Ending Terrorism: What Would it Really Take?

by Andy Mager

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1201-03.htm

After more than two years of the "War on Terrorism," few of us feel safer here at home and many around the world many people feel less secure. Two wars have been launched--and continue--in Afghanistan and Iraq. While the Bush/Cheney administration persistently asserts that we're "winning" this war, their claims rings hollow.

Their approach has focused on "pre-emptive" wars and heavy-handed limits on civil liberties.

Below is a list of actions/approaches which I believe are necessary components of a plan to really end terrorism, followed by a summary of the US government's actions in these areas.

Honestly Define Terrorism as Attacks Which Directly or Indirectly Target Civilians' Regardless of the Perpetrators

Our government refuses to meaningfully define terrorism because such a definition would include various US actions as well as those of some allies. The US government and many of its allies and client states have been big-time practitioners of terrorism-from Jackson, Mississippi to the jungles of Viet Nam, from the refugee camps of the Gaza Strip to the island of East Timor, from the mountains of Colombia to the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. To end terrorism, we must first stop terrorizing.

Create Viable International Institutions to Prosecute Crimes Against Humanity

Our government has repeatedly blocked efforts to create an effective International Criminal Court. The Clinton administration gave lip service while insisting on special treatment. The Bush administration seeks to scuttle the entire enterprise. As long as unequal standards are applied to the judgment of international conduct, violence will remain an acceptable option.

Strengthen International Institutions to Address Poverty and Inequality

Our government has withheld funds from the United Nations for many years and frequently denigrates the UN. (This approach changes temporarily when UN support for US priorities is sought). US foreign aid is low compared to the size of our economy, is rarely targeted at the countries most in need, and often comes with requirements that benefit US corporations more than impoverished people.

Support International Efforts to Address Global Problems

Our government actively resists efforts to address global warming, ignoring the international consensus. It was a "no show" at the 2001 UN Conference on Racism. The US is among the "rogue states" who refuse to sign the International Treaty to Ban Land Mines. The US government regularly thwarts the will of the international community through power politics.

Work to Eliminate Weapons of Mass Destruction

Our government continues to maintain the world's largest stockpile of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. We have been a leader in developing all these technologies and are ready to embark on the development of a new generation of nuclear weapons. The US government played a key role in preventing the passage of a Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty with teeth which would have committed the nuclear powers to a timeline for disarmament. The US insists on the right of a few nations to maintain a nuclear monopoly.

Reduce Weapons Exports

Our government is the largest exporter of all types of arms and has often sold weapons to both sides of a conflict-for example, Iran and Iraq. According to the Arms Sales Monitoring Project of the Federation of American Scientists, "Since 1990, the United States has exported more than $152 billion worth of weapons to states around the world. Many of these sales have been to repressive and/or unstable governments." In 2001 (the last year for which information is available) the US accounted for 45.8% of the world's total arms exports. At the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms in 2001, the US delegation sought to water down and undermine agreements to reduce the international flow of small weapons.

Base US Foreign Policy on Fairness and Equality

US foreign policy is based on self-interest, particularly for its corporate backers. Our trade policies benefit large corporations and hurt poor and working people throughout the world. The tremendous pressure for further extension of what is misleadingly called "free trade" threatens to worsen this process.

Preserving our "way of life"-i.e. our right to consume as many resources as we can, is consistently cited to justify support for repressive regimes the world over. The US government's military and political power is used to guarantee access to cheap natural resources.

Recognize and Address Historic and Current Racism

Our government denies the powerful role that racism has played in creating and defining our world. They go even further in denying the way that racism drives much of our current policies. Ignoring the desperate humanitarian needs in parts of Africa and the Rwandan genocide are examples of this long and sordid record.

Refuse to Support Military Solutions to Social Problems

If it is acceptable for our government to use military force to solve conflict, then other countries and groups will follow suit. After the US bombed Afghanistan in 2001, India used this example to justify its military build-up and threats against Pakistan. Israel seized the opportunity to step up its military assault on occupied Palestine. Foreign aid resources must be diverted away from military support and training and used for education, healthcare, infrastructure development, etc. The "War on Drugs," now largely supplanted by the "War on Terrorism," is another example of the US government's choice of military responses (arms to the Colombian military, greater police presence at the Mexican border, etc.) to a social and economic problem.

