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"New Era" Says Sharon Reacting In Character to "Gandhi" Assassination

October 17, 2001

"A New Era has begun.... What was before will never be again... Today we are facing a completely different situation, things will never be the same." Ariel Sharon Prime Minister of Israel

"Let the Arabs go back to Mecca" Rehavam Zeevi Assassinated Minister of Tourism

MID-EAST REALITIES © - MER - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 10/17: He had called the Palestinians "lice" and "vermin" and "cancer", and he had urged their "transfer" or "extermination". Just Monday he has tendered his resignation as Minister of Tourism, insisting that Ariel Sharon was being too moderate and too compromising. Now he is the first Israeli Government Minister ever assassinated by Palestinians in a struggle that keeps spiraling monthly into one still blooodier and more revengeful.

Actually it is the Israelis who have a long history of both political assassination and terrorism, though this is not well known especially by Americans who are so badly served by their remarkably complacent and comformist mass media. It was in 1947 that the Israelis assassinated the special U.N. Representative, Count Bernadotte -- a future Israeli Prime Minister among the small group who who did. And it was the precursor of the party today headed by Israel's Prime Minister Sharon that blew up the famous King David hotel in Jerusalem the next year, killing scores of civilians.

With all of the bloodletting over the years never before today did Palestinians assassinate a major Israeli political figure. In the past year alone the Israelis have assassinated at least 60 Palestinians -- including one of the founders of the PLO on August 27, the specific killing which may have been the one avenged today by persons associated with The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Today's killing on the special VIP floor at the Hyatt Hotel in what was an Arab section of East Jerusalem was unlike anything done by the Palestinians before, but did have close similarities to an Israeli hit at a European hotel more than 10 years ago when the well known scientist Gerald Bull, then working with the Iraqis on a "supergun" in the days when Saddam Hussein was an ally of the Americans, was killed after receiving warnings from the Israeli Mossad to cease his work with the Iraqis.

Meanwhile, around the world things are beginning to spiral out of control threatening a much larger potentially world-wide conflagration:

* The Pakistani military has gone on high alert as tensions with Indian over Kashmir escalate and actual fighting along the "Line of Control" threatens to bring the two now nuclear powers to war.

* Tensions between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are far greater than Americans have been told by their government, even threateing a potential "meltdown" in relations.

* Israel may now be mobilizing not just to further attack the Palestinians but to go after Hezbollah and the PFLP in ways that could result in a confrontation with Syria.

* Anti-U.S. demonstrations and emotions continue to grow in key Arab and Muslim countries

* There are unconfirmed reports of Chinese Muslim troop movements in the border areas with Afghanistan and Pakistan; and the overall situation with Taiwan remains another potential flashpoint.

* Militarists in key positions in the the U.S. government continue to prepare for further "phases" in the new "war against terrorism" with Iraq, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, and Palestinian territories next on their list of intended targets said to support or harbor "terrorist" groups.

PALESTINIAN MILITANTS KILL HAWKISH ISRAEL MINISTER IN REVENGE HIT

JERUSALEM, Oct 17 (AFP) - Israel's ultra-nationalist tourism minister, Rehavam Zeevi, died Wednesday after being shot in the head in his Jerusalem hotel by a hardline Palestinian group in revenge for Israel's assassination of its own leader.

Zeevi, 74, an outspoken hawk who wanted to see the Palestinians leave the West Bank and Gaza Strip, was found in a pool of blood in his room by his wife Yael just hours before his resignation in protest at Israeli peace moves was due to come into effect....

The former army general was rushed to the Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital where he was later pronounced dead by surgeon Shmuel Shapira. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited the hospital before Zeevi died, then summoned ministers for a security meeting to discuss the impact of the assassination.

The police sealed off the Regency Hyatt hotel and were questioning staff and guests.

The hardline left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestineclaimed responsibility for the shooting.

