[Peace-discuss] The real terrorist plot

[C. G. Estabrook]

"The political system isn't broken - it's fixed" ... "hope-notized" ... (and
don't Forget the creative Capitalization) ... amusement shouldn't distract us
from the seriousness and importance of this post.

We have to find ways to put together people opposed to the military and economic
policies of the US government.

Electoral campaigns are generally irrelevant. In the classic '60s bromide, "If
voting could change things, it would be illegal." The ending of US military
action in Vietnam in the '70s and Central America in the '80s didn't come from
electing new people to Congress but in convincing the people already there to
cut off funding.

We seem to have had a recent success in this regard, in that the Republican
incumbent in the local Congressional district, Tim Johnson, has said he will
vote for no more war funding. (His Democratic opponent will not make that pledge.)

The Republican party is of course a creature of the Right, but the Democrats are
at least as bad.  Worse, if you consider that they have sopped up progressive
enthusiasms and then betrayed them.  Given control of Congress to end the war in
2006, they dissembled their continuous funding of the war; elected as the
anti-war candidate in 2008, Obama immediately expanded the scope and brutality
of the war.

It may however be worthwhile to take a Democratic ballot in the Feb. 2 Illinois
primary, in order to vote for Cheryle Jackson for the senate seat once occupied
by Obama.  We may of course be fooled once again, but the front-running 
Democratic candidate, Alexi Giannoulias, is an administration clone, busily
chewing the scenery about the awful threat posed by Iran (which you may remember
Obama also did when he was running for Senate).

Jackson, on the other hand, although an establishment candidate - she was a vice
president at Amtrak and spokeswoman for Gov. Blagojevich before taking her
current post as president of the Chicago Urban League - has said, "It is time to
take care of America again and time to bring our troops home. Until we stop
spending hundreds of billions on wars, we will not have the focus or money to
solve the challenges we face at home."

But obviously a primary vote means little until members pf congress know that
Americans are demanding an end to the killing and an end to money for bankers.
The administration and Congress have to be told that they must do something to
support peoples' lives, not end them.

The head of Goldman-Sachs - the Financial Times' Person of the Year - is
carrying a concealed weapon for fear of populists. Our outcry should grow so
that members of Congress are as worried about the opinions of Americans.


