Posted November 27, 2002

Dershowitz

Regarding "Group Files Complaint to Disbar Dershowitz" by the Council on American-Islamic Relations:

Good for you. I am a religious member of an Orthodox Jewish Synagogue, and I am strongly opposed to the assassinations, collective punishments, confiscations, demolitions, torture, etc. done by Israeli government and winked at and even practiced by the U. S. government in the name of fighting “terrorism.” There should be more litigation both in the country and in the European Community against the real terrorists and their suppliers.

~ George N. Spitz

China Insight

Regarding "The Incoming Hu Era" by Sascha Mastuszak:

Wow. What an interesting article ... – the insight, or should I say lack thereof was quite impressive. I find it amusing that the majority of these "antiwar" web sites learn very little form the history they claim to study. When it comes to Chinese aggression perhaps you should ask the Tibetans what their opinion is. Or perhaps you could speak with actual Taiwanese citizens rather than read the ramblings of Taiwanese social elitists who have skewed opinions to fit their utopian ideas. Maybe one should question the flow of weapons that go into North Korea, a nation that constantly builds up their military might while their people starve. The PRC is also very skilled at holding US Airmen prisoner after illegally bumping into one of our planes in international airspace.

In short: grow up. The bottom line is this. You are the same people that constantly try to undermine US intelligence and military might. Perhaps if the people represented on this web site devoted more time to reality and less to imagination we would have had the assets needed to thwart certain terrorist attacks. Perhaps if one of you managed to realize that in the current geopolitical realm peace is won through strength not weakness (again, you might want to ask the Tibetans what they think on that). But to tell you the truth, I don't expect whoever this is [is] going to read past the third line. Because to this day I haven't found one hard-core antiwar protester that could sit down and have a logical debate about the issues. They seem to always get caught up in rhetoric. ...

While the Chinese hardly ever send troops outside their borders for peacekeeping, etc., they seem to maintain a rather large force. At the same time they are cutting the size of their forces in order to modernize. Their actual defense budget is going up. And for once perhaps you people should take into account the overall percentage of the GDP, rather than just random number. ...

And again let me point out that ... China is famous for sending troops for the sole purpose of expanding their borders or saber rattling. The United States has actually deployed (and continues to deploy) troops around the world for a number of operations, many of which have no great strategic interest for us, other than helping an ally (Kosovo, Somalia, Bosnia, etc.). ...

~ MS

Sascha Matuszak replies:

Wow. What a patriot.

Perhaps if the US Army wasn't around the globe "helping out allies" we wouldn't have terrorists flying planes into our buildings. And maybe if we didn't position our spy planes 70 miles off of what Bush labeled a "strategic competitor" at the time, then their fighter planes wouldn't bump into us.

Yeah, might makes right and the US sure has the might. But bullies get no respect. That's why Tibetans sneer at Chinese and the world sneers at us. Except of course our good buddy Israel. That seems to be the only "operation" with no national interest behind it. Look at our President's business portfolio and the business interests of those commanding him and you'll see why the oppressed of Afghanistan, Iraq, the Balkans and Turkey are such "good buddies of ours."

The US has the might to do whatever it wants. Even change the world. And "we people" over here at Antiwar.com want to change the world. "You people" over there (wherever that may be) see no hope for change and see enemies in every corner -- trying to kill freedom for killings' sake.

You accuse us of "lack of insight," "undermining US intelligence and military might" and inability to debate without resorting to rhetoric. I have an insight into China that you can't possibly comprehend because I live here and you don't. Our "good buddy and ally" seems to have known something about 9/11 as well as my hometown FBI office. Perhaps the intelligence Antiwar.com so effectively undermines undermined itself this time. And "rhetoric"? I've received a lot letters like yours and I wonder if its just one guy having a good time.

Implantable Radio Frequency Identification Device

Regarding "Totally Clueless" by Justin Raimondo:

I agree that the Total Information Awareness campaign seems totally clueless. The fact that it is an impossible undertaking and the fact that it is being so widely publicized makes me think there is something else going on. Perhaps it is a step toward outlawing cash transactions. After all, who among us is not already planning ways to ensure that our transactions stay out of the database? The average American citizen is ... smart enough to figure this out, and they themselves will probably start demanding that the government outlaw cash transactions in order to make this wonderful new system work! Perfect timing, since Applied Digital Solutions has the Office of Homeland Security's seal of approval for their implantable radio frequency identification device that will make it increasingly difficult for implant-refusees to conduct business of any kind.

