Editorial Comments:

IRAQ: THE TIP OF THE ICE-ARMAGEDDON, VENEZUELA, QUO VADIS?

By Franz J. T. Lee

20/08/03.

Six months later, in Venezuela, the "Opposition" is right back, where it started from -- from tragedy to defeat, from defeat to farce! However, the world corporate press, excluding the indendent news agencies, is again at full force disseminating blatant lies about Venezuelan reality. The national and international conspiracy continues.

What is really tragic is to see to what degree fascist indoctrination and racist manipulation of the thoughts and minds of hundred thousands of innocent peoples have been accomplished, and how arduous it is, to convince certain sectors of Venezuelan society about the national and international flowing truth. Many exploited, dominated and discriminated, the poor, the lower classes, are simply confused, they struggle with their inculcated authoritarian, totalitarian slave mentality, with their inculcated trust in authority, in the news, what the TV reports, what their "great leaders" say. They have extreme difficulty to think for themselves, to act for themselves, and to send all the alienated relations of a centuries-old slave mentality to blazes, right back to its originators and producers, to the Mother Country Spain, to the feudalist, absolutist, religious State ideology, to the Papacy and the Vatican, to Rome, to Europe, and its prodigal son, the United States of America.

After full religious doses of Greek mythological politheism, of more than five world religious monotheisms, the billions of oppressed creatures have entered the modern millennium of ideology, of liberalism, socialism, democracy, and of narcotics, of drugs, of Valium, Prozac, Demerol, Adipex, Diazepam, Ambien, Celebrex, Meridia, Ultram, Viagra, Xanax, Xenicar, Somar ... and much more! Many, as guinea-pigs, and victims of recent wars, are affected by the most barbarous mind and thought control experiments, like Mkultra, HAARP, etc., and yet, millions still demonstrate against the current megalomania of global fascist thugs, heinous rogues and brutal warmongers.

We need not discuss the so-called "US Attack On Iraq" anymore -- Afghanistan is gone, Iraq is no more, is razed to the ground by the Yankee barbarian invasions. The brain-laundered world is enjoying its pan et circenses; CNN lustfully reports the events, the massacre, and like in the olden Ku Klux-Klan days, like in the contemporary "Plaza de Toros", millions enjoy the war games, brought right into their homes on a global scale. Suicide bombs on UN buildings give erotic excitement. 

Let us look at the future of this world war, at Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, ..., let us recall what we all said about the deployment of global fascism, let us forget the "scientific correctness", formal logical methodology of Ph.D. theses, let us simply focus on "full spectrum dominance". 

Let me refresh your memory about some comments that we made in March, 2003, after the oil sabotage was successfully countered in Venezuela, by the people, by its armed forces: 

" Surely, it is urgent to attend to immediate problems, to attend the immediate genocide of a people, for whom the Euro-American barbarism, including the savage acts and reactionary positions of its "Third World" lackeys, the war, is simply global fascism. Whether you, and millions others, are not heinous fascists domestically or/and overseas, essentially, the transhistoric truth and reality is that your "homeland" is already a Fourth Reich, and if you defend this status quo with all your patriotic might, then, logically, you are simply an accomplice in heinous, cardinal, capital crimes. This has nothing to do with individual powerlessness, it concerns affirming actively a global system that currently launches a horrendous genocide, a vile holocaust. Make no mistake about it, it is the very same global system of Arab African slavery, of Zulu Wars, of Soviet gulags, of Nazi concentration camps, of Apartheid Bantustans, of the massacres of Rwanda, the same one that dropped bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"The only way to understand the above is to nurture a sound transhistoric consciousness, to be well-versed in political economy, to be at home with science and philosophy, to understand humanity, social classes, class struggle, inter alia, in two words, intra-systemic Marxism, and to transcend all these, understanding what still is real, true human emancipation." ( 21/03/03.)

"Those who still desire reform, revolution, democracy and world peace should try to convince Saddam and Bush about these myths, should convince them to save the innocent millions who are roasting in the voracious epicentre of the Labour Moloch, of Corporate Global Fascism. Just refresh your transhistoric memory, relate, think, and you will see how Capital was born, dripping from head to feet, soaked in human blood. Now, Kabul and Baghdad just usher in the advent of the zenith of that exploitative, dominating, discriminating, military and alienating global "historic" holocaust. Soon Teheran, Caracas, Tripoli, Algiers, Pyongyang, Beijing, etc. will follow suit, swallowing Tokyo, Berlin, Paris, etc., in its roaring destructive maelstrom of labour, of labour products, of capital, of man himself."

(24/03/03.)

