Only a few, as yet, grasp the dynamics already in
motion that will almost certainly produce a long and protracted war,
as well as huge economic and perhaps physical dislocations in the
United States and around the world. Additional attacks on Americans
are almost a certainty, even -- as I am about to describe -- a
necessity. The rhetoric from President Bush and his Administration
contains messages for the American people, which they do not yet
grasp, and for terrorist organizations, which they most certainly
do. "This is a war and it will not be a short war." "This will not
be over quickly." "We have a war plan that will work, over whatever
period of time it requires." "There will be many casualties. The
military is prepared for that." "This is not just an effort to get
bin Laden. This is a war to wipe out terrorism all over the world."
"We are not thinking just in terms of a few air strikes. Ground
troops will be involved. And some of them will die." "We will go
after terrorism wherever terrorism threatens the United States."
"Americans need to be prepared for more sacrifices and more
casualties." "Just removing bin Laden won't suffice. We are going
after terrorism in all of the countries where it resides."
The last statement is the first great lie of this
war. As the U.S. government has announced its partnership with the
drug-financed government of Pakistan, which has supported terrorist
groups from the Middle East to the Balkans, to China, to Southeast
Asia, the deception begins. Indeed, after Afghanistan, Pakistan
should have been the first great enemy in this war. It's long
support of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan ended only as the
Taliban destroyed most of that nation's opium crop in February of
this year. As in every conflict since World War II, the drug trade
will now see a new day of freedom.
And I guarantee that terrorist groups are well
aware of one fact that we, as Americans, have not yet grasped.
George W. Bush carries on his shoulder the political memory of a
father who waged a war against Sadam Hussein and then left him in
power. He can afford no such image in the current context and the
military he commands must become engaged in a do or die battle. They
too, will accept no less.
That said, the terrorist groups in or from
Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, the Sudan, Yemen, Jordan,
Algeria, Somalia, Turkey, Chechnya, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Germany, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Albania,
Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico know that they are now in a "use
it or lose it" position. For, not knowing where and when the
industrialized nations may strike, they now realize that almost any
action against any political group will go unchallenged in the world
press. Even separatist groups not posing an immediate threat can be
conveniently eliminated in the months and perhaps years to come. As
evidenced by the almost immediate admission of China into the World
Trade Organization, after 15 years of unsuccessful attempts, the
warp drive for globalization - unfettered by any need to respond to
public opinion - has now been engaged. The most cynical part of me
hopes that the headline for this war will not be, "The G-8 Wipes Out
Poverty." In this model I must say that the long discussed, but
rarely acknowledged, alleged plans for massive global population
reduction are no longer a "back burner" issue.
Therefore, in this context, the American people
must expect additional attacks that may even include biological
warfare or nuclear devices on American soil. And these attacks,
already being hinted at by the Administration, will serve an
additional purpose. Two days after the attacks every street and
highway was a sea of American flags. Now, a week after the attacks -
at least in Los Angeles - they are hard to find. Whether we admit it
or not, what the vast majority of the American people really want is
for this to go away. Only sustained attacks on the American people
will provide George W. Bush with the political mandate to wage the
war he has committed to fight - to the bitter end. As the economic
impact sinks in, and as Americans feel the pain in their wallets,
the willingness of American citizens to experience the carnage that
has been raging around the world for decades - in the name of
prosperity and for the benefit of the G-8's largest corporations -
is, in my opinion, a big question mark. Do not expect a quick
recovery in the stock market based upon emotion. As we describe in
this issue, the fundamental weaknesses in the U.S. economy were not
blown up with these attacks. And the markets, if they can still be
called that, are driven by one 800 pound guerilla above all others -
earnings. With the exception of defense contractors, there is
absolutely nothing hopeful to report and I, for one, cannot and
refuse to be an advocate for investing in the destruction of the
planet.
The United States has many enemies. It is the
economic enemies that warrant the most scrutiny now because the
perception that America is the safest place in the world in which to
invest foreign capital has been dealt a huge blow. Further blows
will come with further attacks and this exposes the fine line that
the Administration must walk. Without more attacks at home, the bold
gambit of George Bush, et al will fail for lack of political
support. With them, the world may eventually conclude that the
United States is economically expendable as nations look to their
own interests. Too much economic blood in the water will start a
feeding frenzy.
In the major media, in the alternative media, in
Congress and around the world the context now provides the
opportunity for great lights with courageous souls to emerge and to
lead. We are walking a fine line on a precipice that may lead to
Armageddon or, please God, something better. The Bush Administration
is not equipped with a repertoire of responses sufficient to
navigate the long term perils. We must dig and find something better
within ourselves.
We are living in a whole New World. We just don't
know what it looks like yet.
Mike Ruppert
Sept. 18, 2001