Terrorists Fight Terrorism: America, Israel and the 'Terrorist' Boogeyman

"Terrorism" and "terrorists" are the key labels of warmongers working to instil fear into the public to justify military slaughtering.

Artwork by Carlos Latuff, friend of Salem-News.com located in Rio de Janeiro. To see more of his work, visit: Latuff Gallery

(MANAMA, Bahrain) - Those who shout “terrorism” loudest – Israel and America’s Zionists and neo-conservatives – are themselves serial practitioners of state terrorism and murder committed in the guise of self-defence.

You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you. (Eric Hoffer)

Former American President Jimmy Carter commented on the kind of state terrorism reflected in American actions in Guantanamo Bay and other places as a disgrace to the USA.

“I wouldn't say it's the cause of terrorism, but it has given impetus and excuses to potential terrorists to lash out at our country and justify their despicable acts.”

"Terrorism" and "terrorists" are the key labels of warmongers working to instil fear into the public to justify military slaughtering. Just about anyone who refuses to comply with the dictates of pre-emptive military states can be targeted.

The amazing part of this charade is that the labels are used by the states to justify outright murders while indulging in the same behaviour under a different name.

A young Palestinian blows himself up as a reaction to his family's deaths by phosphorous bombs. He's a "terrorist".

The bombers are defenders of their security, but not terrorists.

Israel admits that it used phosphorus shells "against military targets in open ground" in south Lebanon. However, the Lebanese reported the Israelis used them against civilians.

If a family member of a dead civilian retaliates against Israelis, that’s "terrorism".

Israel’s choice of civilian-killing tools and where they’re used is not terrorism but "self-defence".

In Gaza, 67 schools receive bombs from Israel in 22 days of war. That’s not terrorism but self-defence. Does Israel argue that those 67 schools would produce future terrorists?

America, NATO and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) invade Afghanistan to capture and/or kill Al-Qaeda terrorists. It’s done. We’re still there terrorising Afghans.

"Terrorist" – poem by Mhara Costello

The label "terrorism” instils fear and arouses action. It was used to become engaged in the Iraq war.

A group of Zioncons (Zionist neocons) including William Kristol, Martin Peretz, Richard Perle​, Daniel Pipes​, Norman Podhoretz and Robert Kagan wrote a letter to President G.W. Bush using terrorism as the key to arousing fear.

Mr President, we urge you to accelerate plans for removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. As you have said, every day that Saddam Hussein remains in power brings closer the day when terrorists will have not just airplanes with which to attack us, but chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons, as well.

In that same letter, they wrote: “It is now common knowledge that Saddam, along with Iran ... maintains links to the Al-Qaeda network." That comment was a blatant lie, and they knew it.

To further instil fear, the Zioncons wrote: "If we do not move against Saddam Hussein and his regime, the damage our Israeli friends and we have suffered until now may someday appear but a prelude to much greater horrors."

Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz​ reveals the kind of thinking that attempts to extol state terrorism by calling it self- defence.

"I have been defending Israel's right to exist, and to defend itself against terrorism, for many years-on college campuses, in television appearances and in debate."

The same targeting of would-be terrorists, justifying more state terrorism, has been directed toward Iran.

American lawyer/writer Glenn Greenwald​ observes: "...it has been one of Obama’s highest foreign policy priorities to isolate Iran and sanction it further: as a means of placating Israel and punishing Iran..."

When either the US or Israel indulge in further pre-emptive strikes or assassinations, it will be state terrorism used to defend against fictional terrorists.

Scholar and author Noam Chomsky observed wisely “Everybody's worried about stopping terrorism. Well, there's a really easy way: stop participating in it.”

He’s a weekly Op-Ed columnist for the GULF DAILY NEWS . Dr. Balles is also Editorial Consultant for Red House Marketing and a regular contributor to Bahrain This Month. He writes a weekly op-ed column for Akbar Al Khaleej (Arabic). He has also edited seven websites, including bahrainthismonth.com, womenthismonth.com

Paul has had more than 350 articles published, focusing on companies, personality profiles, entrpreneurs, women achievers, journalists and the media, the Middle East, American politics, the Internet and the Web, consumer reports, Arabs, diplomats, dining out and travel. Paul's articles on Salem-News.com are frank and enlightening. We are very appreciative of the incredible writings Dr. Balles has generated for our readers over the years, and we are very pleased to list him among our most valued contributors.

Indulging the hard subjects that keep the world divided is our specialty at Salem-News.com, and with writers like Dr. Paul Balles on our team, we amplify our ability to meet challenges and someday, will see the effects of this exist in context with a more peaceful and generally successful world.

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