"For these reasons, whether Baghdad falls or not, we can just as well prepare ourselves for decades of prayers, marches, protests, awestrucks, mothers of all bombs, collateral damage, etc. What is really tragic is that billions still do not have the foggiest idea what really is happening, least of all, the patriotic Americans and Europeans." (25/03/03)

" Everything goes according to plan, the World Empire is a reality already, and no power on Earth could, can and will stop this forward march of America´s new mode of destruction, that ushers in a galaxy of post-human chaos, shaking the very universe. "(26/03/03.)

However, let us focus at the war crimes against humanity, against society, against history. How many youthful daydreams of children, of parents, were shattered, nipped in the bud? How many people have to collect the fragments of their beloved ones? How many loved ones, Americans, British and Arabs, were ripped apart, forever? Into what a brutal shock and barbaric awe a whole Iraqi nation, the whole Arab world, the globe, were thrown? How hopeless, pessimistic and negative will the "future" be? What has remained of America? Of Western Christianity, Culture and Civilization? What will parents teach their children, teachers their pupils, professors their students? Who will still believe in "truth", democracy, freedom and world peace? And, Bush, Blair, Powell, Albright and Rumsfeld believe that it "was worth it"! And the latecomers, the European Union, the United Nations, etc. will follow suit, to reconstruct the very same nightmare elsewhere once more.

Now that the "Opposition" is launching another period of terror, all these, what sense, for what purpose? Why? Till when? Where next?

For hundred thousands of Iraqis, and those thousands that still will perish, as a result of the after-effects, of the "collateral damage", of this brutal "allied" invasion and occupation, for them, this was the end, apocalypsis, armageddon, genocide, holocaust. Our erudite scholars and the "true" Americans can now beautify, consecrate and sanctify this global, fascist "mass destruction" as whatever they please. For the innocent victims, this was the "Last Supper", this was Hell, the only real, the only true one.

PANDEMONIUM  GOLPE  WATCH

No. 782





ENGLISH & SPANISH:

Editorial Comments:

*** IRAQ: THE TIP OF THE ICE-ARMAGEDDON, VENEZUELA, QUO VADIS?

By Franz J. T. Lee

20/08/03.

*** Presidente Chávez clamó por una urgente unidad suramericana

Robert Fisk
The Independent. 

*** The UN bombing: a product of the US occupation of Iraq

By Peter Symonds
20 August 2003. 

Presidente Chávez clamó por una urgente unidad suramericana Por: Venpres Publicado el Miércoles, 20/08/03 01:44am				imprímelo mándaselo a tus panas

Robert Fisk
The Independent

Traducido para Rebelión por Marina Trillo

¿Qué miembro de la ONU pensará ahora en mandar a Irak tropas para el mantenimiento de la paz?. Los hombres que están atacando al ejército de ocupación estadounidense son despiadados, pero no son estúpidos. Saben que el Presidente George Bush se está poniendo desesperado, que hará cualquier cosa - que incluso puede acudir al temido Consejo de Seguridad en busca de ayuda - para reducir las pérdidas de militares estadounidenses en Irak. Pero el ataque de ayer a la sede de la ONU en Bagdad ha cerrado la puerta a esa vía de escape.

A pocas horas de la explosión, se nos dijo que se trataba de un ataque contra un "objetivo blando", un golpe contra la misma ONU. Cierto, era un objetivo "blando", aunque el nido de ametralladora sobre el tejado del edificio de la ONU podría haber sugerido que incluso el cuerpo internacional se estaba militarizando. Cierto, también, que fue un increíble asalto a la ONU como institución. Pero en realidad, el ataque de ayer fue contra los Estados Unidos.

Porque demuestra que ninguna organización extranjera - ninguna ONG, ninguna organización humanitaria, ningún inversor, ningún empresario - puede esperar estar seguro bajo el gobierno de ocupación estadounidense. Paul Bremer, el procónsul de EEUU, estaba considerado como un experto en "antiterrorismo". Pero desde que llegó a Irak, ha visto más "terrorismo" que el que pueda haber soñado en sus peores pesadillas - y ha sido incapaz de hacer nada sobre el particular. Sabotaje del oleoducto, sabotaje de tendidos eléctricos, sabotaje del agua, ataques a tropas estadounidenses y británicas y policías Iraquíes y ahora el bombardeo de la ONU. ¿Qué viene a continuación? Los Americanos pueden reconstruir las caras muertas de dos hijos de Saddam, pero no pueden reconstruir Irak.

Por supuesto, esta no es la primera indicación de que los "internacionales" están en el punto de mira del rápidamente creciente movimiento de resistencia iraquí. El mes pasado, un empleado de la ONU fue matado a tiros al sur de Bagdad. Dos trabajadores de la Cruz Roja Internacional fueron asesinados, el segundo de ellos un empleado de Sri Lanka matado en su coche, claramente señalizado con la Cruz roja, en la Autovía 8 al norte de Hilla. Cuando lo encontraron, todavía manaba sangre por la puerta de su vehículo. El delegado jefe de la Cruz Roja, que asignó la misión al sur de Bagdad al hombre condenado a muerte, se marcha ahora de Irak. Ya, la Cruz Roja está confinada a sus oficinas regionales y no puede viajar por carretera a través de Irak.