A statement faxed to AFP's office in Jerusalem said the attack was to avenge the killing of PFLP leader Ali Abu Mustapha on August 27, when Israeli helicopter gunships blasted his Ramallah office with missiles. The PFLP had sworn that the assassination of Mustapha would not go unpunished.

"The Brigades of the Martyr Abu Ali Mustapha declare to have attacked the Zionist terrorist .... Rehavam Zeevi to avenge" the PFLP secretary-general, the statement said. "The terrorist Sharon and his criminal band must know that Palestinian blood is so precious, and the wave of attacks against Palestinian officials and militants will not go unpunished."

"From now on the political and military leaders of the Zionist entity will be the targets of our special forces," the PFLP statement added.

Since taking office following his election in February, Sharon has stepped up the controversial practice begun by his predecessor Ehud Barak of eliminating Palestinians suspected of planning attacks on Israelis.

Mustapha and Zeevi are the highest-ranking officials to be hit by either side in the year-long intifada, the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. Zeevi is also the first Israeli minister to be assassinated by a Palestinian in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the first to be killed since moderate Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was shot by a right-wing Israeli in Tel Aviv in November 1995.

PFLP spokesman Abu Talal, speaking in Lebanon's Ain Helweh refugee camp, told AFP, "The heroic action of our fighters is a normal response to the crimes perpetrated by Sharon against Abu Ali Mustapha and the heroes of the intifada." And a leader of the radical Islamic group Hamas said Israel was reaping what it had sown.

"I think the reasons for the shooting of Zeevi was Sharon and his policies, which included the assassination of political leaders and children," said Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, whose own group has been battered by Israel's liquidation policy.

Israel pointed the finger at Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority for not jailing extremists as it had pledged to do in a ceasefire agreement three weeks ago.

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, who met Arafat to close the deal, said if the Palestinian leader "does not arrest Palestinian militants, all our efforts will go up in smoke."

Sharon spokesman Avi Pazner also said Arafat must shoulder some of the blame. "We hold the Palestinian Authority responsible for not having acted against terrorists," Pazner told AFP. He said the PFLP was an "official Palestinian organisation, whose new leader Ahmad Sadat is based in the West Bank town of Ramallah. "If they do not arrest them we will all be always at the mercy of groups like this one ... We will not be able to renew peace negotiations while terrorism is going on," he said.

Pazner also had a dig at Arafat's high-profile tour of Europe, where he notched up the support of Britain, Ireland and the Netherlands for a new peace initiative with Israel and the creation of a Palestinian state, a week after Washington gave its support to he idea.

"While Arafat goes around the world, around Europe, and speaks about his wish to reach an agreement with Israel, these people on the ground continue to engage in murderous terrorist activity," he said.

And he pointed out that the PFLP's main headquarters were in Syria, a country accused by Israel of harbouring a slew of terrorist organisations and whose nomination to the UN Security Council last week caused a storm of protest in the Jewish state.

Zeevi, the head of the National Unity party who had served in the Israeli army from its creation in 1948 until 1974, tendered his resignation Monday in protest at Sharon's withdrawal of tanks from a Palestinian hotspot overlooking the Jewish enclave in Hebron. His resignation, and that of fellow hawk Avigdor Lieberman, the national infrastructure minister, had been due to come into effect at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

PM SHARON'S SPEECH TO SPECIAL KNESSET SESSION IN MEMORY OF ASSASSINATED MINISTER RECHAVAM ZEEVY

Following are Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's remarks at the special Knesset session today (Wednesday), 17.11.2001, in memory of Tourism Minister Rechavam Zeevy, who was assassinated this morning:

"The full responsibility falls squarely on Arafat, as someone who has controlled, and continues to control, terrorism, and as one who has not - to this day - taken even one serious step to prevent terrorism... Minister Zeevy's legacy is holding fast to the soil of our historic homeland, and the determined, uncompromising war for the existence and security of Israel. We will wage all-out war on the terrorists, those who collaborate with them and those who send them."

Former President Ezer Weizman, Former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sarah, Friends of Gandhi,

This morning, our fellow minister and MK Rechavam Zeevy, Gandhi, may God avenge his blood, was murdered in Jerusalem by Palestinian terrorists.

