US Govt Declares Itself Terrorist State
US Govt Declares Itself Terrorist State - by DBoy
Although there is no universally accepted definition of terrorism, it is generally understood that an act of violence commited against an innocent civilian population, or where a use of violence would reasonably be expected to harm innocent civilians, is terrorism. If the act is committed, sanctioned, or enabled by a government, then that action is state-sponsored terrorism. Legitimate military action can be defined as violence between armed opponents where the use of violence is not reasonably expected to harm innocent civilians. A "state" action is one conducted by a sovereign government. A "guerrilla" action is one conducted by a non-governmental entity. This represents my definition of terrorism, combined from the term "terrorism" as defined in the PATRIOT Act, and well as UN documents and other texts.
On Wednesday, September 6th 2006, the US Senate rejected a move by Democrats to stop the Pentagon from using cluster bombs near civilian targets and to cut off sales unless purchasers abide by the same rules. This vote was made in response to the US State Department announcement last month that it is investigating whether Israel misused American-made cluster bombs in civilian areas of Lebanon.
After the Israeli attacks against the civilian population of Lebanon, unexploded cluster bomblets are now widely distributed throughout south Lebanon, and have turned the region into a vast minefield. The United Nations Mine Action Coordination Center reported finding evidence that Israel used three types of U.S.-made cluster bombs during the war with Hezbollah militants. Israel also manufactures its own cluster munitions.
In my opinion, this action by the US Senate represents a pro-terrorist agenda, insuring that the US government can continue its state-sponsored terror activities in support of the genocide against the non-christian populations of Lebanon and Palestine by the Israeli Government. It is well past time that all American citizens wake from their slumber and work to remove terrorist actors, religious fundamentalists, corporate fascists, and traitors from positions of power. It is only by learning to live in peace that we can stop the terrorist threat, and the current rogue actors currently in control of the US Government are the largest threat to peace that mankind has ever known.
Bush admits to CIA secret prisons
See BBC News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5321606.stm
The exact location of these prisons is unknown but suggestions have been made that they exist in Thailand, Afghanistan and several Eastern European nations. You may ask 'why place these secret prisons in countries other than the USA'? The answer, I suspect, is two fold. Firstly it's a case of out of sight = out of mind. Can you imagine the stink if residents in Texas found they had a secret prison filled with terrorist suspects hidden amongst the oil wells and cattle ranches? The other reason is that they can torture confessions out of suspects to their hearts content without any real comeback from those who count - the voters of America. If it aint happening on American soil it aint happening, or at least the voters will care less about it.
For those who say 'terrorists don't play by the rules so why should we?'. The answer is simple, we all abhor terrorism of all kinds and rely on our democratically elected governments to protect us - but if our own governments are picking people up off the street, whisking them to military airports, removing them from their own country, placing them in indefinite confinement, torturing them with dog's and physical and sexual abuse, what are we left with? We are left with government by terrorism. The 'War on Terror' becomes the war BY terror.
Oh, on a side issue. I know the US has voted to continue the sale of cluster bombs. These are the bombs that were used by Israel against the civilian population of Lebanon and has now reduced much of the border area to nothing but a minefield of unexploded bombs. How many innocents will lose lives over the next few years due to the detonation of these terible weapons.