Just what is a terrorist? For that matter, what constitutes a freedom fighter? What is the difference, aside from whose side you’re on?

Well, unfortunately there does not seem to be much of a distinction, except by the American government and its policy toward these various groups. While it is certainly understandable for our nation to be concerned for its own well-being and to look out for its interests, it is yet another thing to supply and aid those groups whose actions align themselves with terror organizations as long as they agree with our current foreign policy.

During our recent history, there have been many movements from within nations to create a new and independent state. Furthermore, many groups have been waging terror-like campaigns toward establishing states based upon ethnicity and religion. While terrorists are defined by their supporters as freedom fighters who will do anything for their cause; these same terrorists are viewed from the perspective of those in power as opposing the goals of the organization. Well, so what?

The importance of this perspective is that the United States has supported such terrorist organizations within the last 20 years in various Middle Eastern nations, including Afghanistan. Let us take, for example, the Mojahedin. The Mojahedin was a loosely organized Islamic group that fronted paramilitary and terror campaigns in both Iran and Afghanistan. When Ayatollah Khomeini first began to come to power, Jimmy Carter secretly funded the Mojahedin funds in an attempt to prevent the fundamentalist coalition from maintaining its power. The Mojahedin in Iran used public bombing attacks and secret assassinations of government officials and politicians in order to achieve its goals. These people used the same methods that are being used against us today. Our government gave them not only sympathy, but economic assistance.

Similarly, when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, we gave our full support to the terrorist organization. Only then we called them freedom fighters. The CIA funded weapons, purchases and training camps for the Mojahedin fighters. One of the other top supporters and leaders of the Mojahedin in Afghanistan was Osama bin Laden fresh from Saudi Arabia. Kind of scary.

Additionally, after the Shah of Iran was overthrown by Khomeini, we supported Saddam Hussein, who at that time was the president of Iraq. Coincidentally, we also helped fund his military and propped up his weakening government. It also is hinted that we gave him anthrax to help develop some scary weapons to use against Iran.

So what does all this political maneuvering teach us? Well, for one we should remember that a friend at one point in time could be our worst enemy at another. Additionally, the United States government should seriously question the designation of freedom fighters and terrorists. If we truly are to wage a war against global terrorism, we must remember that terrorism does not just happen to our nation or other nations that are allied with us. If we are acting to stamp out the evildoers that do not value human life, we must do so internationally to all groups who seek to use terror and oppression to achieve their ends.

Additionally, we must consider the fact that we are not acting to protect the ideology of self-determination or freedom, but instead our national interests politically, economically and socially. The leaders of this nation should not use the rhetoric of freedom to hide behind protecting our socioeconomic interests. The repression of women and peace-loving people has occurred throughout the Middle East and Asia since the beginning of recorded history, yet we have not acted on it.

The American government should further be weary of calling the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan “freedom fighters” because that, too, may become rather complicated. After all, if we supported ethnic movements in other nations, we would have a few new nations like Quebec, Kurdistan, East Timor and Chechnya. Our government should do something about those people who have no value for human life or freedom. But it should not act in the name of those values when it simply is protecting our economy and politics.

Our past has been inconsistent at best to claim such lofty moral goals.