>From his youth until the day of his death, Minister Zeevy took an active part in the campaign for the establishment of Israel - and in this campaign he fell.

Rechavam, a sixth generation Jerusalemite on his mother's side, fell in the line of duty in Jerusalem, our eternal capital.

Minister Zeevy's achievements on behalf of the State of Israel were many: From his days in the Palmah that he joined in his youth; through his service in the IDF in which he served for over 25 years, reaching the rank of major-general; and through his service as an MK and a minister. The head of the 'Moledet' movement loved his homeland. His path was marked with milestones in the establishment of Israel and its struggles.

Zeevy was one of the IDF's greatest staff officers and commanders. Afterwards, he continued to contribute to Israel's security and served as the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's adviser on counter-terrorism and intelligence.

First and foremost, he was a consummate Zionist. I did not know anyone who had such a vast knowledge of the Land of Israel and its history as him. His contribution to settlement in the Land of Israel was considerable. Zeevy was an outstanding parliamentarian for 13 years and a minister in Yitzhak Shamir's government and in the current national unity government. In all of his public posts, he persistently and admirably fought for his positions and beliefs.

This is a severe loss to the people and State of Israel. For me - it is also a personal loss.

Gandhi was first and foremost a comrade: A comrade-in-arms and also a comrade to the belief in the nation of Israel's unequivocal right to its historical homeland.

Only despicable terrorists can dream of assassinating an elected official in a democratic state. Only a regime that wants to subvert the State of Israel and deeply opposes peace can give shelter and support to murderers of this kind. The full responsibility falls squarely on Arafat, as someone who has controlled, and continues to control, terrorism, and as one who has not - to this day - taken even one serious step to prevent terrorism.

He knew that not taking steps against organizations such as Islamic Jihad would lead to terrible acts of murder and the responsibility is fully his. We want peace with the Palestinian people, but there will be no compromises with terror. Never.

Minister Zeevy's legacy is holding fast to the soil of our historic homeland, and the determined, uncompromising war for the existence and security of Israel. We will wage all-out war on the terrorists, those who collaborate with them and those who send them.

His legacy we will fulfill; may God avenge his blood.

Gandhi will be sorely missed by myself, and by everyone.

I would like, on behalf of everyone, to express our condolences to Gandhi's great and special family.

May his memory be blessed.



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October 2001


Magazine






Bio and Nuclear Threats Escalate As Purposeful Leaks Proliferate to Mass Media
(October 26, 2001)
The timing of newsstories like this in the major Western media should be suspect now more than ever. For more than ever in fact governments and intelligence agencies are using the mass media by leaking things at times of convenience and more importantly with their own twists and turns.

"Stop Israel!" Pleads Israeli Professor
(October 26, 2001)
One Israeli, not invited by the naive and misguided American Jewish "liberals" to the USA, speaks up from Israel with tremendous courage and conviction. Her name is Tanya Reinhart and she deserves to be taken very seriously -- though far too many don't even know about her.

"Palestinian Statehood" - Another Grotesque Deception Unfolds
(October 25, 2001)
The political smokescreens are lifting a bit as the pressures build to go beyond mere words, yet at the same time a purposeful distorting haze is taking over. Bottom line: the kind of "Palestinian State" Yasser Arafat has maneuvered his people toward and is being cornered into implementing is a grotesque distortion of their aspirations and of what use to be meant by the term "Palestinian State."

"A Pen Bought And Sold" - A Saudi Poem Revisited - MER FlashBack
(October 21, 2001)
Change comes in the Middle East, as elsewhere, in complex ways. There is the regular daily news of course; and in the region especially it is inextricably intertwined with an ever-more-sophisticated and propagandistic journalistic establishment.

WHY AMERICA MUST STOP THE WAR NOW
(October 24, 2001)
Both of the Georges are oh so full of themselves cocky -- just the personality type so many American's truly love. One is (to the amazement of many who wonder how in the world the U.S. chooses such persons to lead it) the President of the United States.