On the other hand, cash transactions won't need to be outlawed if we suffer a total economic collapse. Getting the American people to turn in fellow citizens who attempt to barter with silver and gold will be a no-brainer. Imagine how angry and resentful your neighbors would be if you were the only one on the block who was smart enough to trade your worthless federal reserve notes for silver and gold before the big collapse. It wouldn't be hard to convince them that you are a traitor/terrorist.

~ Penny Hendrix

Roll-Out

Regarding "Totally Clueless" by Justin Raimondo:

Thanks for all of your previous articles. They are thoughtful and interesting.

With this editorial however I think you are missing something. Spying on people with advanced technology has been going on for years, but recently has become increasingly public knowledge. I read about Echelon on Slashdot.org in about 1999. I was freaked out like I had never been before. So at some point the government would have had to make what was secret a public policy, despite its being clandestine, illegal and unconstitutional. That's what is happening now. It's a public roll-out of what has been going on for fifty years. We will be monitored whether we like it or not; whether we have a Fourth Amendment or not.

In fact, I think this will be a pattern for many years to come: advanced military technology is probably 20-60 years ahead of anything that makes it into the marketplace. It will remain secret until more advanced technology replaces it. At that point the old technology is "painted blue" (prepared for police use and sold to them) and introduced to the public as "new." We won't know what is being used against us (for us?) for many years to come.

All this may have good purposes like preventing nuclear attack, but most likely it will be used for fascist purposes: maintaining power.

Also, your article is either black or white. If they don't gain perfect control with all this technology it's a failure? No. If they gain some power with this technology, it will have been a success in their yes, and a problem for individual liberty.

I just wish this stuff was sold to the public honestly, rather than with propaganda.

~ Stan M., Florida

India and Britain

Regarding "Our Sorry State" by Christopher Montgomery:

I think that Mr. Montgomery should join the war party, as he continues to support the wayward polices of ex-empire – much of the British empire was simply built by grabbing land and resources from natives either directly or through entities such as East India Company.

Further, he solemnly accepts his ignorance about the partition of India by stating, "Is this the history Mr. Straw feels deathly embarrassed about? Or India for pity's sake: whose fault was partition? The colonisers or the decolonisers?"

He plainly forgets about the “divide and rule” tactics of the empire, building in dividing the natives along the religious lines. According to his logic, we will blame the Iraqis (currently religiously moderate) themselves for forthcoming partition of secular Iraq along religious/ethnic lines (Sunni/Shiite/Kurds), while our current empire-builder looks to exploit any fault lines in the society to gain a foothold in Iraq for oil.

Further he asks “Who killed the untold millions of 1947? The British? Not hardly.”

He is right, but why did the British stand and simply watch the massacre, when only the British had the power and force to stop these riots? India only became a republic in 1950.

Finally, his imperialistic intention shows in the following, “The only mistake we made about granting independence to India was granting independence to India.”

India is his property, why let go of it? – stealing other people’s land and wealth is his god given right.

According to Mr. Montgomery, the lesson for all of us who believe in Libertarianism is to blame the victims not the empire. ...

~ Sonny Sundaram

Christopher Montgomery replies:

I dare say we have here yet another antiwar activist for whom wars of "national liberation" aren't such a problem.

Gambling Ad

When I clicked on your web site, a gambling ad came up with no apparent way to shut it down. This is outrageous. Please discontinue this ad.

~ Barry W.

Webmaster Eric Garris replies:

We do not have any advertising. Some of the newer popup ads are on a delay. In other words, it was activated a certain number of seconds after you went to a previous site. I know, these popup ads are getting outrageous. I recommend a popup-killer program.

Bomb Iraq

To the tune of "If You're Happy And You Know It Clap Your Hands":

If we cannot find Osama, bomb Iraq.
If the markets hurt your Mama, bomb Iraq.
If the terrorists are Saudi
And the bank takes back your Audi
And the TV shows are bawdy,
Bomb Iraq.

If the corporate scandals growin', bomb Iraq.
And your ties to them are showin', bomb Iraq.
If the smoking gun ain't smokin'
We don't care, and we're not jokin'.
That Saddam will soon be croakin',
Bomb Iraq.

Even if we have no allies, bomb Iraq.
From the sand dunes to the valleys, bomb Iraq.
So to hell with the inspections;
Let's look tough for the elections,
Close your mind and take directions,
Bomb Iraq.

While the globe is slowly warming, bomb Iraq.
Yay! the clouds of war are storming, bomb Iraq.
If the ozone hole is growing,
Some things we prefer not knowing.
(Though our ignorance is showing),
Bomb Iraq.

So here's one for dear old daddy, bomb Iraq,
From his favorite little laddy, bomb Iraq.
Saying no would look like treason.
It's the Hussein hunting season.
Even if we have no reason,
Bomb Iraq.

~ QA