E.Wayne Johnson wrote:
> the Question becomes again, What do we do, What do we do?
> 
> 'tis clear that the real terrorists and enemies of good are not in some 
> far-off foreign land, but are Right Here at Home.
> 
> The Powers that Be have demonstrated to us that it matters not whether we 
> elect an Executive from the Stupid Party or the Evil Party...the 
> Imperialistic Amerikan Foreign Wars continue... the assault on our personal 
> liberties and the plunder of our substance, and the erosion of our well-being
>  progresses unabated.
> 
> Obama is clearly doing exactly what he promised to do.  It is ridiculous to 
> even Imagine that there should be regret that we didnt get John McCain, or 
> contrariwise gladness that we got Obama instead of McCain.
> 
> It is clear that one part of the grassroots anti-war movement was 
> astroturfing against Bush by one set of embittered puppet masters.  Note how 
> it disintegrated when the false hope was installed into office.  But the 
> principles and issues that should be driving the grassroots against the war 
> are still in effect.  The need is still there and the problems are getting 
> larger under the adminstration of the great fake.
> 
> The political system as it exists is mostly very poor theatre.  We should not
>  be amused or entertained by what we are entertaining.    The political
> system isn't broken.  It's Fixed. The system is rigged to work against Us the
> People and to create the Illusion that we have any sort of say in the speed
> or direction of the locomotive.
> 
> It is time for the facts to be submitted to a candid world.  We the people 
> are getting a Raw Deal.   There is a long train of abuses, injuries, and 
> usurpations.
> 
> The account of insufferable insults to our unalienable rights by the 
> bipartisan combine has reached such a level that to do nothing to throw it 
> down would make Us the People accomplices to the stupidity and evil.
> 
> There are some differences of opinion on some matters among us.  Some of 
> those differences are whooped up by partisan chicanery.  Some of the 
> differences are more semiotic and linguistic than substantive.   Some of the 
> differences are trivial, and some difference are more assumed and imagined 
> than real.  Some real differences do exist but perhaps those are not 
> sufficient for the breaking of fellowship in a great cause.
> 
> We need a National Quorum that is raised against the two-party system for the
>  purpose of providing New Guards for our future security. Imagining that the 
> two-party system will bring about a joyous resolution of our problems is 
> sheer fantasy.
> 
> Certainly there are those who will persist in the old habits, and there are 
> those who are still so hope-notized that they will not awake from the 
> dreamlike paralytic state.  We cannot count on much help from them. The best 
> we can do is to recognize that the unawake undead walk among us.
> 
> It's not just all over the country, it's all over the world that people are 
> getting totally fed up.
> 
> Yes, there are still those who are so comfortable that they will prefer to 
> cower in the dim grey light of conformity.
> 
> But for the rest of us...
> 
> “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change 
> the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has.”
> 
> Margaret Mead (1901-1978), American Anthropologist
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "C. G. Estabrook" <galliher at illinois.edu>
>  To: "unionyes" <unionyes at ameritech.net> Cc: "Peace-discuss List" 
> <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2010 12:35 PM 
> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] The real terrorist plot
> 
> 
>> What I meant by the subject line is that the real terrorist plot is the 
>> Obama administration's policy.
>> 
>> The US is clearly the world's leading terrorist country, but most Americans
>>  don't realize that.  --CGE
>> 
>> 
>> unionyes wrote:
>>> " It's far better to explain the real, known history - atrocious enough -
>>>  than assume that there must be an as yet unknown plot (which I admit is 
>>> not impossible). "
>>> 
>>> I agree Carl !
>>> 
>>> But as events are unfolding, and the dust has not yet settled for 
>>> historical analysis, one should be aware of what the U.S. government has 
>>> done in the past, including it's various actions of false flag operations
>>>  ( Gulf of Tonkin and possibly 9 /11 ) and assisinations, etc. and how 
>>> they have used these in their overall propoganda campaign to whip-up 
>>> public support for their foreign policy and domestic agendas.
>>> 
>>> David J.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "C. G. Estabrook" 
>>> <galliher at illinois.edu> To: "unionyes" <unionyes at ameritech.net> Cc: 
>>> "Peace-discuss List" <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> Sent: Sunday, 
>>> January 03, 2010 11:28 AM Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] The real terrorist
>>>  plot
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Unfortunately our rulers don't need false-flag operations to influence 
>>>> public opinion - an American specialty.
>>>> 
>>>> Moreover they'd take such a great chance of exposure that they'd want 
>>>> to do it only in extreme (or perhaps peripheral) circumstances.
>>>> 
>>>> Remember that the ostensible reason for the invasion of Iraq wasn't 
