|
Evidence Mounts That Bush Wants New Wars
By Bill Christison
Former CIA analyst
11/16/05 "Counterpunch"
-- -- In this his time of troubles, Bush seems to be moving
deliberately and rapidly toward new wars of aggression in an
unforgivable gamble to overcome his troubles. His speech on
Veterans' Day, November 11, 2005 at the Tobyhanna Army Depot in
Pennsylvania leads to this conclusion more clearly than any of his
previous speeches and activities. The new wars would be the start of
a world war initiated by Bush and radical Christianity against what
he calls radical Islam, but in truth the wars would be waged against
all Islam.
To repeat, despite Bush's arguments to the contrary, the "clash of
civilizations" would consist of wars started by us. The killing of
innocent people in these wars is likely to be massive, and the wars
could at any time turn nuclear. If the people and the politicians of
America allow these wars to take place, the stain on the morality of
Americans will last for generations.
Let's note some of the statements Bush made in this speech of
November 11. Many are not new, and some were foreshadowed in a
speech by Bush a month ago, but their volume and intensity in the
Veterans' Day speech are noteworthy.
"Some call this evil Islamic radicalism; others,
militant Jihadism; and still others, Islamo-fascism . .
. These extremists distort the idea of jihad into a call
for terrorist murder against Christians and Hindus and
Jews -- and against Muslims, themselves, who do not
share their radical vision."
" . . . these extremists want to end American and
Western influence in the broader Middle East, because we
stand for democracy and peace, and stand in the way of
their ambitions."
" . . . these militants believe that controlling one
country will rally the Muslim masses, enabling them to
overthrow all moderate governments in the region, and
establish a radical Islamic empire that spans from Spain
to Indonesia."
" . . . the terrorists would be able to advance their
stated agenda: to develop weapons of mass destruction;
to destroy Israel; to intimidate Europe; to assault the
American people; and to blackmail our government into
isolation."
"The influence of Islamic radicalism is also magnified
by helpers and enablers. They've been sheltered by
authoritarian regimes -- allies of convenience like Iran
and Syria -- that share the goal of hurting America and
modern Muslim governments, and use terrorist propaganda
to blame their own failures on the West, on America, and
on the Jews."
"The government of Syria must do what the international
community has demanded . . . The government of Syria
must stop exporting violence and start importing
democracy."
"Over the years these extremists have used a litany of
excuses for violence: the Israeli presence on the West
Bank, the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia, the
defeat of the Taliban, or the Crusades of a thousand
years ago. In fact, we're not facing a set of grievances
that can be soothed and addressed. We're facing a
radical ideology with inalterable objectives: to enslave
whole nations and intimidate the world. No act of ours
invited the rage of killers -- and no concession, bribe,
or act of appeasement would change or limit their plans
for murder."
"The murderous ideology of the Islamic radicals is the
great challenge of our new century. Yet in many ways,
this fight resembles the struggle against communism in
the last century. Like the ideology of communism,
Islamic radicalism is elitist, led by a self-appointed
vanguard that presumes to speak for the Muslim masses."
"Like the ideology of communism, our new enemy teaches
that innocent individuals can be sacrificed to serve a
political vision. And this explains their cold-blooded
contempt for human life."
"These militants are not just the enemies of America or
the enemies of Iraq, they are the enemies of Islam and
they are the enemies of humanity. And we have seen this
kind of shameless cruelty before -- in the heartless
zealotry that led to the gulags, the Cultural
Revolution, and the killing fields."
"Like the ideology of communism, our new enemy is
dismissive of free peoples -- claiming that men and
women who live in liberty are weak and decadent."
"And Islamic radicalism, like the ideology of communism,
contains inherent contradictions that doom it to
failure. By fearing freedom . . . this ideology
undermines the very qualities that make human progress
possible . . . And whatever lies ahead in the war
against this ideology, the outcome is not in doubt . . .
Because free peoples believe in the future, free peoples
will own the future."
" . . . we're determined to deny radical groups the
support and sanctuary of outlaw regimes. State sponsors
like Syria and Iran have a long history of collaboration
with terrorists, and they deserve no patience from the
victims of terror. The United States makes no
distinction between those who commit acts of terror and
those who support and harbor them, because they're
equally guilty of murder."
"We don't know . . . the sacrifices that might lie
ahead. We do know, however, that the defense of freedom
is worth our sacrifice, we do know the love of freedom
is the mightiest force of history, and we do know the
cause of freedom will once again prevail." |
We cannot be sure how much of this is bluff by
Bush -- to what extent he hopes or believes that Muslim nations
will surrender to him without a fight. The prudent assumption is
that not much of it is bluff, and that Bush, the radical
Christians, the Christian Zionists, the nation's
military-industrial conglomerates, and their Israeli allies --
all of whom today call the tune in U.S. foreign policy -- are
willing and in some cases actually wish to involve the United
States in further wars.
The people and the politicians of this country should rise from
their apathy and shout, "No." The time is past for useless
analysis and discussion. We Americans, accounting for no more
than five percent of the human inhabitants of this globe, should
decide here and now whether we are going to be moral or immoral
in our future relationships with the rest of the world.
Bill Christison was a senior official of the CIA. He served
as a National Intelligence Officer and as Director of the CIA's
Office of Regional and Political Analysis. He can be reached at
christison@counterpunch.org.
Translate
this page
(In accordance with Title 17
U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to
those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included information for research and educational purposes.
Information Clearing House has no affiliation whatsoever with the
originator of this article nor is Information Clearing House
endorsed or sponsored by the originator.) |
