- Banned
- #1
THE ANTI-EMPIRE REPORT
William Blumm
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What has the United States actually been doing in the Middle East in the recent past?
the shooting down of two Libyan planes in 1981
the bombing of Lebanon in 1983 and 1984
the bombing of Libya in 1986
the bombing and sinking of an Iranian ship in 1987
the shooting down of an Iranian passenger plane in 1988
the shooting down of two more Libyan planes in 1989
the massive bombing of the Iraqi people in 1991
the continuing bombings and draconian sanctions against Iraq for the next 12 years
the bombing of Afghanistan and Sudan in 1998
the habitual support of Israel despite the routine devastation and torture it inflicts upon the Palestinian people
the habitual condemnation of Palestinian resistance to this
the abduction of "suspected terrorists" from Muslim countries, such as Malaysia, Pakistan, Lebanon and Albania, who were then taken to places like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, where they were tortured
the large military and hi-tech presence in Islam's holiest land, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere in the Persian Gulf region
the support of numerous undemocratic, authoritarian Middle East governments from the Shah of Iran to Mubarak of Egypt to the Saudi royal family
the invasion, bombing and occupation of Afghanistan, 2001 to the present, and Iraq, 2003 to the present
the bombings and continuous firing of missiles to assassinate individuals in Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, and Libya during the period of 2006-2011
It can't be repeated or emphasized enough. The biggest lie of the "war on terrorism", although weakening, is that the targets of America's attacks have an irrational hatred of the United States and its way of life, based on religious and cultural misunderstandings and envy. The large body of evidence to the contrary includes a 2004 report from the Defense Science Board, "a Federal advisory committee established to provide independent advice to the Secretary of Defense." The report states:
"Muslims do not hate our freedom, but rather they hate our policies. The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the long-standing, even increasing, support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan and the Gulf states. Thus, when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy."
The report concludes: "No public relations campaign can save America from flawed policies." (Christian Science Monitor, November 29, 2004)
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