Mataron a un contratista Americano en Tikrit hace una semana. Un periodista inglés fue asesinado en Bagdad el mes pasado. ¿Quién está seguro ahora? ¿Quién se sentirá seguro ahora en un hotel de Bagdad cuando uno de los más famosos de todos - el antiguo Canal Hotel, que albergó a los inspectores de armamento de la ONU antes de la invasión - ha sido volado? ¿Será contra las tropas de ocupación el próximo "espectáculo"? ¿Contra las autoridades de ocupación? ¿Contra el llamado "Consejo Interino" Iraquí? ¿Contra periodistas?

La reacción a la tragedia de ayer se pudiera haber escrito por anticipado. Los Americanos nos dirán que esto demuestra cuan "desesperados" se han vuelto los "acorralados" de Saddam - como si fuera mas probable que los atacantes se rindieran a medida que tienen más éxito en destruir el gobierno estadounidense en Irak. La verdad -no importa cuantos fieles a Saddam estén implicados- es que ahora la organización de la resistencia iraquí la integran centenares, si no miles, de musulmanes Sunnies, muchos de ellos sin lealtad al antiguo régimen. Cada vez más, los Shias se están implicando en acciones antiestadounidenses.

La reacción futura es igualmente predecible. Incapaz de volcar su copa diaria de amargura sobre el anterior séquito de Saddam, los Americanos tendrán que evocar la intervención extranjera. "Terroristas" Saudíes, "terroristas" de alQaida, "terroristas" pro Sirios, "terroristas" pro Iraníes - cualesquiera "terroristas" misteriosos valdrán si su supuesta existencia encubre la dolorosa realidad: que nuestra ocupación ha generado un auténtico ejército guerrillero autóctono Iraquí, capaz de humillar a la mayor potencia de la Tierra.

Con los Americanos todavía intentando traer a otras naciones a bordo para su aventura Iraquí -incluso los Indios han tenido el buen sentido de declinar la invitación- el bombardeo de ayer estaba destinado, pues, a la yugular de cualquier futura misión de "mantenimiento de paz". Se suponía que la bandera de la ONU era para garantizar la seguridad. Pero en el pasado, una presencia de la ONU tenía lugar con el asentimiento del poder soberano. No existiendo un poder soberano en Irak, la legitimidad de la ONU se limitaba a estar estrechamente unida a la autoridad de ocupación. Así podría ser vista -por los detractores de América- como no más que una extensión del poder de los EEUU. El Presidente Bush estaba feliz al mostrar su desprecio hacia la ONU cuando sus inspectores no pudieron encontrar ninguna arma de destrucción masiva y cuando su Consejo de Seguridad no estuvo de acuerdo con la invasión anglo-americana. Ahora él ni siquiera puede proteger las vidas de (los miembros de) la ONU en Irak. ¿Quiere alguien invertir en Irak ahora? ¿Quiere alguien colocar su dinero en una futura "democracia" en Irak?

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4492.htm 

http://www.rebelion.org/imperio/030820fisk.htm

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The UN bombing: a product of the US occupation of Iraq

By Peter Symonds
20 August 2003

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A massive truck bomb yesterday tore through the Canal Hotel that houses the UN offices in Baghdad killing at least 20 people, including the top UN official in Iraq—Sergio Vieira de Mello, and injuring more than 100. The explosion took place at around 4.30 p.m., as a press conference was underway in the three-storey building that has functioned as the UN headquarters in Iraq since 1991.

The attack was well organised. A concrete truck packed with an estimated 250 kilograms of C4 military explosives was detonated outside a newly-built, concrete retaining wall around the UN compound. The wall offered no protection from the huge blast that destroyed the front of the building, an adjoining hospital and a number of cars and shattered windows blocks away.

No organisation has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Whoever carried out this barbaric act, which wantonly killed and maimed innocent civilians, it serves no progressive purpose whatsoever. It will be immediately seized upon by the Bush administration to justify further indiscriminate reprisals and repression against the Iraqi people. At the same time, the attack underscores the depth of hostility, anger and despair felt by wide sections of the population in Iraq and throughout the Middle East towards Washington’s criminal occupation of the country. Political responsibility for the bomb blast rests with the US and its accomplices, who have created nothing short of a nightmare for the Iraqi people.

