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We get a lot of letters, and publish some of them in this column, "Backtalk," edited by Sam Koritz. Please send your letters to backtalk@antiwar.com. Letters may be edited for length (and coherence). Unless otherwise indicated, authors may be identified and e-mail addresses will not be published.

Posted December 21, 2001

Considering Mass Destruction

[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of December 17, "9/11 – What Was Israel's Role?":]

I think I am being realistic when I suggest that this story will be swept under the rug. It's too obvious to any half-wit in the media that it would embarrass the Bush administration.

I think Israel's situation is roughly comparable to the tenuous hold whites had on Rhodesia and South Africa. I'm convinced that Israel's days are numbered because the Muslims will never give up, even if it takes them two hundred years like after the Crusades. If the U.S. and Israel are considering mass destruction as the only final solution, it could be that the Muslim fundamentalists are thinking the same way too. The question in my mind is: what level of violence will cause the Israeli masses to exodus out of Israel. I don't see how anybody in that country can feel safe and comfortable.

~ Raymond H.


Is It a Band of Moles?

[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of December 17, "9/11 – What Was Israel's Role?":]

You think there was a huge band of terrorists operating inside US borders followed around by a huge band of Mossad operating inside US borders and US intelligence was not involved? Come on, the conspiracy runs into our government – how deep is the debate: is it a band of moles or an organized conspiracy. The events of Sept. 11th point clearly to the latter.

Also what does it tell you that the major media is reporting this Israeli spy conspiracy at the same time the US is stepping on a limb to back up Israel? I am not sure what to make of that, but there is so much information crisscrossing that you would have to be crazy to run with any one story. Especially a story released on GOP-TV for god's sake! These people won't report anything the Pentagon doesn't want us to hear.

I really don't know what to think. These reports are not adding up. We need to put on our thinking caps, be totally open minded, and figure out the logic in all this contradiction.

~ Dylan S.


The Big Chessboard

[Regarding Nebojsa Malic's column of November 29, "Republic Day":]

The fact is, indeed, that politics in the Balkans has hardly ever been left in the hands of the actual people. At that the interference of the Great Powers, running after their own political and economic interests, exacerbated the problems and the already existing politics-based division. Sometimes disruption of relations between Balkan countries was openly stated in the foreign policy objectives of large European states. A good source of reference here could be the foreign policy of Austria-Hungary at the turn of the last century. There the disruption of the relations between Bulgaria and Serbia was/is (sources still available) clearly stated, with Macedonia and the security of the routes to Greece pointed out as the reason standing behind. Alas, of all the points in this foreign policy agenda, the lives of normal people inhabiting the big chessboard are nowhere to be found. That was politics of greed and lust for power, it was not politics "of the people and for the people." I also agree about the larger implications of Balkan politics for the world. The omission of the agenda of ordinary people from state politics is a problem noticeable almost everywhere in the political life of bigger or lesser countries. I believe this is a problem we need to deal with now. Thank you for this well-written and enlightening piece.

~ E.


Israeli Plot

Congratulations to Justin Raimondo for his articles on the Fox News series. He did write in his latest commentary that he could not believe at this point that Israel could protect the Bin Ladenites, to ensure the success of their plot. However, though we know about the USS Liberty, a closer parallel to possible Israeli complicity in the World Trade Center plot could be that of the Lavon Affair of the mid-50s, which coincided with US-Egyptian talks that Israel feared could lead to an alliance.

Similarly, a possible Israeli plot ensure the success of the World Trade Center attack plot could also have been designed to drive a wedge between the US and Arabs, to promote Israel's anti-Arab policy. Israel may not be guilty of this charge, but Israel does have a record of such acts, though not of this scale. They have been able to get away with it every time. Nothing can be ruled out.

~ R.B.


[Only?] 3 Days a Week

[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of December 17, "9/11 – What Was Israel's Role?":]

...I cannot agree that the mainstream media are beholden to the market because they're in an intensely competitive business. For whatever their reasons, be it a conspiracy or just like-mindedness, they behave as a monopoly to censor the news. If they didn't, I wouldn't be going to Antiwar.com 3 days a week.

~ Peter D., California


Just Like Public Servants

[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of December 17, "9/11 – What Was Israel's Role?":]

I have such a profound respect for your mental processes and
views, that I'm hesitant to disagree with you about anything
('cause you're probably right).

...I mainly wish to question your apparent belief that the obligation of news organizations to their stockholders will ensure that they will not spike stories. I believe that corporation executives and boards of directors are just like public "servants"; all put their personal interests ahead of the welfare of their stockholders or voters. Here in the Houston area, we are presently confronted with that reality – with constant news of Enron's collapse. (Its stockholders and employees are hopping mad about what happened, and I don't think many people are willing to attribute it to incompetence.) In the case of the mainstream media corporations, I firmly believe that their officers conspire to spike stories when it is in their best (political or financial) interest to do so. That may not technically constitute an "embargo," but the vast majority of people will never know what they missed – since they don't read or listen to the small, alternative news sources. Even the Internet cannot effectively counter the networks (with their Rush Limbaughs and other famous babblers and scribblers). Corporations routinely screw their consumers (market) and their stockholders.

Thanks for the great website, and your columns. I've been amazed at your knowledge, and appreciate your writing skill. Since I'm in the "Libertarian-Objectivist-von Mises" camp, I'm a member of your choir – but perhaps a bit more cynical.

~ Ed R., Texas


Cobra Commander

The escape of Bin Laden came as no surprise to me. The US let him go on purpose, just as they let Saddam Hussein go time and again even though we have every capability to take either of them out. The "Hunt For Bin Laden" is little more than an amusing story for the public. It seems to me rather like a GI Joe cartoon. "Bloodless" wars with lots of enemy vehicles exploding, and with Bin Laden playing the role of Cobra Commander, who always escapes. Bin Laden is such an awesome villain. The viewers love to hate him! They'd be crazy to kill him off so close to the beginning of the series.

~ CD

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