Political Crossfire Forums

[tonylove2002]

Terrorism is the war of the poor, and, war is terrorism of the rich

June 6, 2003

(snip)

As for the Iraqi military, who, in the first Gulf war were either boys, or men who managed to survive the U.S. promoted war against Iran, only to die in a variety of ways, including a "turkey shoot" by U.S. pilots when they were trudging home, or buried alive in their trenches by giant U.S. bulldozers if they didn't give up, we can only guess the numbers. Add to that the soldiers who died this time, surely mostly equipped and disturbed boys who managed to not be among the half-million children who died before they were five years old, (the cost of which our Madeline Albright said was worth it), the number becomes unthinkable.

There are other deaths to count if we could. All those from the bombing in between 1992 and 2003, over U.S. and British organized "no-fly" zones, those from the unexploded bombs, including cluster bombs, that are littered across the countryside, and perhaps, worst of all, those from left behind depleted uranium which, because it could penetrate tanks and other previously unpenetrable objects, was used by the U.S. in everything from missiles to machine guns and then left behind in the ground to kill people for years to come. Those affected by DU in Iraq are uncountable, for the sick and the deformed are still dying. All I can do is tell you that 250,000 U.S. men and women who were there in 1991 are now sick, and uranium 236 has been discovered in 8,000 autopsies.

Finally, I will mention the Shiites and the Kurds that, in 1991, were encouraged by the first Mr. Bush to rise up against Saddam Hussein and when they did, were abandoned by the United States. It is likely that they are the thousands that occupy the mass graves that are being uncovered which such fanfare today.

And now Iraqi hospitals can't take care of the sick and the dying, so the numbers are still growing...

What ever the final tally is, surely the United States is surely responsible, in one small defenseless country, Iraq, the people of which never raised a hand against us, for the deaths of over a million people. And every person who was killed by the "terrorism of the rich" has at least one or two people, who using the "terrorism of the poor" are justified in seeking revenge, thus possibly making our children and grandchildren their victims.

The war is not over; Iran is next on Wahington's list and terrorism of all kinds lurks in the wings, waiting to go onstage. Therefore, since the world grows daily more dangerous, the peace movement, instead of the giving up, must grow ever stronger. Sadl, war, in one form or another will never be over in the Middle East, (or in places like Afghanistan and Columbia), until U.S. corporations stop seeking to control the profits from, and the flow of, the world's supply of oil.

See more at Veterans for Peace

[ALPINA]

So killing innocent women and children is the sport of the poor,
while the rich fight against armed and uniformed enemy troops.

Which side is morally superior ? Uhh, that's a toughy ...

[URallIgnorant]

"Terrorism" is what we call the violence of the weak, and we condemn it; "war" is what we call the violence of the strong and we glorify it."
- Sydney J. Harris, "Nations should submit to the Rule of Law," Clearing the Ground (1986)

[Secondary Oak]

I think there's a clear distinction between guerrilla, which is the real war of the poor, and between terrorism, which is a monstrous way to affect politics.

[Kiratala]

OBL is supported by wealthy people in SA. His movement could not exist without them. While they use the poor as what former CIA Scheuer calls throw away soldiers, his movement is supported by the wealthy.

[ALPINA]

Quote: I think there's a clear distinction between guerrilla, which is the real war of the poor, and between terrorism, which is a monstrous way to affect politics.

OBL is supported by wealthy people in SA. His movement could not exist without them. While they use the poor as what former CIA Scheuer calls throw away soldiers, his movement is supported by the wealthy.

Two excellent points exposing the hypocracy of the main-stream left ...

Btw, talking about the main-stream left: I've recently read a few very good essays by hard-core Marxists ( http://www.marxist.org.uk/ ), in which they layed out their view upon the war on terror ... guess what: They applauded George W. Bush for his courage and resolve ...

( These people are still seriously deluded if they think that Marxism can actually work, but their political analysis was otherwise outstanding - and shows in stark contrast, how the main-stream left has degenerated to a slogan-chanting bunch of no-brainers ... )

[Golddave]

Its war, s**t happens. Cry me a river.
We all lose friends.

[d_the_sandman]

I agree totally with secondaryoak...the CIA funded terrorism of today is a far cry from any peoples' revolutionary movement.