It has been observed that America is a strange imperial power: one whose citizens care little and know even less about what goes on beyond their shores. This has created a dangerous situation in which the American people, as individuals typically generous and sensitive to the suffering of others, are easily led down unattractive paths by politicians who are far less generous and sensitive.
Iraq is an excellent example. Americans certainly know that Saddam Hussein is a monster, yet they seem to have little understanding of the impact of our decade-long policy of embargo and bombardment.
If every American fully understood that these policies are supported by no other nations but Britain and Israel, that they have done absolutely no damage to Hussein and his government and that they are resulting in the deaths of 5,000 Iraqi children every month - a United Nations estimate - I expect we would immediately demand our government cease its pointless destruction. But in our ignorance, we instead acquiesce to an embarrassing policy in which it is in fact the United States that is employing a "weapon of mass destruction."
Our open-ended support of Israel's actions in Palestine is another deadly example of a policy rejected and criticized by virtually the entire world. Uninformed by our reluctant and often biased media and misled by biblical images, Americans are easy targets for the largely false picture of little freedom-loving Israel barely defending itself from surrounding populations consisting entirely of terrorists and suicidal religious maniacs. In truth, Israel has deliberately killed American servicemen, is violating almost every international agreement we have sworn to uphold and under Ariel Sharon, a man every bit as monstrous as Saddam Hussein, is now systematically eradicating Palestinian society.
I fervently believe that if every American could spend just 24 hours in a Palestinian village in the occupied territories, our immoral and self-damaging policies in the region would immediately change.
And now the events of Sept. 11 have made matters worse, as our understandable anger, fear and desire for revenge make us even more inclined to buy without investigation our government's vision of the world outside and accept increasing degrees of official secrecy and obfuscation, while waving our flags about and delighting in the worst sort of mindless patriotism.
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Terrorism has now replaced defunct communism as the simplistic justification for policies that counter our national values and would offend any American who knew the full details of their implementation. In the fight against terrorism, we can safely cuddle up with military despots, like the dictator of Pakistan, who since Sept. 11 is referred to as "president," and blithely ignore the traditional restrictions of international behavior and growing concerns about human rights.
Terrorism can even be enlisted into the expensive and failing war against drugs: use drugs and you support terrorism, we are now told. Well, we might also with some truth say that buying a gallon of gasoline will indirectly support terrorism or that even paying your taxes will support terrorism, inasmuch as those tax monies fund organizations, such as the CIA and the government of Israel, that engage in some activities generally defined as terrorist.
The terrorists of Sept. 11 have done something far more damaging to America than killing thousands of people and destroying two architectural marvels. They have provided the government with an emotionally compelling excuse to do what every government wishes to do: expand its power and generally hide its activities.
The war against terrorism and the almost hysterical concern for national security has already led to enhanced governmental authority, dramatically increased secrecy and serious assaults on free speech and other constitutional safeguards.
Criticism of the government and accusations of corruption are now imbued with a distinctly unpatriotic odor and carry the air of treason. And the CIA, arguably the most corrupt and certainly the most inept agency of the government, is now running its own private army and its fallen agents are national heroes!
The president proclaims that terrorists will not take away our freedoms, and he is right. They don't have to because our own government is doing it for them. Attorney General John Ashcroft is a far greater threat to our freedom and way of life than any religious fanatic or ruthless killer could ever be. Terrorists can blow up buildings and destroy lives, but they can't injure our Constitution. Only our own political leadership and our unthinking acquiescence can do that.
by Richard M. Berthold
Daily Lobo Columnist
