Manuel E. Yepe: Sowing storms (November 2011)

Sowing Storms
November 5, 2011

A CubaNews translation. Edited by Walter Lippmann.

The US actions carried out after the criminal attacks on September 11, 2001, supposedly aimed at preventing the scourge of global terrorism, have not contributed to their declared aim. Neither have the Patrioti Act which authorizes extra-judicial executions and arbitrary arrests of national and foreign citizens, nor the covert actions in violation of laws and boundaries, or the discrimination and persecution of immigrants, or the disregard for international humanitarian rights, or the unilateral sanctions, or the politically-biased spurious “lists” or certifications of countries, served the purpose of preventing terrorism.

Instead, a new way of promoting terrorism is gaining momentum in the US today. Soon after the American oligarchy, blind with power, started encouraging the hijacking of planes as a weapon in its media war against Cuba, this terrorist crime turned against the superpower. Only with the official and sincere cooperation of Cuba was it possible to put an end to such dangerous practices.

Recently, with a similar blindness, American military and intelligence experts at an audience convened by several Republican legislators at the House of Representatives of the US Congress came up with the idea of carrying out selective assassinations of high ranking members among the Guardians of the Iranian Revolution and cyber attacks against the country.

“Iran has demonstrated with the alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington that it represents a threat even within the United States, and no countermeasure should be disregarded,” declared the convened Republicans without mentioning the fact that Teheran had promptly denied the accusation describing it as “an absurd maneuver”.

“Why not kill them? These people have killed close to a thousand of ours. Why don’t we kill them in covert operations?” said retired General Jack Keane, former Chief of the High Command of the Land Army at the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee of the House. “We have to put our hands around their throats. They need to feel that kind of pressure.”

“We’ve had enough. It’s obvious that sanctions are not sufficient,” said the head of the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee, Texas Republican Representative Michael McCaul, referring to the punishments imposed by the US on Iran for thirty years now.

“This was a real plot. In my view it changes the rules of the game. No option should be off the table,” said New York Republican Representative Peter King. “I don’t think we’ll be able to intimidate these people unless we kill one of them,” stated Reuel Marc Gerecht, an expert from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Normally the term “terrorism” is used for actions carried out by secret or irregular units that, due to their military inferiority to face governmental armed forces, operate outside the parameters of war.

But it is evident that the US is using a terrorist language not only against Iran, but on a global scale, most likely stimulated by the recent “successful” pointblank assassinations of the leader of the terrorist organization Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, and of the head of state of the Libyan Jamahiriya Republic, Colonel Muammar Kaddafi, two of the most demonized characters by US media in recent years.

The American people, which has suffered the horrors of terrorism and is not responsible for the atrocities of its government, may also be a loser in this legitimization of extra-judicial executions promoted by the superpower to be carried out at the highest and at all levels of governments with no respect for boundaries and national sovereignties.

