>and cell phones. > >In about a week, the Israeli forces had defaced or blocked >20 pro-Palestinian Web sites, according to a report on >ZDNet, a Web-based computer-industry publication. In the >following two weeks, supporters of the Palestinians had >brought down about 30 pro-Israeli sites. This includes a >widely publicized take over of the American Israeli Public >Affairs Committee site, which was replaced with Web pages >denouncing the massacre of Palestinians. > >The cyber war was started by Israeli forces, as was >acknowledged by iDefense Intelligence Services, a Fairfax, >Va.-based company. An Oct. 31 iDefense report says that pro- >Palestinian actions on the Web are "seen as defensive >actions in response to offensive actions by pro-Israeli >attackers. This has significantly increased the talent pool >on the pro-Palestinian side." > >In fact, the pro-Palestinian counter-offensive has been very >effective. The pro-Palestinian effort is now in Phase Three, >reports the Lebanese Daily Star. Phase Three aims to shut >down Israeli Internet service providers. A Phase Four has >also been announced. If the Israeli attacks on pro- >Palestinian Web sites continue, Israeli e-commerce sites >will be the next targets. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > > > >Message-ID: <00c201c04e9b$f3335960$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Stop U.S.-Israeli terrorism >Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 19:35:26 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > > >BUFFALO, N.Y.: 'STOP U.S.-ISRAELI TERRORISM' > >The progressive community in Buffalo, N.Y., came out to >support the Palestinian uprising on Oct. 16 and Oct. 20. >Anti-war and anti-imperialist forces stood in >solidarity with members of the local Arab community for two >spirited, militant protests condemning Israel and the United >States for their ongoing terrorism >against the Palestinian people. > >Chants and signs proclaimed "Long live Palestine," along >with other messages of >support for the just cause of the Palestinian people. One >banner highlighted the U.S. role in the attacks with the >words "No U.S. war in the Middle East." > >Arab youths led militant chants of "No justice, no peace!" >and "Stop U.S.-Israeli >terrorism!" > >Several high school students joined in one of the protests >on their way home >from school. Passers-by in cars and on foot raised their >fists and honked their horns >in support. The Oct. 16 protest received major coverage from >the local big-business media. > >-- Barb Neth > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > > > >Message-ID: <00ca01c04e9c$08379920$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Is Colombia another Vietnam? >Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 19:36:02 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >MEETING ASKS: IS COLOMBIA ANOTHER VIETNAM? > >By Jack A. Smith >Highland, N.Y. > >Is the U.S. government about to create "another Vietnam" in >Colombia, the Latin American country of 40 million >inhabitants where a people's war has been raging for >decades? > >This was the topic addressed at the Nov. 6 Caribbean and >Latin America Support Committee public meeting in Highland, >N.Y., by Workers World journalist, CUNY professor, and >International Action Center activist Andy McInerney. His >answer, in essence: it certainly seems headed in that >direction, despite disclaimers from Washington. > >"In 1960, there were less than 1,000 U.S. military >'advisers' in Vietnam," he began, noting that the multi- >millions Washington was spending to support the corrupt >South Vietnamese government at the time was small change >compared to the multi-billions budgeted in later years. And >of course, the Pentagon was saying that the "advisers" were >to be kept out of combat. Within five years the U.S. was >sinking into the quagmire of a widespread protracted war. > >"The U.S. people didn't know anything about Vietnam in 1960, >even though there were warning signs," McInerney added. >"These same warning signs are showing up once again 40 years >later in Colombia. > >"U.S. military aid skyrocketed to $90 million in 1998. A >year later it increased to $300 million. This year Congress >approved $1.3 billion. Colombia is now the Pentagon's third >largest recipient of free military aid." > >The 200 U.S. military "advisers" in counter-insurgency war >already sent to Colombia will be bolstered by 200-300 more, >according to the latest Clinton administration plans. The >latest allocation will include sending 60 combat helicopters >to Colombia. > >"Washington claims that all of this is part of a war on >drugs," McInerney scoffed. "This is just a sham--a cover for >a counter-insurgency war, as in Vietnam." > >'A SERIOUS CONTEST FOR STATE POWER' > >McInerney explained that the U.S. is getting deeply involved >now in the decades-long guerrilla struggle waged by the >Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC- >EP) and the smaller National Liberation Army (ELN) because >"the success of the people's struggle has reached the point >where there is a serious contest for state power." > >The territory of Colombia is larger than the combined area >of France, Britain, the Netherlands and Belgium--and the >rebel forces occupy almost half of it. As in Vietnam, if the >U.S. "loses" Colombia it fears a domino effect might result >in "losing" other countries it presently dominates in Latin >America. > >To this end, Washington and the Colombian government of >President Andres Pastrana have recently cooked up a major, >$7.5 billion counter-insurgency scheme called "Plan >Colombia." Its purpose is the eventual defeat of the >guerrilla forces--although the plan is supposedly aimed at >Colombia's export of drugs. > >Speaking of the drug war, McInerney noted that the U.S. is >the largest importer of drugs in the world and that "if >Washington really wanted to end the drug problem, it would >take these billions and invest it at home in drug >rehabilitation programs, in job training and job creation, >and in vast improvements in educational services. Investing >this money in the brutal Colombian army