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From 9-11 to Katrina
By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Chairperson, International Coordinating Committee
International League of Peoples' Struggle
September 11, 2005
Since September 11, 2001, we have witnessed three types of terrorism
wreaking havoc on the lives of the people. According to order of
gravity, these are the imperialist wars of aggression of the US and its
allies against Afghanistan and then against Iraq, the terrorism of
states inspired by the USA PATRIOT Act and, of course, the
nongovernmental terrorism which killed 2752 people on 9-11.
Wars of aggression and the subsequent occupation of the conquered
country involves crimes against humanity on a large scale. They result
in the devastation of the lives and property of millions of people, as
can be seen in the invasion and occupation of Iraq. State terrorism at
the expense of the people within national borders varies in severity
from country to country. The rule of open terror usually goes as far as
necessary for the ruling class or clique to suppress the people's
resistance.
The terrorism of nongovernmental organizations or movements like Al
Qaida claims far less victims because the perpetrators lack state power.
It can be dealt with by ordinary criminal law on murder and the like,
without resorting to fascism. But the US imperialists and their
instruments of propaganda have magnified the small-scale terrorism on
9-11 in order to justify bigger military appropriations and wars of
aggression and the global spread of repression and fascism.
They have used 9-11 to violate the charter of the United Nations by
carrying wars of aggression and trampling down human rights and
international humanitarian law. They are the biggest and most vicious
terrorists. They have used 9-11 as convenient brush to paint as
"terrorists" states that stand up for national independence, national
liberation movements and progressive anti-imperialist organizations and
leaders.
The objective of imperialist wars of aggression is to grab cheap sources
of labor and raw materials, markets, fields of investments and spheres
of influence. That of state terrorism within national boundaries is to
perpetuate the ruling classes and the system of exploitation. That of
nongovernmental terrorism is purportedly to avenge the wrongs done by
the oppressive states and to inflict barbaric rage on the community
misconstrued as the enemy.
Since 9-11 we have also heard the US imperialists and their allies boast
that their military forces abroad are for securing democracy,
development, peace, human rights and humanitarian work. While they wreak
havoc in Iraq, they pretend to be benevolent with the use of their
military forces in undertaking token rescue and relief operations in
areas stricken by tsunami, typhoons and floods.
But the huge social calamity following the hurricane Katrina has exposed
the extreme malevolence of US imperialism in its home ground. The
resources of the federal government have been used to fatten the giant
corporations, enlarge the war machine for aggression and build the
department of homeland security to scare and repress the people. But no
money is available to strengthen the levees prior to the hurricane, to
evacuate the people without their personal means of transport and to
provide timely and adequate food and shelter to the victims.
US imperialism is the big monster that oppresses and exploits the people
of the world, including the American people, particularly the working
class and the people of color who suffer discrimination, unemployment
and low incomes. ###
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