Massacres and Devastation Escalate Further In Palestine
(October 24, 2001)
The Palestinians are essentially defenseless with their backs up against the wall, the firing wall. Their "leadership" has been so corrupted and infiltrated that the Arafat regime has hardly any credibility with its own, not to mention anyone else.

Torture Now Coming to USA?
(October 22, 2001)
Adopting the tactics (as well as the goals) of the Israelis, and the methods long taught by the CIA in Latin America as well as the Middle East, the brave new world post 11 September is changing the face of the American homeland in ways nearly all Americans would have seriously resisted just a few long weeks ago.

Millions Likely To Die in Afghanistan U.N. Warns
(October 21, 2001)
As for Afghanistan, the American CIA worked behind the scenes to bring on the Soviet invasion of 1979, then engaged the Soviet Empire in a way that brought about the near-total devastation of Afghanistan and a huge uncounted death toll.

It's "New Imperialism" says leading British MP
(October 21, 2001)
Much pressure is building at the United Nations to not open itself to still more charges of being complicitous in "genocide", not to mention to do something to stop being seen as "an extension of the American State Department" (the actual private words of a senior U.N. official).

"Comply! Resistance Is Futile!"
(October 20, 2001)
British MP (Member of Parliament) George Galloway calls it the "new imperialism" (his article coming later today). On the whole the Anglo-British press is working up quite a frenzy (with notable exceptions like The Guardian and The Independent in the UK, sometimes The Nation in the U.S.).

The "Arafat Era" Collapsing or About To Be Reborn?
(October 20, 2001)
Yasser Arafat is losing both his grip on power (extended to him by the Israelis and the Americans for the past decade since the Gulf War) and his credibility (with his own people) at the same time.

The Coming Arab Crash
(October 19, 2001)
The west's most important friends in the Arab Middle East - Fahd of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah of Jordan, Mubarak of Egypt and the PLO's Yasser Arafat - are probably the world's most vulnerable political quartet.

Saudi Amb Bandar Badly Fails, Saudi Royals in Paralysis, US Relations in Doubt
(October 19, 2001)
Prince Bandar bin Sultan's 20+ year strategy has now substantially failed. Years ago, very much behind-the-scenes of course, the very controversial and in some circles much despised Saudi Ambassador in Washington began a relationship with the some of the most conservative and militant circles in Washington, very much including those associated with the powerful Israeli/Jewish lobby.

Worse Than Worthless Wartime "Promises"
(October 18, 2001)
The list of broken and disingenuous "promises" made to the Arabs by Western political leaders is something befitting a "Saturday Night Live" parody skit -- if only they would dare!

"New Era" Says Sharon Reacting In Character to "Gandhi" Assassination
(October 17, 2001)
He had called the Palestinians "lice" and "vermin" and "cancer", and he had urged their "transfer" or "extermination". Just Monday he has tendered his resignation as Minister of Tourism, insisting that Ariel Sharon was being too moderate and too compromising.

"PALESTINIAN STATE" a la WASHINGTON and LONDON
(October 17, 2001)
As for the British, what's going on in both Palestine and Kashmir, the two most likely potential nuclear flashpoints in our world today, can be traced back directly to what the British did in these areas when they were the "Empire"

FAR RIGHT-WING ISRAELI MINISTER ASSASSINATED THIS MORNING
(October 17, 2001)
For some time now Palestinians have been warning that because of Israel's assassination of Palestinian leaders, "crossing the red line" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they would respond.

Red Cross Bombed in Kabul Before Presidential Red Cross Visit in Washington
(October 16, 2001)
You gotta love the chutzpa of the Americans. Today the President went a few blocks from the White House to the Headquarters of the American Red Cross -- a little photo op designed to further enlist "the children of America" in his recently announced effort to help the children of Afghanistan. But just as President Bush was getting ready to do his Red Cross pictures reports came in from Afghanistan that the major Red Cross center in Kabul, complete with large Red Cross emblem on its roof, was destroyed by American bombs.

