relatives?
Does a democracy exact punishment without judicial proceedings? When a state violates its own, heralded democratic principles and summarily convicts and executes a suspect on the spot, is that a legitimate action? The short answer is: No, it’s terrorism.
Albert Camus said it best: "Yesterday’s oppressed are tomorrow’s oppressors."
Perhaps nothing illustrates this maxim more clearly than the way some unscrupulous, power hungry politicians rushed to take advantage of America’s horror after Sept. 11. Fanning the flames of jingoism and draping themselves in the flag, they reminded a stunned people "they have to be careful what they say," encouraged them to spy on their neighbors, and to brand as unpatriotic anyone who dares question the government’s actions. The Bush Administration has imprisoned more than 1,000 persons without charge, most often without legal counsel, while government watchdogs who point out these excesses are told "you’re either with us, or with the terrorists."
Sadly, polls show that Americans are willing to give up some of their cherished democratic civil rights to insure greater security. It was painful to watch the muted debate over the passage of the clearly undemocratic Patriot Act. Although the Act is billed as anti-terrorism legislation, its purpose is clear: To frighten and intimidate innocent citizens into toeing the government line without question, no matter how undemocratic its actions may be.
Hmm — intimidating the innocent for political gain. Isn’t that also called terrorism?
(Raff Ellis is a retired former strategic planner and computer industry executive, based in the US. For comments: guestbox102@YellowTimes.org)
(YellowTimes.org)
http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=17993&ArY=2002&ArM=8&ArD=22