>>>> 9/11 - it was WMD.  It's true that the US wasn't above cooking the 
>>>> evidence - e.g., the Niger forgeries and the Bush's (unexecuted) plan, 
>>>> proposed to Blair, "of flying U2 reconnaissance aircraft with fighter 
>>>> cover over Iraq, painted in UN colours: if Saddam fired on them, he 
>>>> would be in breach" of UN resolutions.
>>>> 
>>>> And a false-flag operation is different from maneuvering the opponent, 
>>>> whom one wants to attack, into firing the first shot - as Lincoln and 
>>>> Roosevelt apparently did.
>>>> 
>>>> But the "main point" is that, if the real story be told and the actual 
>>>> circumstances set out in regard to most of the events you list, the USG
>>>>  policy stands condemned.  Most Americans have however been led to 
>>>> believe that that policy is benevolent or at worst unknowing.  It's far
>>>>  better to explain the real, known history - atrocious enough - than 
>>>> assume that there must be an as yet unknown plot (which I admit is not 
>>>> impossible).
>>>> 
>>>> It's worthwhile to read the known history of USG plots as contained in 
>>>> Tim Weiner's history of the CIA, Legacy of Ashes, which discusses "1953
>>>>  coup in Iran 1954 coup in Guatemala 1961 Bay of Pigs, etc." Weiner is 
>>>> no leftist, but he sets out the nefarious (if often inept) actions of 
>>>> the USG in those matters.
>>>> 
>>>> In convincing our fellow citizens that Obama is a criminal, we should 
>>>> concentrate on "US national policy, abetted by junior partners in the 
>>>> UK, France and Germany: widening attacks on Afghanistan, an unfolding 
>>>> record of torturing captives to death since 2001, full support for 
>>>> Israel’s onslaughts on Palestinians and calculated mass murder."
>>>> 
>>>> Solidarity, CGE
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> unionyes wrote:
>>>>> Carl,
>>>>> 
>>>>> I think you and Cockburn are missing the main point !
>>>>> 
>>>>> That is, the ruling class has used and continues to use 
>>>>> disinformation and false flag operations to influence public opinion 
>>>>> !
>>>>> 
>>>>> Don't fall into the trap of propoganda that states that ANY reference
>>>>>  to corporate and/or government collusion or CONSPRICACY is a " 
>>>>> conspiracy theory " !
>>>>> 
>>>>> Lets review ;
>>>>> 
>>>>> 1953 coup in Iran 1954 coup in Guatemala 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of
>>>>>  Cuba 1963 coup in Iraq and questionable JFK assasination. 1964 coup 
>>>>> in Brazil and Indonesia 1965 U.S. intervension in Dominican Republic 
>>>>> and asasination of Diem in Vietnam. 1966 coup in Zaire ( Congo ) 1967
>>>>> assination of Malcolm X 1968 assisnation of Bobby Kennedy and 
>>>>> assisnation of Dr. King. 1970 mysterious plane crash of Walter 
>>>>> Reuther ( UAW Union leader ) who pulled the UAW out of the AFL-CIO 
>>>>> because of it's support of the Vietnam war. 1972 coup in Chile 
>>>>> 1974-1975 Church Committee in U.S. revealing COINTELLPRO. 1976 coup 
>>>>> in Argentina and Operation Condor 2003 mysterious plane crash of Paul
>>>>>  Wellstone and other " mysterious plane crashes of " maverick " 
>>>>> politicians.
>>>>> 
>>>>> And the BIG one.... 9 / 11 !
>>>>> 
>>>>> To be in denial of the history of the collusion and conspiracies of 
>>>>> the ruling class against their enemies ( US, the people, their 
>>>>> opposition and threat to their rule ) is a BIG MISTAKE !
>>>>> 
>>>>> Know your enemy and their M.O. / past practices !
>>>>> 
>>>>> Should we exclusively focus on possible conspiracies ?
>>>>> 
>>>>> NO !
>>>>> 
>>>>> But to ignore the " tell tale signs " is at our own peril ! 
>>>>> Especially when the timing of something is just too damn convienent 
>>>>> to the ruling class. Timing is everything !
>>>>> 
>>>>> David J.
>>>>> 
>>>>> David J.
>>>>> 
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "C. G. Estabrook" 
>>>>> <galliher at illinois.edu> To: "unionyes" <unionyes at ameritech.net> Cc: 
>>>>> "Peace-discuss List" <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> Sent: 
>>>>> Saturday, January 02, 2010 4:52 PM Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] The 
>>>>> real terrorist plot
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>> I did, and it would be interesting to know the immediate 
>>>>>> circumstances of this event.  But its general cause is more 
>>>>>> important - it's a response to the war that the US has brought to 
>>>>>> the Mideast.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I think Cockburn has it right:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> "The story – now canonized by conspiracists – of the well dressed 
>>>>>> man trying to finagle a passportless Abdulmutallab onto the plane 
>>>>>> seems to be without foundation. Now there’s an avalanche of 
>>>>>> punditry about Britain’s Islamic minority as the petrie dish in 
>>>>>> which toxic cultures of militant Islam flourish and multiply. At 
>>>>>> this rate they’ll soon be deploying the Delta Force in Birmingham 
>>>>>> and bombing mosques across the Midlands with drones.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> "The real petrie dish is US national policy, abetted by junior 
>>>>>> partners in the UK, France and Germany: widening attacks on 
>>>>>> Afghanistan, an unfolding record of torturing captives to death 
>>>>>> since 2001, full support for Israel’s onslaughts on Palestinians 