Saudi/U.S. "Meltdown"? And Neutralizing Al Jazeera With A Firm Embrace
(October 16, 2001)
While American and British officials rush to make one TV appearance after another with continual reassurances everything is going "as planned", that's not quite the reality of the situation as this article in today's Guardian makes quite evident.

What Can We Do About Terrorism? by Lt. Col Robert M. Bowman (ret)
(October 15, 2001)
"Mr. President, you did not tell the American people the truth about why we are the targets of terrorism. You said that we are the target because we stand for democracy, freedom, and human rights in the world. Baloney! We are the target of terrorists because we stand for dictatorship, bondage, and human exploitation in the world."

Pentagon Far More Confused and Uncertain Than Americans Realize
(October 15, 2001)
The Bush administration is growing increasingly alarmed by the direction of the military campaign in Afghanistan after a week of almost continuous bombing has failed to dislodge either Osama bin Laden or the Taliban leadership.

Al-Qaeda Weekend Statement
(October 15, 2001)
This isn't really about "secret messages". Anyone with a $300 satellite dish can watch the statements in full, in Arabic, on al Jazeera; and the text is widely available on the Internet, in this case from London and the BBC!

Hundreds Dead in Nigeria
(October 14, 2001)
Hundreds of people have been killed in religious clashes after anti-U.S. protests turned violent, sources have told CNN. The demonstrations against the U.S.-led missile strikes on Afghanistan began peacefully on Friday but spiralled into a killing spree during Saturday, CNN's Lagos bureau chief Jeff Koinange said.

akistan's Benazir Opens Campaign in Washington as Pakistan Trembles Anarchy
(October 14, 2001)
Benazir Bhutto came to Washington this week to open her campaign for a third term as Prime Minister of the world's second largest, and only nuclear armed, Muslim State -- her first two terms she was overthrown, political and financial corruption was rampant, and her arranged husband remains in a Karachi prison.

Iraq Likely To Be Next "Phase"
(October 14, 2001)
A powerful coalition of "hawkish" government officials, lobbyists (especially those connected with the Israelis and the arms corporations), conservative press publications and columnists, many of the national Jewish organizations, as well as millions of Christian fundamentalists associated with Pat Robertson and his daily TV "700 Club" program, is mobilized to make sure that "America's new war" does not end with Afghanistan and al-Qaeda.

Saudi Royals Bugged, Embarrassed, Unstable
(October 13, 2001)
The following information is about to come out in THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE on Monday and is being leaked in Washington this weekend to stir up interest and try to get publicity for the magazine and author on the Sunday talk shows tomorrow.

Attacks and Demonstrations Escalating in Arab and Muslim Countries
(October 13, 2001)
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in various cities in the Middle East to protest the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan. Many more thronged to mosques for Friday prayers throughout the region and heard anti-American sermons.

Western Commando Forces Getting Ready
(October 13, 2001)
This article in The Telegraph today is a good outline of what now seems likely to be immediately ahead in Afghanistan, pushed forward by weather considerations as well as by current expectations that American-sponsored key governments in Pakistan, Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan, as well as the Arafat Regime, will all be able to weather the political storms with much expanded and mostly covert continual help from the western governments and intelligence services.

"War of the Worlds" by Mark Bruzonsky
(October 11, 2001)
In the case of America's new war, the full might of the USA is being mobilized not against the armies of other nation states, but against the fanatical descendants of a puritanical militant Islam whose calling has become relentless opposition to American hegemony and passionate assertion of their own quaintly medieval religious constructs.

Arafat Begs Israelis To Save Him
(October 10, 2001)
It's a most complicated political dance than ever at this historical crossroads. But bottom line Yasser Arafat and his regime have now, even more than before, thrown their future to the Israelis and the now omnipresent CIA...

