I personally think its ironic on so many levels that the highest court in the United States has come to this conclusion. Why? Because our government is the largest weapons dealer on the planet.. oh wait .. were we recently usurped by Russia or was it China? Does it really matter?! What does matter is that this is just another hypocritical ruling that will only be selectively enforced by the intelligence and law enforcement agencies as they see fit. Indeed.. as the United States government has yet to recognize state sponsored terrorism under the definition of terrorism – they can just call any one a terrorist they deem a threat to the status quo which in this case IS the state.
Interesting how the funding of Christian or Jewish groups abroad never comes into question but that of any group that doesn’t fall within those two categories – is suddenly a target.
Do people think terrorists just appeared in history with the sad events of September 11th, 2001?
Reality check people. As long as there have been groups of people banding together for a common cause – usually related to resource scarcity – there has been terrorism. Lets refresh ourselves on how terrorism is defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary – “the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.” Coercion is defined as,”the use of express or implied threats of violence or reprisal (as discharge from employment) or other intimidating behavior that puts a person in immediate fear of the consequences in order to compel that person to act against his or her will.”
So.. what historical acts and government acts could fall under these two terms? Lets see…
*The Inquistion – also known as the cleansing of the blood.
*The French Revolution – which was called L’Terror – which many scholars on the subject of terrorism attribute the term Terrrorism coming from.
*The Colonization of most of the planet by different world powers. Then the introduction of guns, germs and steel – read the book simply fascinating as it is sad. There are still many nations who fall under “protectorate” status which simply means they are colonies of those countries. I bet many people don’t view Guam and Puerto Rico that way.. but it is.
*Holocaust – people tend to forget it wasn’t just those of Jewish decent that were killed in this time period. Political dissidents, Free Thinkers, the Roma, the Homosexual, Disabled – just to name a few who were killed. In the name of the Aryan race and cleansing of the blood.
*The CIA sticking its fingers in “geo politically strategic” country be it an attempt to stop the fabled Domino Effect, the war on drugs or now Terrorism – or should I say Islam and Muslims in general because so far Thomas Friedman’s rule about countries not attacking countries with McDonald’s isn’t holding true – I am sure Iraq had Mc Donald’s and has now upgraded to including Subway, Burger King and KFC too. Which oddly enough in Cairo they give out rolls not biscuits with your chicken.. weird I know? right?!
So it must have to a different X factor- So far the United States hasn’t punk’d Russia for its vast natural gas and oil reserves – so I put my money on the reason the United States went after had to do with three things. 1. Geo strategic location – Put a base in Iraq your in the center of the Middle East – easy access to all neighboring countries. 2. Resources – one word – Oil. 3. None of the countries located in the Middle East with the exception of Israel (which is an undeclared nuclear weapon state) are a true threat to the United States or its military because they don’t have nuclear weapons. So it was a tri fold assessment that made it the perfect invasion zone. Plus with Israel a stones throw away – the USA’s BFF can’t lend a hand if necessary.
Homegrown terrorists have been around before Timothy McVeight decided to join in. We have many hate groups which can decide to commit acts of domestic terrorism at any time – Check out the Southern Poverty Law Center’s – Hate Map – (http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map). White Nationalists, Skinheads, Anti Immigrant, Anti Gay, Christian Identity, Neo Confederate, Black Separatist, Neo Nazi and even General Hate Groups.
Perhaps the one that people forget to remember is the government – funded by our tax dollars – in the case of the United States have funded, trained and assisted terrorist groups in an effort to achieve geopolitical influence and engineer favorable outcomes for the United States of America’s interests. Such is the case with the School of Americas – now renamed “Western Hemisphere Institute for Security CooperationWHISC or WHINSEC)” Sexy eh? But this school invites, houses, feeds and continues to train military’s of other governments in tactics that terrorize, maim, kill innocent civilians such as Pinochet, Banzer, Noriega and many many more.
We know for a fact the CIA trained many Taliban leaders as a part of many wars within Afghanistan to push back the Russians including Osama bin Ladin. These individuals trained and supported by our many world governments are far more of a worry in my mind than that of a charitable foundation who sends money to Hamas or Hezbollah. In banning the direct charitable donations – now those who could be threats will go farther underground and move to old fashioned cash or other goods to secure funding. So this legal ruling has caused yet another quagmire- that will result in more innocent civilians dead.
American Muslimahs Musings 