America needs to think about the consequences

A deepening hypocrisy is evident in America’s foreign policy today. In response to the inexcusable terrorist attacks, the United States government is preparing to go to war against

terrorism to save freedom.

Or so it claims.

In what is proclaimed to be a new counter-terrorism operation, America is implementing the same old tired and ineffective methods of intervention in the Middle East. Our reckless use of military power in that region has given rise to the radical fundamentalist regimes which we now seek to destroy.

The history of the fundamentalist Taliban in Afghanistan is complex and cannot be attributed entirely to actions of the U.S. However, our involvement should not be ignored as it can teach us what not to do in our current situation.

Beginning in the late ’70s the CIA provided covert funding and training to the ISI (the Pakistani equivalent to the CIA). The CIA wanted ISI to fund a jihad (Muslim holy war) against the Soviet Union. Pakistan did so by sending our money and CIA-trained operatives to Afghanistan to fight off a Soviet invasion.

The Soviet defeat of the destabilized political system allowed for militarist groups including the Taliban to violently take control of the Afghan government. We now know that half of the Taliban’s funding came from the U.S.-funded ISI. Instead of learning from our mistakes, the Bush administration intends to use existing terrorist organizations to fight Osama bin Laden.

Bush has asked Congress to allow him to ignore current restrictions on U.S. military assistance. He wants to send military personnel, equipment and dollars to nations that might help us fight terrorists.

The problem?

Congress has banned military assistance to these states because they sponsor terrorists. Bush wants to fight terrorism by funding states that support terrorists.

It is often the case that our government leaders will say one thing and do the opposite, but rarely are the consequences quite as severe as in today’s crisis.

The actions being proposed by the executive branch, if implemented, will cost the lives of thousands of innocent civilians in the Middle East and possibly more American deaths. We can expect the loss of military personnel and we should not expect terrorism to stop.

It is foolish for the Bush administration to expect its current proposals to halt terrorism when similar past interventions only have exacerbated the problem. We must forge other routes to peace. We should reevaluate our foreign policy so that our nation discourages violent regimes and encourages steps toward democracy.

The Middle East receives the majority of U.S. arms exports. If we truly wish for peace, then we should support region-wide disarmament efforts (the U.S. has vetoed United Nations proposals for disarmament in the past).

In addition, we should support the dismantling of the Taliban regime. We should do so, however, without the use of cluster bombs or ground troops both of which have been wildly unsuccessful in the past. Without a reassessment of our policy initiatives, we will make no progress toward global peace.

Unfortunately, before we can do this, we must stop our plans for war and examine legitimate non-militaristic resolutions to America’s tragedy.

It is to achieve the goal of international peace that the Northern Coalition for Peace and Justice endorses the Solidarity Sit-In for Peace happening at noon today at the King Memorial Commons.

Members of the DeKalb community will make this statement against war in unity with the anti-war protests occurring in Washington, D.C. this weekend.