September 11 and the U.S. War: Beyond the Curtain of Smoke Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a compilation of short essays written by highly intelligent analysts who attempt to account for the root causes of terrorism and the lingering implications of the U.S. foreign policy. Contrary to the popular albeit naïve belief, terrorists do not target Western modernism. Instead it is the U.S. foreign policy which makes certain individuals inimically disposed towards the U.S. government. Driven principally by imperialistic motives, the U.S. foreign policy makers seek to defend their strategic and economic interests even at the expense of human lives. Furthermore, U.S. punishes certain regimes which are oppressive and belligerent while it simultaneously aids and protects other which are equally if not more corrupt. In order to protect its strategic and economic interests, U.S. supports Saudi Arabia, Israel and Egypt, countries known for their extensive records of human rights violations. Also it is unanimously recognized in this book that the chief motive of the U.S. interference in the Middle East is its effort to control the enormous oil resources of the region. Oil thus plays a crucial role in U.S. foreign policy. Oil is the main reason why the U.S. keeps protecting Saudi Arabia. Also oil is the principal reason U.S. aided the Mujahideen in Afghanistan following the Soviet invasion and not as is generally assumed to protect the people of Afghanistan. Soviet posed a serious threat to U.S. economic interests in the region. When it furthers the U.S. strategic and economic interests, cooperation with terrorists is morally justifiable. However, when other countries harbour terrorists they need to be severely punished. This is extremely hypocritical and cynical as the U.S. does not judge its own actions by the same standards it applies to others. Not many people know that U.S. government was charged with state terrorism against Nicaragua in 1986 by the International Court in the Hague. The International Court urged the U.S. to immediately put a stop to its terrorist activities in Nicaragua but U.S. did not comply. At this point Nicaragua still has not received any restitution from the U.S. government. Furthermore, U.S. is the only country in the world which has refused to acknowledge Palestinian rights, to prohibit nuclear test explosions, to ban the use of cluster bombs, to give increased aid to developing countries, to condemn apartheid in South Africa, to forbid the use of chemical and biological weapons, to take adequate measures against Nazi and Fascist activities, to study the underlying causes of terrorism, to vote for "a right to food", to accept a resolution stipulating that education, work, health and national development are fundamental human rights. In 1998, U.S. destroyed a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan which produced approximately 90 % of the most important medicines. According to U.S. the plant was secretly used to manufacture chemical warfare. However, no evidence was produced in support of this accusation and the leading world experts almost unanimously rejected this assertion. U.S. still has not paid any restitution to the owner of the plant let alone apologized for the abhorrent act. Had it been the other way around, Sudan would have been attacked within minutes. U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983 received much international condemnation but Reagan arrogantly dismissed the criticism. Indonesian invasion of East Timor was directly sanctioned by the U.S. government. U.S. also impeded all efforts of the U.N. to put a stop to the invasion. 200,000 people were killed as a result of the invasion. U.S. was one of the few countries in the world giving both diplomatic and military support to Indonesia. Following the invasion, U.S. officials referred to General Suharto as "our kind of guy". U.S. and its allies depleted a great amount of uranium in Iraq during the Gulf War resulting in a drastic increase in serious illnesses such as leukaemia, carcinoma, lung cancer etc. When it suits U.S. strategic and economic interests, then tacit collaboration with Saddam Hussein is legitimate and justifiable, even though the U.S. government was aware of his gruesome atrocities against the Kurds. When he no longer wants to be a puppet for the U.S. interests in the region, then he has to be removed. Unlike other books which purport to account for the origins of terrorism, this book explains what the real causes of terrorism are. Needless to say, understanding why terrorism emerges does by no means mean that it is justifiable. Trying to curb and obliterate terrorism without examining its root causes is like treating a patient and having a wrong diagnosis. As long as the U.S. government keeps viewing itself as the world's hegemony (exempt from all international laws and moral obligations) hatred for U.S. foreign policy will grow stronger. U.S. demands that other countries abide by international law and in case they do not comply, they might be severely punished. On the other hand, U.S. displays a flagrant disregard for all international laws. U.S. is infallible, omnipotent and acts with impunity. When criticized for his unjust and discriminatory foreign policy, George Bush replied: "I will never apologize for the United States of America. I do not care what the facts are". These are only some of the vital facts found in this extremely important book. I recommend this book especially to jingoists but also others who think that the U.S. government cares for the oppressed and the victimized.

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