>>>>>> and calculated mass murder. What does a radical imam in the UK or 
>>>>>> Yemen have to offer as incitement to attack America that is as 
>>>>>> vividly persuasive as Obama and Hillary Clinton’s cheerleading for 
>>>>>> Israel or the posture of the US Congress?"
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> It should be no mystery why these things are happening. --CGE
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> unionyes wrote:
>>>>>>> Did you read the eye-witness account by the attorney and his wife
>>>>>>>  from Detroit at www.mlive.com ?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> You should  !
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> David J.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "C. G. Estabrook" 
>>>>>>> <galliher at illinois.edu> To: "Peace-discuss" 
>>>>>>> <peace-discuss at anti-war.net> Sent: Friday, January 01, 2010 9:15 
>>>>>>> PM Subject: [Peace-discuss] The real terrorist plot
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> [ALEXANDER COCKBURN assesses the real source of terrorism. 
>>>>>>>> --CGE]
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Once again hands are raised in stupefaction. How could they 
>>>>>>>> have missed him – meaning in this case Umar Abdulmutallab the 
>>>>>>>> Nigerian bomber on that flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. Why, 
>>>>>>>> his own father – one of the most powerful bankers in Africa – 
>>>>>>>> gave the US embassy in Lagos a warning! He was on the US master
>>>>>>>>  computer list of potential terrorists but never made it on to 
>>>>>>>> the watch list.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> The Truthers reject the obvious answers – caution, bureaucratic
>>>>>>>>  inertia, buck-passing, turf fights – and say it was a plot. 
>>>>>>>> Obama joins Bush and Cheney in the big conspiracy. It won’t be 
>>>>>>>> long before David Griffin rushes out a book on the affair.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Personally, I’m not at all dismayed at evidence that 
>>>>>>>> intelligence gathering networks are flawed, that bureaucrats 
>>>>>>>> pass the buck. Hyper-efficiency in these matters indicates we 
>>>>>>>> have arrived at the perfect police state.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Of course there is room for common sense and elementary 
>>>>>>>> vigilance. In the case of the Virginia Tech killer there was 
>>>>>>>> plenty of evidence that Cho Seung-hui was a time bomb waiting 
>>>>>>>> to explode. Students talked about him as a possible shooter and
>>>>>>>>  refused to take classes with him. His essays so disturbed one 
>>>>>>>> of his teachers with their violent ravings that she arranged a 
>>>>>>>> secret signal in case she needed security during her tutorials.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> And then was there was proof positive that the time bomb had 
>>>>>>>> exploded and the mass murder session began in the engineering 
>>>>>>>> building, the police state proved all too human in actual 
>>>>>>>> performance. The police cowered behind their cruisers until Cho
>>>>>>>>  Seung-hui finished off the last batch of his 32 victims, then
>>>>>>>>  killed himself. Then the police bravely rushed in and started
>>>>>>>>  sticking their guns in the faces of the traumatised students,
>>>>>>>>  screaming at them to freeze or be shot.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Major Hasan offers another bracing illustration of the human 
>>>>>>>> capacity to avoid unpleasant decisions, like dealing with an 
>>>>>>>> Army shrink who had Soldier of Islam on his visiting cards, 
>>>>>>>> discussed openly the ethics of armed resistance to Christian 
>>>>>>>> assaults on Islam and so forth.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> But without the advantage of hindsight were the signs that 
>>>>>>>> obvious? Not really. A Serbian woman I met at a New Years Party
>>>>>>>>  says that on her way from Abu Dhabi to Seattle she passed 
>>>>>>>> though Amsterdam airport the same day as Abdulmutallab and 
>>>>>>>> security was tight and the questioning she got was pretty 
>>>>>>>> rigorous. The story – now canonized by conspiracists – of the 
>>>>>>>> well dressed man trying to finagle a passportless Abdulmutallab
>>>>>>>>  onto the plane seems to be without foundation.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Now there’s an avalanche of punditry about Britain’s Islamic 
>>>>>>>> minority as the petrie dish in which toxic cultures of militant
>>>>>>>>  Islam flourish and multiply. At this rate they’ll soon be 
>>>>>>>> deploying the Delta Force in Birmingham and bombing mosques 
>>>>>>>> across the Midlands with drones.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> The real petrie dish is US national policy, abetted by junior 
>>>>>>>> partners in the UK, France and Germany: widening attacks on 
>>>>>>>> Afghanistan, an unfolding record of torturing captives to death
>>>>>>>>  since 2001, full support for Israel’s onslaughts on 
>>>>>>>> Palestinians and calculated mass murder. What does a radical 
>>>>>>>> imam in the UK or Yemen have to offer as incitement to attack 
>>>>>>>> America that is as vividly persuasive as Obama and Hillary 
>>>>>>>> Clinton’s cheerleading for Israel or the posture of the US 
>>>>>>>> Congress?
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> http://www.counterpunch.org/