The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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Dear Elga, list, Since when have we needed to listen to people such as the pope or Mark Twain regarding politics? Does the pope have any clue about what's really going on in Iraq? Probably not, and I'll bet neither do most of the anti-war protesters. Maybe we should get some meaningful opinions, like the ones of the Iraqi people. People whose lives and futures are being discussed around the world without their say being included. If you happen to read some of the high-ranking emails from people in Iraq, you'll find that they'll quickly show their love for Saddam and their hate for any American interference. For those of you who actually believe these people, I'll let you in on a little secret: The average Iraqi would welcome the long overdue war against Saddam with open arms and hearts. They have suffered so much because of Saddam, that they would kiss Ariel Sharon's feet, if he were installed as the puppet for the Americans after Saddam is ousted. Castro is not slaughtering the Cuban people for us to be worrying too much about them right now. We should be focusing on the people who are really suffering. For all you human rights activists: Where have you been the in the last twenty to thirty years? Do you all of a sudden have a voice when the US is finally helping out the Iraqis? Where were your voices when Saddam deported, tortured, and murdered his people? Why are you all of a sudden interested in the estimated number of casualties that will take place when the Americans take out Saddam? These numbers are a mere fraction of the number of lives already lost, and the number of lives that will be lost if Saddam stays. The people that die because of a war with Iraq will end up dying under Saddam's regime. Most Iraqis would rather death than the continuity of Saddam's rule. Let's pray that the Iraqi people stop suffering by making sure the American government finally gets rid of the dictator that inflicts the suffering. Yours, Hassan --- H Sutter <citext@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote: > > "Liberate" is Orwellian doublespeak for _invade and > occupy_. It's used to make wars of conquest > palatable > to the public. To me, using the terms "liberate" or > "collateral damage" signifies utter insensitivity. > Sorry, > but that's how I feel. > > Mark Twain hated "liberate" too. If he were here > today, > he would heartily denounce Bush's proposed > "liberation" > of Iraq. It would remind him of Cuba's liberation by > US > guns in 1898 - and of many other "liberations". > > Cuba's "liberation" is a well-established US myth. > > In a speech on Cuba in May last year, Bush ranted > lustily > about "freedom" and "liberation" for Cuba. He > proposed to > put Cuba (once again) on the "path to liberty" - ie, > in > the arms of American business. > > Unwisely perhaps, Bush referred to the previous > attempt > when "Cuba's independence was achieved" with US > support. > > This US "support" was in fact an interference with > the > Cuban people's strive for independence from Spain: > The US > waged war against Spain in 1898 to gain control of > Cuba. > As the winner, the US did then "liberate", ie, > invade and > occupy, Cuba and made it a US protectorate. (In this > neat > little war the US also grabbed Guam, Porto Rico, and > the > Philippines.) > > Cuban aspirations for independence were further > thwarted by > the Platt Amendment in 1901. A student and workers > revolution > in 1933 replaced dictator Machado with Grau San > Martin. Quickly > the US arranged for San Martin's ouster and > installed dictator > Batista. For 25 years Batista carried out US orders, > making > the Cuban people suffer hardship, oppression and > torture. But > US business concerns flourished - until Batista fled > in 1959. > > Witnessing the US exploitation of Cuba and the > Philippines, > Mark Twain became a self-declared "anti-imperialist" > - and > opponent of war. (In the Philippines they put up a > Mark Twain > memorial and in Cuba too, I believe. He is their > hero.) > > In _The Mysterious Stranger_, he made some shrewd > observations > on war propaganda, anti-war support - and courage. > (I often > feel disheartened when I see people caving in to the > current > onslaught of propaganda. Reading Mark Twain's words > makes > this a little easier to accept.) > > Anti-war support wanes quickly, Twain felt, because > of the > individual's "desire, for safety's or comfort's > sake, to > stand well in his neighbor's eye". > > This need to be accepted still exists. But today > peace > proponents can encourage one another worldwide - > thanks > to the internet. So the anti-war support for Iraq > has > actually gained momentum, especially in the US. > > And if public resistance together with Francis > Boyle's > plan succeed, Bush will never make a speech about > Iraq's > "liberation" - by US daisy cutters and 'smart > bombs'. > Just for once, Iraqis may get a chance at > determining > their destiny. > > bon courage, > Elga Sutter > > > Here are some excerpts from _The Mysterious > Stranger_, > chapter nine: > > [Satan's observations on the human race] > > '"Oh, it's true. I know your race. It is made up of > sheep. > It is governed by minorities, seldom or never by > majorities. It suppresses its feelings and its > beliefs and > follows the handful that makes the most noise.' > .... > > 'I did not like to hear our race called sheep, and > said I > did not think they were. "Still, it is true, lamb," > said > Satan. "Look at you in war--what mutton you are, and > how > ridiculous!" "In war? How?" > > "There has never been a just one, never an honorable > one--on the part of the instigator of the war. I can > see a > million years ahead, and this rule will never change > in so > many as half a dozen instances. The loud little > handful-- > as usual--will shout for the war. The pulpit > will--warily > and cautiously--object--at first; the great, big, > dull > bulk of the nation will rub its sleepy eyes and try > to > make out why there should be a war, and will say, > earnestly > and indignantly, "It is unjust and dishonorable, and > there > is no necessity for it." > > Then the handful will shout louder. A few fair men > on the > other side will argue and reason against the war > with > speech and pen, and at first will have a hearing and > be > applauded; but it will not last long; those others > will > outshout them, and presently the anti-war audiences > will > thin out and lose popularity. > > Before long you will see this curious thing: the > [anti-war] speakers stoned from the platform, and > free > speech strangled by hordes of furious men who in > their > secret hearts are still at one with those stoned > speakers--as earlier--but do not dare to say so. And > now > the whole nation--pulpit and all--will take up the > war-cry, and shout itself hoarse, and mob any honest > man > who ventures to open his mouth; and presently such > mouths > will cease to open. > > Next the statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting > the > blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every > man will > be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and > will diligently study them, and refuse to examine > any > refutations of them; and thus he will by and by > convince > himself that the war is just, and will thank God for > the > better sleep he enjoys after this process of > grotesque > self-deception."' > ### > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against > Sanctions on Iraq. > To unsubscribe, visit > http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss > To contact the list manager, email > casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk > All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk