The
missionary
By Mark Tran, The Guardian, September
12, 2002
Oil prices will pale into insignificance
if the US president's 'crusade' against
'evil men' spreads beyond Iraq: As
George Bush's sabre rattling against
Iraq gets louder, the markets grow
increasingly agitated. An August rally
in US markets has petered out and
oil prices topped $30 (£19) a barrel
this week, the highest level in 18
months. The rise in oil prices is
bad news for the global economy, already
in a fragile state. US economic growth
is weak, with some economists fearing
that the world's largest economy will
tip again into recession this year,
after last year's downturn. If oil
prices stay high, that could push
the US into a double dip recession,
dragging down the rest of the world
economy.
Demagography
as the enemy of democracy
By Boaz Evron, originally in Ha'aeretz,
September 11, 2002
Fear of the "demographic threat" has
haunted Zionism from the very beginning.
In its name Ethiopians were turned
into Jews over the objections of rabbis.
In its name hundreds of thousands
of Slavs came here wearing the Law
of Return as a fig leaf. In its name
emissaries have gone out across the
world seeking out more and more Jews.
But in spite all these Jewish "infusions"
the Palestinian birth-rate grows and
grows, stronger and stronger than
all of them together. Meanwhile, the
country gets more and more crowded.
Soon roads and parking lots, towers
and villas will be everywhere. Soon,
there won't be any fresh water left
- everying will be desalinated, retreated
and recycled. Soon, there won't be
any more nature. Trees will disappear
and we will import shade from Norway.
But what does all that matter? The
important thing is that we have "a
demographic majority."
The
Troubling New Face of America
By Jimmy Carter, Washington Post,
September 5, 2002
Fundamental changes are taking place
in the historical policies of the
United States with regard to human
rights, our role in the community
of nations and the Middle East peace
process -- largely without definitive
debates (except, at times, within
the administration). Some new approaches
have understandably evolved from quick
and well-advised reactions by President
Bush to the tragedy of Sept. 11, but
others seem to be developing from
a core group of conservatives who
are trying to realize long-pent-up
ambitions under the cover of the proclaimed
war against terrorism.
Two
plus two are always four, or are they?
By Akiva Eldar, Ha'aretz, Spetember
12, 2002
Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon told
Ari Shavit of Ha'aretz on August 30
that "Israeli elements" were responsible
for "creating the lie" that the Israel
Air Force's one-ton bomb on Gaza on
Tuesday, July 23, torpedoed a unilateral
Palestinian cease-fire meant to be
announced that very next day.
According to Ya'alon "there had been
a discussion of a cease-fire, but
the Hamas decided against on July
15, a week before the bombing. The
Tanzim rejected it four days before
the bombing. The Palestinians decided
not to go for a cease-fire because
they understood Arafat didn't want
one."
Occupation:
The Father of All Terror
by Saifedean Ammous, Independent Media
Center Palestine, September 11, 2002
A closer look at the horribleness
of life under occupation and curfews:
While the world is turning all its
attention towards the anniversary
of the attacks on the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon, all of humanity
seems to be so determined and adamant
to fight terrorism and eradicate it
from this world. People are even following
the traces of terrorism to the highest
mountains of Afghanistan and the tightest
straits of Tora Bora. All this is
well; however, before going through
all this trouble to fight terrorism,
people should turn their attentions
into other forms of terrorism, more
evident, public, and insulting to
humanity, namely, occupation.
