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Not In My Name!
Topic Started: Aug 5 2006, 08:27 PM (355 Views)
bravotwozero
Hafidh
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Opinion/Editorial
Not in My Name
Nour Odeh, The Electronic Intifada, 30 July 2006

Words are cheap when used to describe the ongoing slaughter and destruction in Lebanon and Palestine at the hands of the US-funded Israeli occupation army. No matter how eloquent or expressive, words stand helpless and ring hollow when confronted with the distressing human suffering inflicted on Lebanese and Palestinian civilians by the Israeli war machine and the utter apathy, even indifference, of world powers towards them.

Israeli attacks have killed at least 615 Lebanese civilians in the past 18 days and 160 Palestinians over the past month. Yet, in the name of "self-defense," Israel is shielded from criticism and allowed to continue to systematically destroy Palestinian and Lebanese infrastructure, attacking residential areas, Red Cross convoys, medical crews, and even civilians fleeing death and destruction at the demand of the Israeli army. At least 800,000 Lebanese civilians are now displaced, forced to seek shelter in schools, worship houses of all faiths, and even public parks. They are short of water, food and medicine because Israeli air strikes have targeted or prevented the movement of aid convoys that attempt to come to their rescue. In the meantime, the over 1.3 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip and already brought to the brink of starvation by over four months of a choking economic siege, are without water or electricity after Gaza's only power plant was bombed and water networks were destroyed, while fuel and food supplies are running out.

Despite this bleak humanitarian situation, the United States, Israel's patron and ultimate protector, continues to declare that the time remains "inappropriate" to seek a ceasefire in Lebanon, or Palestine for that matter. In the United Nations, the undiplomatic US representative, Ambassador John Bolton, went as far as saying that there is "no moral equivalence" between the thousands of Lebanese civilians, killed, crushed, burned, and maimed by the Israeli assault with the Israelis wounded by Hezbollah attacks. Even a simple condemnation of the Security Council for the Israeli bombing of a UN observation post in Southern Lebanon, which killed four international observers on 26 July, was blocked by the United States representative.

Perhaps given his declared disdain to the United Nations, Mr. Bolton forgot to read its Charter or the Fourth Geneva Convention, which does not distinguish between civilian victims and award them all, without exception, equal protection - in theory. International human rights law, which seems to be more of a nuisance rather than a reference to Mr. Bolton, also states that regardless of the pretext, states that attack civilians and civilian infrastructure commit war crimes, liable to international reproach and punitive action - again, in theory. But one cannot blame the undiplomatic diplomat for his offensive and outright racist comments, for he represents an administration that has allowed itself to commit war crimes and openly defy international human rights law under the pretexts of "fighting terrorism" and "defending/spreading democracy." Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure and neighborhoods in Afghanistan and Iraq are but a few examples of the above.

President Bush Jr. showed equal indifference when the crisis first broke while he was visiting Germany on 13 July. He was then more interested in the wild boar roast he was going to have with his German host later that evening than the fires feeding on Lebanese flesh and blood. Mr. Bush was also more enthusiastic about the war when he declared that Syria too "must be held responsible" for this crisis, widening the scope of political and military tension in the explosive crisis. Four days later, and as the human toll of the crisis was rising, Mr. Bush was caught off guard in St. Petersburg talking to Tony Blair regarding the situation with a language expected only from the crudest of laymen.

The Israeli side has attempted to market this campaign of death and destruction in Lebanon and Palestine as "self-defense" intended to "defend peace," in the words of Shimon Peres, who in 1996 gave the orders to bomb a UNIFIL post in Qana, South Lebanon, where hundreds of civilians had sought refuge. That attack burned 106 Lebanese civilians to death, also in the name of Israeli "self-defense." Israeli officials have also allowed themselves the audacity of speaking on behalf of the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples they are assaulting. In the UN, the Israeli representative Ambassador Dan Gillerman was able to lecture the Security Council with a straight face about the right of the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples to live in peace and prosperity. He also couldn't hide his country's contempt for both peoples and their choices or rights. The Israeli Ambassador claimed that the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples had been hijacked by Hamas and Hizbollah, respectively, even though both parties had risen to power (in varying degrees) through US-backed free and democratic elections. So much for respecting free choices!

