from Znet
---------------
>On the Bombings
>Noam Chomsky
>
>The terrorist attacks were major atrocities. In scale
they may not reach
>the level of many others, for example, Clinton's
bombing of the Sudan
>with no credible pretext, destroying half its
pharmaceutical supplies
>and killing unknown numbers of people (no one knows,
because the US
>blocked an inquiry at the UN and no one cares to
pursue it). Not to
>speak of much worse cases, which easily come to mind.
But that this was
>a horrendous crime is not in doubt. The primary
victims, as usual, were
>working people: janitors, secretaries, firemen, etc.
It is likely to
>prove to be a crushing blow to Palestinians and other
poor and oppressed
>people. It is also likely to lead to harsh security
controls, with many
>possible ramifications for undermining civil
liberties and internal
>freedom.
>
>The events reveal, dramatically, the foolishness of
the project of
>"missile defense." As has been obvious all along, and
pointed out
>repeatedly by strategic analysts, if anyone wants to
cause immense
>damage in the US, including weapons of mass
destruction, they are highly
>unlikely to launch a missile attack, thus
guaranteeing their immediate
>destruction. There are innumerable easier ways that
are basically
>unstoppable. But today's events will, very likely, be
exploited to
>increase the pressure to develop these systems and
put them into place.
>"Defense" is a thin cover for plans for
militarization of space, and
>with good PR, even the flimsiest arguments will carry
some weight among
>a frightened public.
>
>In short, the crime is a gift to the hard jingoist
right, those who hope
>to use force to control their domains. That is even
putting aside the
>likely US actions, and what they will trigger --
possibly more attacks
>like this one, or worse. The prospects ahead are even
more ominous than
>they appeared to be before the latest atrocities.
>
>As to how to react, we have a choice. We can express
justified horror;
>we can seek to understand what may have led to the
crimes, which means
>making an effort to enter the minds of the likely
perpetrators. If we
>choose the latter course, we can do no better, I
think, than to listen
>to the words of Robert Fisk, whose direct knowledge
and insight into
>affairs of the region is unmatched after many years
of distinguished
>reporting. Describing "The wickedness and awesome
cruelty of a crushed
>and humiliated people," he writes that "this is not
the war of democracy
>versus terror that the world will be asked to believe
in the coming
>days. It is also about American missiles smashing
into Palestinian homes
>and US helicopters firing missiles into a Lebanese
ambulance in 1996 and
>American shells crashing into a village called Qana
and about a Lebanese
>militia - paid and uniformed by America's Israeli
ally - hacking and
>raping and murdering their way through refugee
camps." And much more.
>Again, we have a choice: we may try to understand, or
refuse to do so,
>contributing to the likelihood that much worse lies
ahead.
>
____________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send a newsletter, share photos & files, conduct polls, organize chat events. Visit http://in/ groups.yahoo.com
---------------
>On the Bombings
>Noam Chomsky
>
>The terrorist attacks were major atrocities. In scale
they may not reach
>the level of many others, for example, Clinton's
bombing of the Sudan
>with no credible pretext, destroying half its
pharmaceutical supplies
>and killing unknown numbers of people (no one knows,
because the US
>blocked an inquiry at the UN and no one cares to
pursue it). Not to
>speak of much worse cases, which easily come to mind.
But that this was
>a horrendous crime is not in doubt. The primary
victims, as usual, were
>working people: janitors, secretaries, firemen, etc.
It is likely to
>prove to be a crushing blow to Palestinians and other
poor and oppressed
>people. It is also likely to lead to harsh security
controls, with many
>possible ramifications for undermining civil
liberties and internal
>freedom.
>
>The events reveal, dramatically, the foolishness of
the project of
>"missile defense." As has been obvious all along, and
pointed out
>repeatedly by strategic analysts, if anyone wants to
cause immense
>damage in the US, including weapons of mass
destruction, they are highly
>unlikely to launch a missile attack, thus
guaranteeing their immediate
>destruction. There are innumerable easier ways that
are basically
>unstoppable. But today's events will, very likely, be
exploited to
>increase the pressure to develop these systems and
put them into place.
>"Defense" is a thin cover for plans for
militarization of space, and
>with good PR, even the flimsiest arguments will carry
some weight among
>a frightened public.
>
>In short, the crime is a gift to the hard jingoist
right, those who hope
>to use force to control their domains. That is even
putting aside the
>likely US actions, and what they will trigger --
possibly more attacks
>like this one, or worse. The prospects ahead are even
more ominous than
>they appeared to be before the latest atrocities.
>
>As to how to react, we have a choice. We can express
justified horror;
>we can seek to understand what may have led to the
crimes, which means
>making an effort to enter the minds of the likely
perpetrators. If we
>choose the latter course, we can do no better, I
think, than to listen
>to the words of Robert Fisk, whose direct knowledge
and insight into
>affairs of the region is unmatched after many years
of distinguished
>reporting. Describing "The wickedness and awesome
cruelty of a crushed
>and humiliated people," he writes that "this is not
the war of democracy
>versus terror that the world will be asked to believe
in the coming
>days. It is also about American missiles smashing
into Palestinian homes
>and US helicopters firing missiles into a Lebanese
ambulance in 1996 and
>American shells crashing into a village called Qana
and about a Lebanese
>militia - paid and uniformed by America's Israeli
ally - hacking and
>raping and murdering their way through refugee
camps." And much more.
>Again, we have a choice: we may try to understand, or
refuse to do so,
>contributing to the likelihood that much worse lies
ahead.
>
____________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send a newsletter, share photos & files, conduct polls, organize chat events. Visit http://in/ groups.yahoo.com