Actually, the U.S. helped instigate the slaughtering in Rwandan.
They did this through the CIA and the French intelligence which
had supported the,then, "rebel" (opposition) group. The rebels shot
down the plane that had been carrying the President (PM?) of
Rwanda. This incident was the catalyst for the fighting and
slaughering that took place. It was CIAI and French intellegience
who provided the missile and logistical support for the
assasination of the Rwandan President. This is actually well
documented, although the official story is that the west "sat back
and did nothing". That is, of course, a useful line for the west to
resort to as they can use this ("we sat back and did nothing")
pretext at thier whims to justify their military role/"interventions"
throughout Africa, as they've been doing quite often since Rwanda.
In terms of Iraq: I believe it was the British intelligence that helped
install Saddam into power (This was accomplished through a coup
that had toppled what was, I believe, a democratically elected
government in Iraq). The U.S. certainly supported Saddam
throughout his reign. It is after (again the official line) he decided to
"invade" Kuweit (In fact, he had been given the green light to do so
by the then US.Abassador to Iraq by way a telephone conversation
in which she had given Saddamn assurances that Bush Sr.
woudln't react) that Saddam became the bad guy. It was after the
invasion (over a piece of disputed territory under Kuweity
sovereignty, that had at a time being Iraqi) that Bush Sr. officially
turned against Saddam. Prior to that, he was a darling dictator of
the U.S (and FYI, the oppression and slaugheting of Kurds was
taking place even when Saddam was in the U.S.'s good books. As
far as I'm aware, it occured with money and arms received from the
U.S.)
Obviously all this happened around the same time that the Soviet
Union was disintegrating. The U.S. needed a new threat, and they
got it by presenting Iraq under Saddam as posing a legitimate
threat to world safety (as ridiculous as that sounds), or at least in
interim. I imagine that's why the U.S.did _not_ invade Iraq during
Gulf War 1. They allowed Saddam to stay in power, *knowing full
well* that he would continue to engage in the calculated killing of
the Kurd inhabitants (among others groups in the country).
DOQ
Date sent: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 07:42:50 -0500
Send reply to: "Lillie,Timothy H" <[log in to unmask]>
From: "Lillie,Timothy H" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: The Tragedy
To: [log in to unmask]
> Someone once said that when one party or other resorts to the Hitler
> analogy, that means that the resorting party has lost the argument or at
> least has nothing to say.
>
> As for wars and such: where were you when the US let a million Rwandans
> die at each other's hands? Where were you when Saddam Hussein was
> gassing Kurds?
>
> No, the left and right in Europe have plenty to answer for -- as will
> the US, in it's turn.
>
> Timothy Lillie, PhD
> Associate Professor
> The University of Akron
> Zook Hall 322
> Akron OH 55325-4205
> 330-972-6746 (voice)
> 330-972-5209 (fax
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: keith armstrong [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Saturday, November 06, 2004 12:34 PM
> To: Lillie,Timothy H
> Cc: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: The Tragedy
>
>
> Hitler was a democratically elected leader (however that didn't make him
> a good guy)
>
> I am not sure that the US is even a democracy. Whoever is going in for
> elections has to be a millionaire or have the support of the super rich.
> AFAIA The only US President (since the end of the 2nd
> World War) who was not a millionaire before taking office was Nixon.
> The US is a two party state where every other point of view is
> pushed away and denied access to the media, look at the way Ralph
> Nader was treated.
>
> The fact is that since the 2nd World War the US has invaded over 72
> different countries outside of the US, the latest being the tragedy of
> Iraq. These outrages have left millions dead and even more people with
> physical impairments. Far too many to count.
>
> Bush only answers to 'god', and there lies the danger to all the
> people on the planet. Bush has his fingers on many weapons of mass
> destruction. The poison gas used by Saddam Hussein was made in the USA
> and sold for a profit. Surely you deal with the pusher first
> before dealing with the user.
>
> My personal war on real terrorism is to refuse to buy products made in
> the USA and where possible not buy UK products either, because it is all
> about making money and stealing poor peoples resources.
>
> War is a very ineffective way of dealing with the worlds problems, so
> far over 100,000 dead in Iraq and only 20% of the names of children
> murdered in Iraq have had their names recorded.
>
> I felt very honoured to hear Professor Stephen Hawkings' views on
> the Bush/Blair war against the Iraqi people last Tuesday, when the names
> of some of the people were have been killed in Iraq were read out.
>
> Keith
>
>
> On Fri, 5 Nov 2004 15:25:01 -0500 , "Lillie,Timothy H"
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >Well, perhaps you are right. I don't recall a US election since 1968
> >that has generated so much vituperation and hatred from so many people.
> >
> >Still, I am not trying to justify Bush's foreign or domestic policy,
> >most of which I happen to oppose. I am trying to point out that
> >vituperation and hatred (especially of a democratically elected leader)
>
> >is not the best way to convince her that she ought to change her
> >policy, foreign or domestic.... Or him, as the case may be.
> >
> >Timothy Lillie, PhD
> >Associate Professor
> >The University of Akron
>
>
> War makes people ill.
>
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