to fight the FARC >and ELN won't have any impact on U.S. dependence on >Colombian drugs." > >COLOMBIAN ARMY, DEATH SQUADS WORK TOGETHER > >McInerney characterized as propaganda the notion that there >is a "three-sided war going on in Colombia" composed of (1) >the government and its armed forces, (2) the right-wing >paramilitary armies and (3) the revolutionary forces. He >said the paramilitaries--which he termed "death squads" >responsible for the bulk of killings in Colombia--work in >collaboration with the armed forces, often doing their dirty >work. > >There are only two sides in the conflict, McInerney said, >"the government, which is backed by the wealthy ruling class >and the death squads, and the people's forces" composed of >military and civilian components struggling to create a >socialist Colombia free from control by the oligarchy, the >drug lords, the military elite, global corporations and >imperialism. > >The speaker also disputed the "blame-both-sides" argument >that the struggle is being waged between the government and >the rebel forces with the masses of people squeezed between >them. > >"Colombia is a nation of heroes, not of innocent people >caught in the middle," he said, noting the activism of the >country's strong labor movement and other insurgent forces >fighting against International Monetary Fund demands for >belt-tightening by the poor and privatization of national >resources. > >APPEAL TO ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS > >McInerney ended his talk with an appeal to progressive >forces in the United States "to become active in the >struggle against expanding U.S. intervention in Colombia." >He urged anti-war forces participating in the demonstration >against the School of the Americas in Ft. Benning, Ga., >later in November to raise the question of Colombia "because >it's probably had more officers trained at the SOA than any >other Latin American country." > >He also noted that the International Action Center has just >formed a U.S. Out of Colombia Committee that planned to >organize a nationwide movement to oppose U. S. intervention >plans. > >One of the committee's first activities will be a public >meeting in New York City on Dec. 12 to oppose U.S. >intervention in Colombia. Former U.S. Attorney General >Ramsey Clark will be a featured speaker. The meeting will >take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. >Labor Center at 330 West 43rd St. in Manhattan. For >information call the International Action Center at (212) >633-6646 or the Mid-Hudson National People's Campaign/IAC at >(845) 255-5779. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > >Message-ID: <00d201c04e9c$1b02b1c0$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Sierra Leone: U.S., Britain step up intervention >Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 19:36:33 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >SIERRA LEONE: U.S., BRITAIN STEP UP INTERVENTION > >By G. Dunkel > >Cloaked in honeyed words and hiding behind the veil of >United Nations legitimacy, Great Britain is intensifying its >military intervention in Sierra Leone. A civil war has been >raging in this former British colony in West Africa for the >past eight years. > >Sierra Leone, which was colonized by Britain in 1793, is one >of the world's major diamond producers. > >At the same time, the Pentagon is sending 250 specialists in >weapons and communications to Nigeria to train its soldiers >for service in Sierra Leone and Liberia, another West >African country immersed in civil war. The U.S. will also >provide military supplies to the troops it is training. > >Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon told the British Parliament on >Oct. 30 that a Royal Navy Amphibious Ready Group, including >the helicopter carrier HMS Ocean and landing ships, would be >deployed offshore Sierra Leone during November with about >700 soldiers. > >Earlier he had announced that a few hundred more military >"teachers" would be introduced into Sierra Leone. Their >"schools" would include the headquarters of the Sierra Leone >army. > >Prime Minister Tony Blair is in command of another 5,000 >British soldiers now being organized into a Rapid Deployment >Force to intervene in Sierra Leone, if need be. > >UN TROOPS FIRE ON CROWD > >Over 12,000 UN soldiers are presently stationed in Sierra >Leone as "peacekeepers." Some detachments of this UN force, >known as Unamasil, have taken an active part in the civil >war on the government's side. The latest reported example >was on Nov. 5 when UN troops, backing up the local police, >fired on a crowd protesting a nightly curfew in Freetown, >the capital. > >Last spring 500 UN troops were captured by the Revolutionary >United Front, the rebel force. London sent 1,000 marine >commandos to Sierra Leone in May to try and free them. >Fearing its troops could be trapped, Britain withdrew them >in June. > >Now, four months later, after the Indian commander of the UN >force resigned, Britain has announced that one of its >brigadier generals will be chief of staff to the new UN >commander, three-star Kenyan General Daniel Ishmael Opande. > >The Independent of London reported Nov. 2 that unnamed >military analysts feel that these moves--entering the UN >command structure, preparing a rapid deployment force, >sending advisors to Nigeria and paying for its forces-- >signal a recognition by Britain and the U.S. that the Sierra >Leone conflict threatens to spread throughout West Africa. > >After centuries of the slave trade, after generations of >colonial rule, and now after the International Monetary >Fund's "structural adjustment programs" have squeezed out >whatever wealth remained in the hands of independent >governments, conditions in West Africa have become so >desperate that movements of the people for revolutionary >change are inevitable. > >The U.S. and Britain, as well as France, are determined to >retain and expand their neocolonial dominion throughout the >area. The violence that results must be laid directly on the >doorstep of the imperialist powers. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