To top off this shameless Israeli public diplomacy campaign, Ms. Tzipi Livni, the Israeli Foreign Minister, states repeatedly, without the slightest embarrassment, that her country's assault on Lebanon is meant to "help" the Lebanese government exercise its sovereignty and implement Security Council resolution 1559! Unfortunately, she has yet to be asked how the bombing of Lebanese bridges and roads, army barracks, and communications antennas is meant to help the government nor how infringing upon the sovereignty of Lebanon is meant to solidify that country's sovereignty. More importantly, this shocking remark did not invite a response that would remind the Israeli official that her country infringed upon Lebanon's sovereignty through land, air, and sea over 11,000 times in the past six years. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, it must be noted that there is no other country in the world that has defied more Security Council resolutions than Israel. Hence, it is baffling to see it use the implementation of resolution 1559 as one of its pretexts for the offensive.

The crowning jewel of this crisis, with its twisted logic and perverse objectives, is the statement of the US Secretary of State, calling the current carnage "the birth pangs of a new Middle East." These "pangs" of a foreign-grown and forcibly implanted pregnancy are more like deafening "bangs" that shatter the homes, hopes, and future of Lebanese and Palestinian children. They are the blows Ms. Rice is allowing to continue to burn, maim and kill civilians in Lebanon and Palestine. Ms. Rice's "new" Middle East is being molded by the charred remains of children and their hopes for a dignified life in Palestine and Lebanon. These "pangs" are gaining momentum from the fires raging in Palestine and Lebanon and at their peoples' expense. It seems that bucketfuls of Palestinian and Lebanese blood are also the required paint for this "new" Middle East, with their moans and cries of pain -- the background music. The question then becomes, who is this "new" Middle East for and who asked Ms. Rice to volunteer in ushering it in with such disgraceful and outright racist apathy to Middle Easterners' suffering and pain?

This cataclysmic American ideology that justifies death and destruction in the name of "peace" is feeding the fires in the Middle East. It feeds these fires literally, through the hastened shipment of even more bombs to Israel, including the horrific "bunker busters." It also does so metaphorically, through the political position that prefers to keep the civilian death toll rising by impeding the UN Security Council from seeking as much as a "cessation of hostilities."

Usually, the lady of justice is blind because she is unbiased and fair. Today, we live in a world where blindness only occurs to the suffering and violated rights of the weak. The Lebanese and Palestinian peoples seem to be the Children of a lesser God for America and whose blood and suffering are necessary "pangs" for the realization of its policy goal. This goal sees no sovereignty but that of Israel and only affords its citizens the advantages of being civilians. It also envisions a Middle East where Israeli occupation is made irrevocable, acceptable, and not subject to as much as verbal defiance. It protects the last occupation army in the world, allowing it to persist in its occupation and select when, if ever, to respect the sovereignty of its neighbors. However, it is undeniable that after this carnage, the real "pangs" will come when the Israeli occupation regime will crumble just as all other racist and oppressive regimes before it did. That's a historical eventuality and only then will these "pangs" be voluntary, home-grown, and welcome.

Finally, it must be said that there is a very large mental banner blanketing the Middle East in response to this policy and supposed birth "pangs" for America's "new" Middle East. It says: Not in my Name ...

Electronic Intifada
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abuturab82
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The overwhelming majority of victims of Israel's aggression has been civilians.

Its sad how people in America feel that such deaths are necessary.

Any suggestions on how to change that?

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bravotwozero
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There is a dire need to counter Israeli PR (read: smear/propaganda) campaigns wherever they're presented, be it on television, radio, and/or print media. Websites such as Electronic Intifada or Counterpunchare excellent resources of accurate information regarding the ongoing conflict in the middle east.

Another key strategy is to highlight the striking parallels between the way Israel treats the Palestinians, to the treatment of blacks in South Africa during the Apartheid years. Essentially, Israel IS an apartheid state. It is based entirely on racial priviledge, which gives second class status to minorities. Given the long history of racism, slavery, and civil rights movements in the US, this comparison may end up striking a chord with a lot of Americans.

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abuturab82
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These are all good points.

I think another point that needs to be stressed is the 'lesser of two evils' argument that is constantly raised by Israel to justify its oppression by arguing that their evil is less then the evil of say, the palestinians or hizbullah.

