Enduring Freedom in the "Just" War

After September 11th when the fear campaign was in full swing, we found ourselves looking warily overseas coining a new enemy, the "Islamic Fascists." We were left searching, not for evidence (which we still haven't seen) but for blame, and asking why do they hate us?

"Americans are asking, why do they hate us? They hate what we see right here in this chamber -- a democratically elected government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our freedoms -- our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other."Pres. Bush

Right away, it is clear that they don't hate us for our "freedoms" or our "democracy." As Noam Chomsky and other critics point out, it is because of our "total apathy toward history," our backing of authoritarian regimes and thwarting of democracy, our blocking economic development, and our support for Israel in the ongoing, increasingly bloody Israeli-Palestinian conflict that this cycle of violence is perpetuated, leaving the world hating US.

Yet as was common at the time and is still recurring, the media reports a parade of pro-war patriotism. For example, George Will at the Washington Post wrote that "Americans are slow to anger but mighty when angry, and their proper anger now should be alloyed with pride. They are targets because of their virtues--principally democracy, and loyalty to those nations which, like Israel, are embattled salients of our virtues in a still-dangerous world."

Retired Air Force Gen. Charles G. Boyd continued on in the same issue writing "This nation symbolizes freedom, strength, tolerance, and democratic principles dedicated to both liberty and peace. To the tyrants, the despots, the closed societies, there are no alterations to the policies, no gestures we can make, no words we can say that will convince those determined to continue their hate."Amongst these and many other misguided presidential regurgitations, we are left with a feel-good about America mentality that, as Chomsky points out, is "completely at variance with everything we know."

(An Egyptian music video illustrating a popular sentiment)

Posted by Aaron A. on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 at 10:07 AM | Permalink