World Peace Pages
Summaries
9/11 links below
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World Peace Pages Summaries 9/11 links below |
Summary of this page: Imagine - a mental exercise: imagine for a moment, that the IRA were behind the catastrophe in America... How would you feel? How would you feel, if the US were to direct some bombers and cruise missiles to Northern Ireland? . . . |
For more inspiring reflections see: Spiritual Wisdom and www.newsforthesoul.com/petition-storycoverage.htm
The World Trade Center, the United States and Afghanistan"This essay is posted at: http://home1.gte.net/res0k62m/wtc.htm and has numerous links to my work to support nearly every point I make. It might be best to read that version and take the links from it. This is a composite of various conversations that I have had recently regarding the World Trade Center attacks and what the response of the United States should be, as well as other information I have seen."
Here is a brief excerpt to give you an idea of its excellent content:
There are still about ten million unexploded land mines in Afghanistan, and over twenty people each day die from them. More innocent Afghanis have died in the past year from stepping on mines than died in the World Trade Center attacks. Today, Afghanistan is suffering through a horrendous drought, and until recently Pakistan was feeding several million Afghanis with food they were sending them. As a condition of the U.S.' upcoming war against Afghanistan, the United States has demanded that Pakistan cease aid to Afghanistan, which will likely guarantee the deaths of millions of innocent people during the next year, even if the United States does not invade. What we have already done in forcing Pakistan to suspend aid has probably already killed more people than died in the World Trade Center attacks, and what is likely to happen in the next year will make the World Trade Center attacks pale into insignificance, but the American people, similar to the case of Iraq, will likely hear little about it.
The United States has killed off over eight million people directly with its various military interventions over the past fifty years, and has directly caused the suffering of hundreds of millions of others. The United States recently said it would send food aid to Afghanistan. That will help, but if the past "assistance" to nations we bludgeon are any indicator, like how we manipulated the oil-for-food program with Iraq, it is hard to be optimistic about the aid we will give Afghanistan, especially as we gave them none after they served our Machiavellian purposes in the 1980s. Forcing Pakistan to suspend aid to Afghanistan, and other pressure we are applying, might also lead to the overthrow of the Pakistani government by its own people, and Pakistan has nuclear weapons. In the words of Noam Chomsky, "At this point we are considering the possibility of a war that may destroy much of human society."
Imagine the IRA had been behind the attack... - a mental exercise towards understanding - especially tailored for the BritishHow would you feel, if the US were to "teach the IRA a lesson" and direct some bombers and cruise missiles to Northern Ireland?
Would you expect Tony Blair to support this?
Now imagine a catastrophe like this had happened in an Arabic country and the IRA were the terrorists behind it. Through what eyes might the Arabic politicians and public see the British? Of course they would write about those "Christian terrorists" - how would you feel, living in a Christian culture? How safe would you feel?
Would you wholeheartedly support a military action against the Northern Irish terrorists by allied Arabic forces?
Now dare to imagine you were British and living in an Arabic country: all the newspapers full with articles about these Christian terrorists from Britain.... people on the road suspiciously looking at you, wondering if you are a terrorist....
Now relax: it was not the IRA. How do you feel now? Relief, that it wasn't us?
You might not like to imagine all those things. But Palestinians and Islamic people might exactly be in this awkward position with having terrorists in their country.
Can you understand, how they might feel?
I invite you to overcome your prejudices with this mental change of postion. Whatever politicians or some media say: we are all brothers and sisters. Next time you meet an Arab, smile and try the peace greeting "As Salaam Aleikum". This is the action we need now - not war or bombs.
Last not least a hint to Downing Street:
we should keep out of any military action against international terrorism until we have solved the Northern Ireland problem ("do the homework first") - how else can the British be credible?
After writing this I found a website with a better explanation: www.zmag.org/qacalam.htm#Who did it
17 September 2001 Ralph Nimmann (e-mail)
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