: Who's terrorizing America? : It is widely accepted that the Middle East is a hotbed of anti-American terrorism, : sponsored in part by governments actively opposed to United States foreign policy : such as those of Iran, Syria, Iraq and Libya. Names like Abu Nidal and Usama Bin : Laden spring to mind as major enemies of Washington who have carried out ruthless : attacks against American targets. This general perception was strengthened : recently by the US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, who made a statement at : the release of a State Department report on international terrorism. : The report said that the primary terrorist threats to the US come from the Middle : East and South Asia. The report also said that terrorism was currently less : supported by states and more part of "far-flung and loosely structured webs of : terror," to use her terminology, and that it was less political and more religious : and ideological in motivation. But, as Ali Abunimah of the Arab American Action : Network recently wrote in the New York Times, the State Department's own data do : not support the contention that the Middle East and South Asia are the major : centers of anti-American terrorism. : Of 169 specifically anti-American attacks on foreign soil in 1999, 96 were in : Latin America, 30 in West Europe, nine in the CIS and 16 in Africa. Only 11 were : in the Middle East and six in Asia. These proportions have stayed fairly constant : at least since 1996. The bulk of attacks in Latin America were in Colombia and : Peru, carried out by left-wing terrorists and right-wing paramilitary groups. : Attacks were usually for ransom money or to undermine national economies. : In Europe, most of the attacks last year were in protest against American-lead : attacks on Serbia in the war for Kosovo. : In the Middle East and South Asia, most attacks are related to local conflicts in : which America is seen to be taking sides unfairly. These include the : Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Pakistani-Indian fighting over Kashmir. : Abunimah points out that the threat of international anti-American terrorism : itself is something of a red herring, since its annual toll is less than the : average daily toll of domestic handgun violence in the United States. Of course, : international terrorism should be taken very seriously and dealt with decisively. : But the bad name given Arabs and Muslims by association is simply not fair. : Abunimah reminds readers that in the immediate aftermath of the Oklahoma City : bombing, men of Arab origin were the first suspects. He points out the unhappy : irony for most Arab and Muslim Americans is that many fled to America to escape : violence and terror in their homelands. To be stigmatized as a people prone to : such acts is especially painful for them. Terrorism has typically been driven by a : mixture of motivations, political and ideological. Groups that fall under the : terrorist label have fought to overthrow established governments, to destroy : political opponents and parties and have been driven by everything from : Marxism-Leninism and Baathism to Zionism and radical Islam. : Madeleine Albright is no doubt on safe political ground when she points to the : Middle East and South Asia as prime sources of anti-American terrorism, even : though only ten percent of all such terrorist acts occurred in those areas last : year. Most people would nod in agreement. She would cause a stir if she told the : truth. The world today is not a place of peace and harmony for all humanity. There : are still many individuals and groups who are not party to either the accepted, : secularist ideologies or the global prosperity that characterizes the most : powerful countries on this earth. Islamic activists in general make up one of the : largest such disenchanted and disenfranchised groups. Their voices are often not : heard or are ignored, leading to acts of rage and terrorism. There is no : acceptable argument for terrorism. By its very nature it is anti-human. However, : there are many good arguments for studying the roots of terrorism and devising : strategies for the elimination of its causes. This is the work of building bridges : between peoples, groups and nations. Tell the truth, Albright, and think about how : to deal with those roots. : THOMAS CROMWELL : Editor in Chief and Publisher : The Middle East Times : http://metimes.com/2K/issue2000-20/methaus.htm : -------------------------- : Islam Guide : http://www.islam-guide.com : The Canadian Society of Muslims : http://www.muslim-canada.org/ : Islam In Canada : http://www.islam.ca : Articles on Islam : http://www.jannah.org/articles/ : The Bism Rabbik Foundation's main purpose is to provides accurate Islamic : information and services worldwide, in Spanish and English, for those who are : seeking knowledge and to bridge the gap of misunderstandings between the : different religions. : http://www.muslims.net/Bism_Rabbik_Foundation/index_en.html : The Muslim Official Site of Islamic Culture in Central Eastern Europe : http://www.islam.pl/ <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html <A HREF="http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
