The following article was published in "The Guardian", newspaper
of the Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday,
April 10th, 2002. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills.
Sydney. 2010 Australia. Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795.
CPA Central Committee: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"The Guardian": <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Editorial: Bush's path to peace through war
President Bush is full of "understanding" of Israel's aggression against
the Palestinian people. He declared at a news conference on March 30, "I
can understand why the Israeli Government takes the actions they take.
Their country is under attack every day ... Israel is a democratically
elected government and the government is responding to the will of the
people for there to be more security. Israel will defend herself and I
understand that."
But it is not Israel that is defending itself. It is Israel that is
committing aggression against the Palestinian territories administered
by the Palestinian Authority. It is occupying Palestinian cities and
villages, destroying the houses of ordinary people, killing those who
resist the occupation, rounding up and imprisoning young men, depriving
the people of water and electricity, refusing entry to Red Cross
ambulances to treat the wounded, and many other war crimes.
In what may be a Freudian slip Bush went on: "Every leader I've talked
to said, 'We need peace', but there needs to be a focused coalition
effort in the region against peace -- I mean, against terror, for peace."
He proceeded to attack Syria and Iran but when questioned about evidence
that these countries were sponsoring terrorism Bush said: "No, I do not
have evidence ... but Syria walked out of the UN ... that should say
something."
Reasserting the US role of global cop, Bush said: "It's our capacity as
the leader of the coalition against war on terror to continue not only
our war in Afghanistan and elsewhere, but also continue to fight
terrorism in this region".
The world is now witnessing a dangerous and deadly group of warmongers
who are using the "war against terrorism" to impose war on other
countries. Leading this group of warmongers is US President Bush with
British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a principal cheerleader and war
organiser. Blair is attempting to provide the "evidence" to justify a
war against Iraq accusing Iraq (that has suffered a 10-year long
blockade by Britain and the US) of building weapons of mass destruction.
Ariel Sharon is playing his part by attempting to destroy the
Palestinian Authority and thereby deal a blow, not only at the
aspirations of the Palestinian people, but also to silence the support
given to Palestine by other Arab states. Israel remains the gendarme of
the US in the Middle East.
Bush found no words to criticise, let alone condemn the Israeli
aggression and the killing of many Palestinians. Not one word to suggest
that the US will stop supplying war weapons to Israel. No criticism of
the Israeli army and air force bombing Arafat's compound and imprisoning
him for several weeks now.
When it comes to the Palestinians, Bush said: "Arafat doesn't need a
phone call from me. All he's got to do is what I just said ... prevent
terrorist organisations from finding safe haven ... that especially
applies to Chairman Arafat..."
The Australian Government is fully supports the anti-Arab and
anti-Muslim campaign of Sharon and the United States. Foreign Minister
Downer used virtually the same words as Bush, saying that Yasser Arafat
has not given a 100 per cent effort to combat terrorism. The Australian
Government has not protested against the Israeli aggression. Howard also
repeats the US line giving his "understanding" of Israel's actions
US Secretary of State, Colin Powell is to visit the Middle East but will
not hold discussions with Yasser Arafat. This confirms that the US is
using talk of negotiations and a peaceful settlement as a dishonest
subterfuge.
The US aim has been to build up Israel to suppress the Palestinians and
as a military power to defeat all Arab nations.
Colin Powell's agenda is also a signal that if the Israel either kills
Arafat or deports him forcibly, the US will back the Israelis in that
vile act. The tactics of the US and Israel are not aimed at peace and
justice but at suppression and domination. All this is made clear in
Bush's comments at his March 30 press conference.
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