Don't Train or Support Terrorists

Our government has threatened to strike any nation which trains or harbors terrorists. Remember the CIA training manuals for the Nicaraguan contras? It advocated terrorist attacks on union leaders, mining harbors, and more. Similar manuals have been produced by the US Army's School of the Americas to train terrorists throughout Latin America.

Seek to Understand what Motivates "Terrorist" Attacks

Bush administration officials continue to define this as a struggle against "evil," defining terrorism as a problem solely of small groups of "wicked" people. Instead, we should seek to understand what motivates those who attack civilians. Seeking to understand and address the root causes of terrorism does not mean that we condone those acts.

Use the Media to Promote Education and Understanding

The Bush Administration has consistently misled the public and the media to sell the Iraq War to the American people. Their statements are designed to make it seem "unpatriotic" to raise questions and criticisms. President Bush shuns news conferences or other situations in which he is questioned by journalists.

Reduce US Dependence on Oil

Our national addiction to oil remains unchallenged, including in the Energy bill before Congress. The need for massive oil supplies fuels US foreign policy in the Middle East and affects policy in other parts of the world. Efforts to increase efficiency standards for automobiles, particularly SUVs, have been rebuffed.

This list is certainly not comprehensive, but can serve as a starting point for discussion about how to eliminate terrorism. Since this "war" will be a major issue in the 2004 Presidential election, debunking the myths and looking at reality is critical to the success of democracy at home.

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AMERICA LAND OF THE FREE HOME OF THE BRAVE--BECAUSE OF OUR CONSTITUTION.

Rasta, this is a good read, printed it out and will try to have something later to discuss, after I have digested and did some research.

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An informed voter scares the Goverment lackeys.

An American first and always a Conservative.

Thanks Rob.

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AMERICA LAND OF THE FREE HOME OF THE BRAVE--BECAUSE OF OUR CONSTITUTION.

Those are very interesting thoughts and I thank you also. However, there is no mention of these particular terrorists. There is also no metnion of religeon. One cannot lump all terrorists together and the ones we are dealing with do indeed have a religeous agenda. This threat must first be faced with intellectual honesty about whom it is that is doing the killing.

Hey Rasta, this one actually looks pretty interesting. Give me some time and I'll try to get to it. Pretty good thread starter.

1) Create viable international institutions to prosecute crimes against humanity.

The UN can't be trusted to do this. They have been involved in their own crimes in Africa such as prostituting children. The War Crimes Tribunal in Bosnia was impressively slow and still left out many who deserved punishment.

Who is represented on these courts is the question? How do we get impartial judges and investigators and then how do we get the court's verdicts to be binding on the parties. The only people who are tried for war crimes are the people who have been defeated and captured. I don't know how to put people on trial before they have been captured or defeated. You can't try people fairly in abstentia.

2) Strengthen international institutions to address poverty and inequality.

Again, the UN is not an option. They have consistently proven their inefficiency. It can't be because we are not funding them. We supply 22% of their budget. We have even loaned them money in which we are responsible for 22% of the repayment including interest. Which is nonsense.

Plus, I am not sure that poverty is the reason for terrorism in all cases in the ME. Osama bin-Laden has more money than I or anybody on this forum will ever have. Many of the terrorists are middle-class and educated. I also think that the standards of living will increase when terrorism decreases. The situation in Palestine is between two groups who do not seem to interested in a compromise. It is hard to find a middle ground when neither seems to want to meet in the middle.

3) Support international efforts to address global problems.

Good idea. Which international organization can do it? I think it is also up to individual countries to also address these problems. Many of the problems are problems with individual regimes. How do you get those regimes to listen to or administer reforms? A international organization needs some way to enforce its doctrines.

4)Work to eliminate WMD's

First, I am not sure we have biological weapons. If we do, we haven't advertised the fact. I am sure that we have some chemical weapons and have had for some time, although I think we deny that we do.

If we work to eliminate WMD's it doesn't make sense to support nations in getting them. I don't think you would get too many nations to give up nuclear weapons as long as someone else has them. I don't think I would want the US to be the first to give them up.

