Interesting parallels are now occurring between the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and the illegal American occupation of Iraq. In both instances, the occupiers label any resisters of the occupation as “terrorists”. Even when armed men fire from ambush on Israelis or American soldiers, instead of being labeled “freedom fighters” or even “resistance forces”, the Palestinian or Iraqi combatants are referred to as “terrorists” by the governments of Israel and the U.S., as well as by the corporate media.
Now, we are seeing that Iraqis who fight the illegal American occupation are not only labeled as “terrorists”, but as “Loyalists to Saddam Hussein”, or “Baath party members”. There is no consideration of the possibility of patriotic loyalty to the sovereignty of their nation by Iraqi citizens. Iraqi’s cannot possibly be freedom fighters, because America is the occupier, and every dummy knows that America is in Iraq to bring freedom to Iraq, whether Iraqis like it or not. If Iraqis do not like the freedom provided for them by the U.S. occupying forces, and if they resist their freedom, they become terrorists.
The same is true in Palestine. Israel, financed and armed by the United States of America, illegally occupies the a significant land area rightfully owned by Palestinians. Israel taxes the Palestinian people, oppresses them, isolates them, murders them, degrades and humiliates them; and resists pressure by the world community to alter its behavior. The reason Israel can resist world pressure is financial and political support by U.S. administrations of both political parties. If Palestinians resist the oppression and occupation by force of arms, they become terrorists, not freedom fighters.
Now a new dynamic may be entering the situation in Palestine. As we know, American President-select George W. Bush has entered the United States in an international war on terrorism. George W. Bush considers Hamas and other Palestinian resistance movements to be terrorist organizations. U.S. Senator Richard Lugar has raised a possibility of the U.S. bringing its own armed forces to bear against Hamas, in order to fight “terrorism”.
Presumably, the Israelis do not have enough wherewithal to defeat Hamas. Hamas has some automatic rifles and other small arms, as well as volunteers for martyrdom prepared to detonate explosive devices attached to their own bodies. Israel has tanks, Apache helicopters with Hellfire missiles and night vision equipment, F-16 and F-15 combat fighters, military bulldozers, and an enormous arsenal financed to the tune of billions of dollars per year. Presumably, the Israelis need more. Maybe the U.S. will bring B-1 and B-2 bombers, stealth fighters, F-18 and F-14 strike aircraft, A-10 Warthog aircraft, C-131 fixed wing gun–ships, and other hardware to bear against the Hamas horde. Presumably the U.S. will bring supercomputers to track all movements of all Palestinians, and super communications to bolster Israel combat effectiveness. Maybe even U.S. submarines will patrol the Mediterranean in order to launch strikes as targets are acquired.
It is clear to President Bush that terrorism must be defeated in order to bring peace to the Middle East. Bush believes in religion, and has a minister named Franklin who provides the moral support that allows Bush to eradicate human life en masse in the name of peace for Israel.
Don’t be surprised if U.S. forces enter the fray to bring an end to terrorism in Palestine. Much more Palestinian blood will flow. From the Bush perspective, Israeli victim–hood must end. The innocent people of Israel must be allowed to dominate in peace. Both the Palestinians and the Iraqis must be pacified. It is God’s will, as revealed through his prophet to George W. Bush – the peacemaker.
The writer is a member of several falconry and ornithological clubs and organizations. He contributed above article to Media Monitors Network (MMN) from California, USA.