Our activism before 2001 for Palestinian human rights meant that we were in the spotlight (both in the negative and positive sense) after the attacks. Just in the six months after the horrific attacks, I gave over 40 lectures and interviewed and appeared in media over 50 times. More than any other time in my life in the US, I experienced directly both the goodness of the US public and the treachery and meanness of those who only cared for Israel. In my upcoming book about my life in the US, I devote some pages to describe these things. Both the kindness and curiosity of average US citizens and the attacks carried on us by those in the political Zionist camp. We were subjected to email spams, computer hacking, mail fraud, FBI investigations that came from Zionist sources, physical and verbal attacks, and to deluge of letters calling us names (from terrorists to anti-Semites) sent to media, politicians, and even our academic colleagues. Not only did we weather that but we got strengthened in our resolve and much of it backfired on the aggressors and gained us even more sympathy among the American public.
Here we are 10 years after 11 September 2001 and we still have choices. Thanks to US/Israeli miscalculations and stupidity, Iran is stronger than ever as a regional power. The dictatorial governments of the friends of Israel are toppled by popular revolt (Egypt, Tunisia) or about to be toppled (Yemen). Others in the so-called "moderate" camp have been weakened or had to reassess their positions (Jordan, the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah). And while the US policy tried to balance things by working to remove dictators who are less friendly to it (Gaddafi in Libya and Assad in Syria), the outcome is far from certain (and people there may still get to decide).
Comment:
Peace "Activist", Mazin, calling for sharing the Land and reconciliation with the thieves, mass murderers, and genocidal supremacists, sees no diference between "dictatorial governments of the friends of Israel" and "dictators who are less friendly to it"
Mubarak = Kadhafi and Kadhafi = Bashar, therefore: Mubarak = Bashar.
No Surprise
For him: Ceder Revolution = Hezbullah
Hezbullah liberated Lebanon from Israeli occupation, and Cedar "Popular Revolution" Liberated Libanon from Syrian "Occupation"
Therefore, Syria = Israel
Most likely Uri Avnery imagined Mazin holding "posters condemning Binyamin al-Assad and Bashar Netanyahu."
UP
But there are also other changes related to the stupidity of US/Israeli policies after 11 September 2001. Israeli forces executed nine Turkish citizens (one of them also US citizen) in a humanitarian ship in international waters and Israel refused to apologize. Turkey now expelled the Zionist ambassador and cut trade and military ties with Israel. Egyptian activists managed to enter the Israeli Embassy in Cairo and the staff had to flee with the ambassador on his way to Tel Aviv. The carrot and stick approach with the Palestinian authority was used successfully in the past to force compliance with US and Israeli demands. Now it seems to have begun to fail. (Mazin hate to say thanks to RESISTANCE CAMP" David Hale and Tony Blair failed to get their way as spokespersons for Israeli policy to force a retreat in the issue of going to the UN to recognize a Palestinian state in the 22% of historic Palestine that was occupied in 1967. They are now trying to get a language that abrogates Palestinian rights (especially the right of return).
Thus, at the 10th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11, questions abound about how Israel and neocons took US policy in the past 10 years in directions that strengthened adversaries, promoted war, wrecked the American economy, and destroyed the sympathy and solidarity shown by people around the world to the US. Ten years after September 11, 2001, we ( We, being an AMERICAN citizen said we.." still have the choice of continuing the same policies that lead to war and conflict or to insist on human rights and hold violators accountable.
On this sad anniversary, the US government can no longer afford to remain a vassal and occupied country whose congress stands obediently to applause a war criminal like Netanyahu. People shake their heads as they see 81 US Congressmen and Congresswomen take a propaganda trip to Israel during their August recess instead of spending the time dealing with the economic destruction in their own districts caused in part by the lobby that paid for their trip. People wonder how a proud country like the US could allow Israel to get away with attacking a US ship in international waters killing 28 US servicemen. How could this government then appoint lobbyists for Israel as US ambassadors to Israel (e.g. Martin Indyk) and US envoys to the Middle East (e.g. Dennis Ross)? Is it any wonder that we now learn that previous US Secretary of Defense Bill Gates had big differences on issues of policy? Many US officials now speak out while still in office not just after they leave office. It is urgent and critical.
On this sad anniversary, there are a lot of "what if" scenarios being discussed and healthy reflections around the world. For example, what if the US and Israel obeyed international law? What if we did not illegally invade and occupy Iraq and Afghanistan? What if Israel was forced to comply with UN resolutions on withdrawal from illegally occupied areas (SO 1948 Land is Legally occupied land) and forced to allow the ethnically-cleansed Palestinians to return to their homes and lands? In short what if we did not send the message that might makes right but rather that rights make things right? Would that not have been the most rational response to extremists whether they are wearing Turbans or wearing Kippas or wearing crosses?
(Hamas = Likud, both refuse to share the land)
In case you missed it:
On the anniversary of 9/11: Robert Fisk writes that "For 10 years, we've lied to ourselves to avoid asking the one real question" http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-for-10-years-weve-lied-to-ourselves-to-avoid-asking-the-one-real-question-2348438.html
Arundhati Roy on September 11
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