5) Reduce weapons exports

Absolutely agree. But the problem lies with the weapons manufacturers who use that money to come up with advanced weaponry, which is in the interest of the US. I think most will agree that precise weaponry is preferrable to teh carpet bombing method. Research produced this. If we cut off all weapons exports and still wanted to finance R&D on new weapons, the defense industry would have to be nationalized and subsidized heavily in my opinion.

6) Base US foreign policy on fariness and equality

I think all foreign policy of all nations are based on self-interest. If we do not base our foreign policy on our self-interest, like every other nation does, then we will have to make some very serious lifestyle changes. I have no problem with paying a fair market price for goods and services, but I think the US's first responsibility is to the US citizens. Would we have to base our domestic policy on equality and allow Mexican immigrants to come over the border to pursue a better life? Wouldn't that be consistent with equality in foreign policy? I think we want our country working to our advantage, although it doesn't have to be at someone else's disadvantage. A basic premise in economics is that fair trade is good for all sides. There are no losers.

7) Recognize and address historic and current racism

I don't think this would apply to terrorism as we are facing it. There are Muslim/Arab regimes that we are friendly with. Americans are represented by all races. There certainly is individual racism, which will probably never be eradicated on that individual level. Racism doesn't have anything to do with fighting against people who fly planes into your buildings and kill your citizens.

The people who have the biggest responsibility to address the problems in Africa is the UN, and tehy have done next to nothing despite plenty of funding.

8) Refuse to support military solutions to social problems

Agreed. but we can support military solutions to military problems, such as being attacked by people in Afghanistan who supported the terrorists. India and Pakistan have been posturing against each other for a while, they don't need an excuse to follow our lead. The intifada in Palestine (the second intifada at that) started before 9/11.

I agree that foreign aid should go primarily to the infrastructure of a country and not their military capabilities. I do, however, think we have an obligation to allies just as they have an obligation to us. That is presumably why nations are allied.

9) Don't train or support terrorists

Agreed. It should never be done. I don't see the problem with training or supporting nations fighting terrorism though. If a nation is legitimate I don't see anything wrong with training and supporting them.

10) Seek to understand what motivates terrorist attacks

Yes. What if the thing that motivates terrorist is simply a hatred of us? We can find out why they hate us and try to resolve those problems, but they might not be able to be resolved. Western influence on Islam? Would Muslim influence on the west be a reasonable excuse to attack Muslims? Western influence seems to be enough for some terrorists to attack the US.

The interest in the ME is primarily economic. If the market is allowed to work the right way then everybody wins.

Agreed that you can't solve a problem until you find out what is truly causing (motivating) it, but that motivation may not necessarily be justified.

11) Use media to promote education and understanding

This is up to the media. Bush has answered questions from journalists. People may not like his answers, but I doubt that any president can tell us everything. Maybe the media should be more concerned with important things and devote more resources towards them than things like a missing girl on spring break or the OJ trial. The government does not make them do that. Ratings do. The media is showing the people what they want in a way. It is up to the media to do their job.

12) Reduce US dependence on foreign oil

Agree 100%. How? I like this ethanol idea that has floated around the forum, but know very little about it. If it helped a little I think it is worth pursueing. We could also reduce the dependence by ralizing our own potential, but that has to be weighed against environmental concerns. If they can be gotten to without damaging the environment then why don't we pursue it. Some claim that ANWR would do very little damage to the environment because of 'slanted' drilling and other measures. I can't speak much about it because I simply do not know.

Rasta, if we give a lot of power to an international agency/organization in resolving world wide problems isn't that the step towards the NWO that you and others (left, right, and middle) here warn us about?

I hurried through this so some thoughts may not be complete, but I am sure you will correct my errors.

Rastaman, after reading through your list and also reading what Skinny and Dom have said, I have to agree with them. The biggest problem IMO is the UN. The problem with the UN is that every country has an agenda and there is no clear consensus. But maybe others can look at this and give us some ideas and how to improve the US and also our foriegn policy.

__________________
An informed voter scares the Goverment lackeys.

An American first and always a Conservative.