Sunday, May 29, 2005

Sumthin is cooking

May 29 2005
Something is cooking
.... and it stinks

by 'Inad Khairallah (pen name)

Is there a pattern in recent events that indicates a drive to provoke Muslims around the world to a point where a massive terror attack in the US or elsewhere could be pinned against them in order to justify another American military adventure in the Middle East, possibly against Syria or Iran?
The events could indeed be unrelated and just coincidence. However, given the emerging evidence that the Sept.11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington could have had the Bush administration's complicty, direct or indirect, and were part of a build-up for American military intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq, one has to give these events a careful scrutiny.
The series of events started with the now retracted Newsweek report that the Holy Quran was desecrated by American soldiers at Guantanamo Bay. The retraction of the report failed to convince most people, who believe that the magazine acted under official American pressure to do so and the desecration did take place. Interestingly, reports of desecration of the Holy Book had come out as far back as 2002 and there is a grey area there why the Newsweek report triggered such violent protests.
Then came details of how Afghan prisoners were abused by American soldiers and much publicised story of how an Afghan taxi driver — whose apparent innocence was highlighted — ad his legs beaten and was then hung by his wrists until he died.
Then came the photographs of Saddam Hussein in his underwear. Such photographs could not have come but from American officers guarding the detention facility where he is being held. The release of such photos was clearly aimed at enraging Muslims around the world rather than, as claimed by some, as a message to the Iraqi insurgents still loyal to the toppled president.
Later in the same week, an American senator declared publicly that Israel comes first and foremost in American policy considerations in the Middle East and that the security of the Jewish state was the top priority for the US. Creation of a Palestinian state, said Senator Gordon Smith, was being considered only if it was "possible."
Smith did not break any new ground in making the announcement, but the timing of his affirmation of what most people in the Middle East has known for long is suspect.
The final event in the series so far was the visit of US first lady to Laura Bush to occupied Jerusalem. Reports suggest that the visit was added at the last minute. Indeed, she was heckled by Palestinians who were enraged that she found it fit to visit Palestine while it is known that her husband and the entire administration stood firmly behind Israel against Palestinian rights.
Again, Laura Bush's visit to the Haram Al Sharif complex reminded many of the infamous trip made there by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in October 2000 that triggered the second Palestinian uprising.
A commentary appearing on a non-partisan anti-war website says: "Sources continue to report that Bush and his neocon advisors are planning more wars in the Mideast, with Iran leading the list because of Israel's desire to bomb the Iranian reactor complex before the Russians can begin the fueling process. But the people of the United States are weary of war, weary of flag-draped coffins, weary of tax dollars vanishing into thin air by the billions. Half of all Americans know Bush lied about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Most Americans don't think Iraq has been worth the cost. Adding a new war on top of the existing ones means a draft, as the current forces are stretched thin. The American people are not going to like that either.
"So, the war hawks need a new "event", a new 9-11, which they hope will restore public support for more wars. And, if one is going to stage a new fake terror event and frame Muslims for it, then one has to create the impression that Muslims are angry enough to do something like that. Too much doubt exists about 9-11 in the public mind for half measures; the next staged event has to be a real convincer. Hence, a series of small incidents that slowly increase Muslim anger towards America.
"Somewhere, in the dark rooms ... the next 'terror' attack is being planned....."