Evil is evil, regardless if another person is doing it. Two wrong's don't make a right.

Why is the American Media so . . . . homogenous? Why is America so different??? Is it because the media is heading towards monopoly here????

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bravotwozero
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Mainstream American media is definitely becoming monopolized. However, that's not the whole reason for its homogenic news coverage. The influence of the Israeli lobby is immense:

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Pro-Israel interests have contributed $56.8 million in individual, group and soft money donations to federal candidates and party committees since 1990, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. (By contrast, the center says, pro-Arab and pro-Muslim groups donated $297,000 during the same period.) Between the 2000 and the 2004 elections, the 50 members of AIPAC's board donated an average of $72,000 each to campaigns and political action committees. One in every five board members was a top fundraiser for President Bush or John Kerry.

AIPAC's members often overlap with those of other pro-Israel organizations, some of which are renowned for playing hardball. In 2002, then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon launched Operation Defensive Shield, a military campaign that laid siege to cities in the West Bank to counter a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings against Israeli civilians. Pro-Israel activists here organized letter-writing campaigns, demonstrations and boycotts against media organizations for purportedly distorted reporting of Palestinian casualties. One group, the Committee for Accurate Middle East Reporting in America, demonstrated outside National Public Radio stations in 33 cities and cost WBUR in Boston more than $1 million in contributions.


Washington Post

If you're going to lose a million bucks for something you report, you're going to be very selective about what you choose or choose not to broadcast.

I'm sure you've already watched Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land, which also goes into the inner workings of the pro-israeli camp, as well as the biased coverage of the mideast conflict.
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bravotwozero
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More on AIPAC's enormous sphere of influence:

Quote:
 
AIPAC is the leading player in what is sometimes referred to as "The Israel Lobby"--a coalition that includes major Jewish groups, neoconservative intellectuals and Christian Zionists. With its impressive contacts among Hill staffers, influential grassroots supporters and deep connections to wealthy donors, AIPAC is the lobby's key emissary to Congress. But in many ways, AIPAC has become greater than just another lobby; its work has made unconditional support for Israel an accepted cost of doing business inside the halls of Congress. AIPAC's interest, Israel's interest and America's interest are today perceived by most elected leaders to be one and the same. Christian conservatives increasingly aligned with AIPAC demand unwavering support for Israel from their Republican leaders. (In mid-July, 3,000-plus evangelicals came to town for the first annual "Christian United for Israel" summit.) And Democrats are equally concerned about alienating Jewish voters and Jewish donors--long a cornerstone of their party. Some in Congress are deeply uncomfortable with AIPAC's militant worldview and heavyhanded tactics, but most dare not say so publicly.


This is even more outrageous:

Quote:
 
AIPAC continues to enjoy deep bipartisan backing inside Congress even after two top AIPAC officials were indicted a year ago for allegedly accepting and passing on confidential national security secrets from a Defense Department analyst.


Essentially, these guys can commit espionage and get away with it!! :o


The Nation
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abuturab82
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Holy crap.

The only way to amend this is to organize the Muslim community as well.

GOod luck with that!

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bravotwozero
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My thoughts exactly. Our biggest problem here is that because of our immense diversity, muslims simply have waay too many causes to worry about.

You've got:

- The conflict in Chechnya
- Problems in Kashmir
- The war in Iraq
- The war in Afghanistan
- The Humanitarian crisis in Darfur, and a number of other muslim nations.
- The treatment of the Uighurs in China, as well as muslim minorities living under autocratic non muslim nations.
- Local issues, such as erosion of civil rights, issues of greater pertinance to the Blackamerican Muslim community (Racism, prevalence of drugs and liquor stores in predominantly muslim neighbourhoods, gang violence. etc..)

I've only scratched the surface here.

In contrast, the Israeli lobby has only one goal: The preservation of Zionist Hegemony. To that end, they have been able to skillfully consolidate all of their resources.
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abuturab82
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They also have a huge amount of intellectual resources: lawyers, philosophers, political scientists, etc.

Muslims are severely lacking in the liberal arts. Those who are in the liberal arts are either in obscure subjects or end up merely confirming the mainstream party line.

We need to set up Islamic universities that can match this type of intellectual prowess.

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