US President Bush briefly interrupted a game of golf to make a banal statement to the media condemning the UN bombing. “Every sign of progress in Iraq adds to the desperation of these terrorists and the remnants of Saddam’s brutal regime. The civilised world will not be intimidated,” he declared. “The Iraqi people have been liberated from a dictator. Iraq is on an irreversible course toward self-government and peace.”

His comments stand reality on its head. Washington has not liberated Iraq but replaced a brutal dictatorship, which it helped create, with a neo-colonial regime headed by Paul Bremer III, a proconsul with absolute powers. The Iraqi people are no freer under Bremer than they were under Saddam Hussein. Under the pretext of hunting down “Baathist remnants,” US troops routinely search people, vehicles and houses, killing or incarcerating anyone suspected of opposition. Thousands of people are being held, and in some cases tortured, in US-run jails and detention centres in flagrant breach of their basic democratic rights.

The purpose of the US-led invasion was not to bring “self-government and peace” but to loot the economy, particularly the country’s huge oil reserves. Much of the limited and decaying physical and social infrastructure that existed under the previous regime has been destroyed, leaving masses of people without jobs, basic services and essentials such as electricity, water and adequate food.

It is hardly surprising in these circumstances that young Iraqis are joining the ranks of groups advocating armed resistance. Attacks on US and allied troops are a daily occurrence. In recent days, basic infrastructure has been targetted with a bomb attack on a water main in Baghdad and the rupturing of an oil export pipeline in the north of the country. On August 7, a large car bomb detonated outside the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad, killing at least 17 people.

A number of US-based analysts and experts have begun speculating that “outsiders,” possibly the Al Qaeda network, organised the bombings at the Jordanian embassy and the UN compound. There is no direct evidence of such involvement. Even if it turns out to be the case, however, it simply highlights the fact that the US invasion has transformed Iraq and the broader region into a fertile breeding ground for anti-American militia of many different complexions, including Islamic extremists such as Al Qaeda.

The most significant aspect of yesterday’s bombing was that the UN, and possibly even de Mello himself, were deliberately targetted. In condemning the blast, various governments in Europe and the Middle East have bewailed the fact that the UN was attacked. Syria, for instance, issued a statement urging the UN to continue its role “in helping the Iraqi people restore their freedom and independence.”

But there is no reason why the Iraqi people should see any difference between the US and the UN. For more than a decade, the UN has been complicit in all of the crimes of the US and its allies against the Iraqi people. The UN not only supported the 1990-91 Gulf War but, under the pretext of disarming Iraq, imposed and supervised the decade-long economic sanctions that resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. While the UN Security Council drew back from giving a final seal of approval for the US invasion, all of its members, including Syria, supported last year’s resolution 1441, which set the course for war, and this May rubberstamped the US occupation of Iraq and the plundering of its oil.

The UN headquarters in Baghdad has been a centre for intrigue and duplicity since its establishment over a decade ago. It was the base of operations for the UN weapons inspection teams that were used to spy on and create provocations against the Hussein regime. It was also used by the UN officials who supervised the sanctions program that crippled the Iraqi economy and imposed a decade of deprivation and suffering on the Iraqi population.

De Mello played an integral part in the UN’s sordid operations in Iraq and elsewhere. For three decades after joining the UN as a young graduate in 1969, de Mello has served as a political representative of the major powers in one trouble spot after another—from Cyprus to Bangladesh and Cambodia. He played a prominent role in imposing the dictates of the US and European powers in the Balkans during the 1990s. In 1999, he was inserted as the special UN representative to help manage the NATO occupation of war-ravaged Kosovo. In late 1999, he took up the post as chief administrator following the Australian-led takeover of East Timor. When he left in 2002, the East Timorese people, like their counterparts in the Balkans, were still mired in poverty and unemployment.

His services were appreciated in the world’s major capitals. In the discussions in May leading up to the UN’s formal endorsement of the US occupation, the media reported that de Mello was strongly backed by the Bush administration for the senior UN post in Iraq. De Mello was even mooted as a possible successor to Kofi Annan in the post of UN Secretary General. Annan’s spokesman Fred Eckhard underscored de Mello’s significance yesterday when he said his death would be “a setback politically for the UN mission.”

There is no doubt that in the aftermath of the Canal Hotel bombing, the Bush administration will step up its repression against the Iraqi people. Bush hinted at what was in store when he declared yesterday: “[The] Iraqi people face a challenge, and they face a choice. The terrorists want to return to the days of the torture chambers and mass graves. The Iraqi people who want peace and freedom must reject them and fight terror.”

Stripped of its obvious lies, Bush’s menacing statement is a warning to the Iraqi people: either you are with us, or against us. By recklessly invading and occupying Iraq, the US administration has turned the country into a quagmire that is producing spiralling opposition and resistance. Bush’s comments are a signal that the political gangsters in the White House are preparing to escalate their war of attrition against the Iraqi population.