Novaya Gazeta
No. 70
September 28-30, 2001
TERRORISM CANNOT BE DEFEATED BY NUCLEAR BOMBS
Tracing its financial sources is much more effective
Author: Mikhail Gorbachev
[from WPS Monitoring Agency, www.wps.ru/e_index.html]
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, AND WHAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED, IN THE AFTERMATH OF
SEPTEMBER 11? MIKHAIL GORBACHEV WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BROAD ALLIANCE
WHERE RUSSIA, CHINA, AND INDIA WILL STAND SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE UNITED
STATES, EUROPE, AND JAPAN. RETALIATION SHOULD BE TOUGH AND PRECISE.
Gorbachev praises Bush and calls for a more humane world order
It was as though humanity awakened from a nightmare in which
thousands became victims of global terrorism. Men and women like all
of us. And this is probably the most important thing - everyone
understands that what happened did not concern America or Americans
alone.
This understanding and solidarity has helped America survive the
shock. People closed ranks. It shows that there is nothing wrong with
thinking about the world we live in as a huge ark we all share, an ark
we cannot get off.
I hope that clear understanding of it will not dim, that the
victims did not die in vain.
And what should be avoided under the circumstances? First and
foremost, so horrible a crime against the innocent, against humanity,
cannot be left unanswered. Solidarity is what we need above all.
Solidarity is an answer of sorts as well. Terrorists should be
condemned by the whole world. Barbarous deeds like that should not
pass without response. Retaliation should be tough and precise.
But talking about a war is wrong. We should not respond to
terrorism with terrorism of our own. This response is probably what
was expected. A response like that will derail the whole system of
international relations.
The US Administration is out to identity the persons and
organizations that carried out the terrorist attacks so as to demand
their extradition. Special operations may take place otherwise.
It is of paramount importance as well that the American president
drew a line between Islam and terrorists who use it as an excuse.
Islam doesn't promote hatred and violence. The matter doesn't concern
a clash, it concerns solidarity of the international community in the
battle with global terrorism.
It will be a mistake to start thinking in terms of "American",
"Chinese", "Islamic", or any other century. We should be thinking in
terms of a single community of man based on the multitude of and
cooperation between cultures and civilizations.
Recognition of diversity as a value is the only realistic way
toward unification of the world. We cannot afford to pay in blood for
every new step closer to the new world. Nothing justifies bloodshed.
A peaceful strategy on the basis of concern over the future of
the world is the third component of our response, the one following
solidarity and retribution.
We will never understand how come the intelligence communities
failed us so badly otherwise. Without striving for a world where
everyone's rights are protected, we will never even establish an
international counter-terrorism body, something like Interpol, under
the aegis of the UN Security Council. A body like that should have
been established longer ago.
There is one more thing. The example of America, the most
powerful country in the world, shows plainly that there is more to
security than military might alone. How shall security be provided? It
is gradually dawning on us that a gross strategic mistake was made
when we blindly followed the people who thought in terms of military
contracts only. Even superweapons are not a protection.
We should have heeded the signals sent us by antiglobalists. We
persuaded ourselves that they are but a scandalous and aggressive
minority shattering shop windows all over the world. In Genoa, there
were 300,000 persons in the streets- young and not anymore, serious,
and well educated, all of them demanding that globalization should not
be made a one-way street, a phenomenon that promotes the interests of
the wealthy alone and forgets about the poor. As on numerous other
occasions, the criminals did their best to make use of the protests.
And we are like an ostrich, hiding our heads in sand and trying to
manage the world of the 21st century with the instruments of the 20th,
19th, and even 18th centuries.
A great deal of problems and issues are no longer pressing, the
Star Wars concept included. What happens makes is absolutely clear
that a mistake has been made in the choice of the way and strategy. We
were waiting for a missile to come streaking from the sky and found
out that no missile will ever protect us from a plane piloted by
suicide hijackers. Terrorists used planes this time. Tomorrow the
danger may be found in drinking water, in nuclear power, or in a new
disease resulting from the use of biological weapons. Impoverishment,
starvation, maladies, chaos, and violence send new and new recruits to
terrorist organizations. Our refusal to put up with terrorism and
determination to fight it should stipulate elimination of the
conditions that feed and nurture it.
Numerous attempts were made to persuade the world that
unrestricted movement of capital and free trade were going to become
the ultimate cure. Unfortunately, this solution benefited the wealthy
alone, and the gap between the rich and the poor has only broadened in
the post-Cold War decade.
That is why I can only echo the Pope: we need a new world order,
more stable, just, and humane.
There are lots of speculations these days about where and when
the first blows will be delivered. The UN Security Council and
international laws are not always recalled in these speculations.
At the same time, the UN Security Council is the only structure
that can find someone guilty and issue a mandate acceptable to the
whole international community. If the United States operate within the
framework of the UN instead of acting all on its own, it would only
consolidate its position as leader. I hear every now and then that the
UN has lost its effectiveness. Even if it has, what's stopping us from
making it effective again?
Special attention should be paid under the circumstances to
Russia's position. I find President Putin's proposals reasonable and
wise.
George W. Bush says this war will last a long time. It is indeed.
Such wars should be fought side by side, without careless hints about
the possibility of using nuclear weapons. Terrorism cannot be defeated
by nuclear bombs. Tracing its financial sources and channels is much
more effective.
These weeks have been an ordeal for Bush. He has passed it, he
has changed. I hope he will be able to, and want to, become the
organizer of a broad alliance where Russia, China, and India will
stand side by side with the United States, Europe, and Japan. What
seemed incompatible only yesterday appears necessary today. What
matters is working together toward the proper goal, and preventing the
spirit of revenge from prevailing.
Serbian News Network - SNN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.antic.org/