Uri Avneri - Fronting for Arafat and for a Castrated "Palestinian State"
(October 10, 2001)
The Israeli writer and activist Uri Avneri is "on tour" in the USA on his way to Washington. It shouldn't come as a surprise that a few naive or on- the-take "peace groups" -- Jewish and otherwise -- have invited him to speak.

After Afghanistan, U.S. has Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine in its Sights
(October 10, 2001)
In this case there should be no one saying down the road that they didn't know what was being planned. The Americans have said publicly and in many different ways right from the start of this "new war" that it wasn't going to end with Osama bin Laden, with the Taliban government, or with Afghanistan.

The "Palestinian State" Charade
(October 9, 2001)
Most of the Arab regimes, including that of Yasser Arafat, have proved themselves so co-opted and so gullible over the years that you can't blame the Americans for continuing to try their little tricks and deceptions -- just look how well, at least from their point-of-view, such things have worked in the past..

Anthrax Terrorism Now Likely
(October 9, 2001)
Federal officials suspect foul play rather than an environmental source is at the root of two Florida anthrax cases that have left one man dead and hundreds of co-workers lining up for medical tests.

Biological Attack? Inept or Demonstration?
(October 9, 2001)
Is someone sending a message that they can do it, a kind of primative, and deadly, deterrence attempt to try to protect themselves? Might this be an "inept attack" as today's TIMES in London suggests in its headline? As the third case of Anthrax in Florida is reported this morning, something seems to be up as the following reports indicate.

Bush versus bin Laden - Syria Elected to Security Council
(October 8, 2001)
It's all quite amazing really, President George W. Bush versus Osama bin Laden. On the one hand you have the most powerful man in the world commanding the full might of not only the world's only superpower but a whole entourage of Western European allies, the new Russia, and to a considerable extent at least behind-the-scenes many Arab and Muslim "client regimes".

Arafat's Army Opens Fire On Its Own - More Anthrax in Florida?
(October 8, 2001)
The Palestinian leadership rushed to distance itself Monday from Osama bin Laden while its police forces opened fire on university students protesting the U.S.-led military strikes on Afghanistan.

FBI Knocked...He's Not Home But You Can Find Him at the White House
(October 8, 2001)
Now the world will become much more confusing and dangerous, and the opponents of the American Empire will obviously be forced even deeper underground -- both literally and figuratively -- becoming even more insular and isolated among themselves leading to who knows what kind of future blowback.

US Journalist Warns: "Do not try to change the government in Afghanistan!"
(October 7, 2001)
Late friday evening one of the leading American journalists who is an expert on the Middle East and Islamic affairs was asked a question on CNN to which she immediately briefly answered...and that was that...no more was asked or answered.

"Our Friends are Killers, Crooks and Torturers"
(October 7, 2001)
Surely the British Prime Minister should know better than to try to simplify such a complex world we live in to that understandable by a third-grader. If not we have a little weekend reading Mr. Blair should be doing, starting in one of his own newspapers which we surely hope, especially now, he can find a few moments to read on a regular basis, The Independent.

History Corrected - U.S. Wanted Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
(October 6, 2001)
The world believes that there was an invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union on 24 December 1979 and then, in response, the U.S. and Muslim countries rallied to help Afghanistan repel the invaders. Wrong...just as so much of the widely accepted history of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the actual realities of U.S. involvements in the Middle East are wrong because of the manipulation of history by various governments and intelligence agencies -- most especially the U.S. and Israel, the CIA and the Mossad.

UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS FOR AMERICANS TO PONDER
(October 6, 2001)
"Could it be that the stygian anger that led to the attacks has its taproot not in American freedom and democracy, but in the US government's record of commitment and support to exactly the opposite things - to military and economic terrorism, insurgency, military dictatorship, religious bigotry and unimaginable genocide (outside America)?"

MER EDITORIAL: POSSIBLE WAY OUT!
(October 5, 2001)
The government in Afghanistan, popularly known as The Taliban, has finally taken what could be a significant step. Just hours ago through its official representative in Pakistan the Afghan government has publicly offered to turn Osama bin Laden over...not to the United States, but to another Islamic country.

