Posted February 25, 2002

Palestinian Sources

There are, of course, many Israeli policies and abuses to find objectionable. But I have yet to see an article on your website concerned with the summary executions the Palestinian Authority performs against its own, accused of "collaborating" with Israel. Every few weeks the gangland style slayings of Palestinians by Palestinians are omitted, because they are deemed irrelevant to the larger Arab-Israeli conflict. Other incongruous details about suicide bombers planning their weddings, the bodies of young men "executed by Israel" turning up in the West Bank, and the constant use of homes in Christian towns (regardless of the wishes of the owners) to fire on Israel (and not just settlements) are ignored. Together, these details indicate to me that many "martyrs" are in fact coerced, and face the prospect of "heroic" death or death and disgrace.

Does all this mean that Israel is entitled to American taxpayer dollars? No. But it does mean that Antiwar ought to critically examine many of the Palestinian sources it accepts as gospel.

~ Charles D. Ganske

India

[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of January 4, "India's 'Amen Corner'":]

India has 120 million Muslims who are free to practice their faith. Two of India's presidents were Muslims. India's chief scientific advisor [and] . . . the chief of India's secret service . . . [are Muslims]. India has more than 10 million Christians. The police commissioner of India's biggest cities . . . [and] India's defense minister . . . [are Christians]. You have reported about 200 Christian killings in India. A little more research would have showed you Hindu killing and Muslim killing as well. The Christian missionaries are so eager to convert the illiterate and poor people into Christians that they don't bother to give them Christian morals. The same tribes who get converted to Christianity get access to clothes and money. They then use this clout to forcibly convert other Hindus to Christianity. Burning the Hindus' houses and beating them up to intimidate them was common practice. These actions by recently converted Christians have angered the Hindu community so much that there is deep distrust . . . of the Christians. This is a law and order problem and not a [caused by] religious fervor. You have compared India with Israel, which is most unfortunate. Israel was developed as a land for the Jews. India is for everybody, irrespective of his or her religion, cast, creed or race. Israel fights with Palestine for throwing Muslim communities out of Israel. India fights with Pakistan to allow Muslims to live in India. I must point out that . . . Christian British . . . killed 100 million Indians during its 200-year occupation. The 200 Christians you mention falls short.

~ Ramesh N.

Karzai = Najibullah

USSR bombs Afghanis to keep Najibullah in power.

USSA* bombs Afghanis to keep Karzai in power.

Rumors of the death of Irony have been greatly exaggerated.

*USSA = United Socialist States of America

~ Rob J.

Not Justice

I was a bit surprised and disappointed at the John Laughland spotlight piece "This is Not Justice." ...That the Nuremberg trial was established to create a whole new set of international laws instead of bringing people to justice for breaking established ones is extremely important. Not only did it violate the U.S. standard on ex post facto laws, the court failed to define what constituted aggression.... At no point was it agreed upon that war should be criminalized because that goal, however laudable, was unrealistic. Nuremberg has always been criticized as being a victor's justice -- namely revenge against Germany for being so astonishingly murderous and disgusting -- and the same flaws Laughland sees in today's international courts were first seen at the 1946 tribunal. Laughland loses me in his discussion on "state sovereignty as the principal legal foundation for peace" and that the "Nazis themselves had contested it." What the hell is he talking about? Any nation that chooses to start a war is acting in its own self-interest, in other words, acting in a way to promote, enhance, or spread it's "national sovereignty." And the very foundation of globalist policy, ideology, and institutions is to dismantle state sovereignty. What is Laughland referring to when he states that "Nuremberg and the charter of the United Nations" is "based on the principle of state sovereignty and non-aggression"? The only thing the United Nations has successfully done is to interfere, destroy, and disavow state sovereignty. Moreover, since its establishment, the world has endured a greater number of wars and civil conflicts than before the UN was created.

~ Jennifer Gritt

Military Obligations

Just recently I began to abstain from attending drills with the Army National Guard. When I confronted my superiors regarding my views, they turned my arguments onto their head (go figure) and called me everything but a Christian. The pro-war rallying that Justin analyzes in . . . ["Pope Poddy's Papal Bull"] only epitomizes further the attitude these Rambo wanna-bes exhibited. Kudos to Justin for YAGC (yet another great column). If you have space, please let others know that they can opt out of military obligations with the help of the following organizations:

GI Rights Hotline [1-800-FYI-95GI]

Center on Conscience & War [1-800-379-2679]

Committee for Conscientious Objectors [510-465-2459]

~ Tim S.

Homeland Policy

[Regarding Ran HaCohen's column of February 15, "Terrorism Vs. Occupation":]

What feelings are at the root of the Israel/Palestinian problem? Isn't it racism like we had in South Africa? We actually have in Israel a much worse enforcer of Apartheid than we had with the National Party regime in South Africa. Creating two states in Israel will be the same option as the "Homeland Policy" in the old Apartheid regime in South Africa. The only workable solution is a one-man, one-vote situation in a unitary state. We also had our fears in South Africa about that option. But it took an honest look at ourselves and our black brothers to realise we can indeed work and live peacefully together. So can the Israelis and the Palestinians -- if they have the guts to just do it.

~ Pieter T., South Africa

Coverage

[Regarding "Orthodox Jews Mass Protest Against the State of Israel," February 12, Netureikarta.org:]

I was wondering why none of the major media outlets covered this event. One would think that such an event would attract coverage by the New York Times, CNN, whatever.

~ Ali A., California