CANADIAN PROFESSOR TAKES ON THE U.S.A
(October 5, 2001)
"The women in the audience -- academics, union members, mental health workers and advocates for female inmates, embraced her anti-American rhetoric, repeatedly interrupting her with cheers and standing ovations."

THE CIA, ISI, PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN - A LITTLE HISTORY
(October 5, 2001)
Now we know that a few years ago, when President Bill Clinton was meeting privately one-on-one with the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, the U.S. "hired" the agents of the infamous Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) to assassinate Osama bin Laden.

NEWSFLASH: LAST MOMENT ARAB COLD FEET - RUMSFELD RUSHES TO THE REGION
(October 3, 2001)
The United States and Britain yesterday called off military strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan at the last minute. Washington officials say today that a severe attack of last-minute cold feet by some key Arab members of the coalition caused President Bush to postpone the operation.

WHERE DID THE TALIBAN COME FROM?
(October 3, 2001)
Osama bin Laden, arch nemesis of America today, is blowback from recent history -- the Gulf war, the permanent stationing of American forces in Arabia, and other American policies in the region, including the deceptive "peace process" fronting for Israel's brutal subjugation of the Palestinians.

BOTH SAUDIS AND PAKISTANIS CONTINUE TO ACTUALLY SAY NO
(October 3, 2001)
The American Secretary of Defense is rushing to the Middle East, goal #1 to try one more time to "convince" the Saudis that Prince Sultan Airbase and its super-modern regional control center -- just completed in fact during the summer at a cost of many billions -- is needed for the new war.

U.S. PREPARES FOR CRUSADER WAR - "OPEN-ENDED WAR WITHOUT CONSTRAINT"
(October 2, 2001)
"Drafted with a small coterie of loyal aides, mainly civilian political appointees at the Pentagon, the plans argue for open-ended war without constraint either of time or geography and potentially engulfing the entire Middle East and central Asia... The plans put before the President during the past few days involve expanding the war beyond Afghanistan to include similar incursions by special ops forces - followed by air strikes by the bombers they would guide - into Iraq, Syria and the Beqaa Valley area of Lebanon, where the Syrian-backed Hizbollah (Party of God) fighters that harass Israel are based."

READYING THE CRUSADE - ARMIES, PRESS, PUBLIC
(October 2, 2001)
Anyone with an ear tuned to Washington's politicians, lobbyists, and opinion molders can hear it quite loudly and clearly at this point. After taking down Osama bin Laden's al Queda network (said to be in some 50+ countries), after changing the government in Afghanistan, the American-led crusade (now more politely known by Colin Powell's term "campaign") will attempt to march on through the Middle East, next stop Baghdad.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT SAYS POWELL - "PALESTINIAN STATE"
(October 2, 2001)
It took them who intially talked of "crusade" nearly three weeks to figure out that all the "coalition building" wasn't going nearly as well as they keep saying in public and that doing something about all the Israeli oppression and "terrorism" against the essentially imprisoned Palestinian population would be a good idea in the post 11 September world and before the bombs start falling on Muslims here and there.

ARMY WANTS TO KILL ARAFAT SAYS PERES!
(October 1, 2001)
The situation is now so tense in Israel in dealing with the "Palestinian Authority" -- which it should be remembered the Israelis themselves created just a few years ago -- that Shimon Peres is getting more and more desperate.

DAMASCAS GATHERING OF PALESTINIANS
(October 1, 2001)
The Palestinian opposition is usually very weak and confused. Had that not been the case for some time now Yasser Arafat would never have been able to do the things he has done for so long now, especially since the Gulf War; nor would Arafat have have been able to retain power these past few traumatic years, however weakened himself at this point.

CHOMSKY ANSWERS
(October 1, 2001)
Yes, it will be very interesting to see if and how Noam Chomsky answers the at first blush surprising attacks from Christopher Hitchens, who has now not only endorsed the new war but also at least parts of the "New World Order" that underpins it.




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