		Sowing Storms November 5, 2011 A CubaNews translation. Edited by Walter Lippmann. The US actions carried out after the criminal attacks on September 11, 2001, supposedly aimed at preventing the scourge of global terrorism, have not contributed to their declared aim. Neither have the Patrioti Act which authorizes extra-judicial executions and arbitrary arrests of national and foreign citizens, nor the covert actions in violation of laws and boundaries, or the discrimination and persecution of immigrants, or the disregard for international humanitarian rights, or the unilateral sanctions, or the politically-biased spurious “lists” or certifications of countries, served the purpose of preventing terrorism. Instead, a new way of promoting terrorism is gaining momentum in the US today. Soon after the American oligarchy, blind with power, started encouraging the hijacking of planes as a weapon in its media war against Cuba, this terrorist crime turned against the superpower. Only with the official and sincere cooperation of Cuba was it possible to put an end to such dangerous practices. Recently, with a similar blindness, American military and intelligence experts at an audience convened by several Republican legislators at the House of Representatives of the US Congress came up with the idea of carrying out selective assassinations of high ranking members among the Guardians of the Iranian Revolution and cyber attacks against the country. “Iran has demonstrated with the alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington that it represents a threat even within the United States, and no countermeasure should be disregarded,” declared the convened Republicans without mentioning the fact that Teheran had promptly denied the accusation describing it as “an absurd maneuver”. “Why not kill them? These people have killed close to a thousand of ours. Why don’t we kill them in covert operations?” said retired General Jack Keane, former Chief of the High Command of the Land Army at the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee of the House. “We have to put our hands around their throats. They need to feel that kind of pressure.” “We’ve had enough. It’s obvious that sanctions are not sufficient,” said the head of the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee, Texas Republican Representative Michael McCaul, referring to the punishments imposed by the US on Iran for thirty years now. “This was a real plot. In my view it changes the rules of the game. No option should be off the table,” said New York Republican Representative Peter King. “I don’t think we’ll be able to intimidate these people unless we kill one of them,” stated Reuel Marc Gerecht, an expert from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Normally the term “terrorism” is used for actions carried out by secret or irregular units that, due to their military inferiority to face governmental armed forces, operate outside the parameters of war. But it is evident that the US is using a terrorist language not only against Iran, but on a global scale, most likely stimulated by the recent “successful” pointblank assassinations of the leader of the terrorist organization Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, and of the head of state of the Libyan Jamahiriya Republic, Colonel Muammar Kaddafi, two of the most demonized characters by US media in recent years. The American people, which has suffered the horrors of terrorism and is not responsible for the atrocities of its government, may also be a loser in this legitimization of extra-judicial executions promoted by the superpower to be carried out at the highest and at all levels of governments with no respect for boundaries and national sovereignties.
		SEMBRANDO TEMPESTADES Por Manuel E. Yepe Nada han contribuido al propósito de evitar el flagelo terrorista a nivel global acciones de Estados Unidos supuestamente dirigidas a este fin a raíz de los actos criminales del 11 de septiembre de 2001. Ni la promulgación de las leyes patrióticas que autorizaban ejecuciones extrajudiciales o detenciones arbitrarias de ciudadanos nacionales o extranjeros, ni las acciones encubiertas violatorias de leyes y fronteras, ni la discriminación y persecución de inmigrantes, ni el abandono del Derecho Internacional Humanitario, ni las sanciones unilaterales, ni los "listados" o certificaciones de países con turbios fines políticos, sirvieron absolutamente nada para evita el terrorismo. En cambio, gana fuerza actualmente en Estados Unidos una forma nueva de promover el terrorismo. Luego que la oligarquía estadounidense, borracha de poder, inauguró la promoción de los secuestros de aviones como arma de su guerra mediática contra Cuba, no pasó mucho tiempo para que ese delito terrorista repercutiera en contra de la superpotencia. Solo con la colaboración oficial y sincera de Cuba pudo ponerse fin a esa peligrosa moda. Recientemente, con similar embriaguez, expertos militares y de inteligencia estadounidenses sugirieron durante una audiencia convocada por varios legisladores del partido republicano en la Cámara de Representantes del Congreso de Estados Unidos la conveniencia de llevar a cabo asesinatos selectivos de altos cargos de los Guardianes de la Revolución iraníes y ciberataques contra ese país. “Irán ha demostrado con el presunto complot para intentar matar al embajador saudita en Washington que representa una amenaza incluso dentro de Estados Unidos, y no debe descartarse cualquier tipo de medida en su contra”, afirmaron por su parte los convocantes republicanos sin hacer notar que Teherán había desmentido con prontitud la acusación calificándola de maniobra absurda. “¿Por qué no matarlos? Esta gente ha matado a cerca de un millar de los nuestros, ¿por qué no los asesinamos mediante operaciones encubiertas?”, declaró el general retirado Jack Keane, exjefe de Estado Mayor del Ejército de Tierra ante el subcomité de Contraterrorismo e Inteligencia de la Cámara. “Tenemos que ponerles las manos en el cuello. Tienen que sentir esa clase de presión”. “Ya basta. Está claro que esas sanciones no son suficientes”, dijo el jefe del subcomité de Contraterrorismo e Inteligencia, el representante republicano por Texas Michael McCaul refiriéndose a las penalidades que impone Estados Unidos a Irán desde hace tres décadas. “Este fue un complot real. Para mí esto cambia las reglas del juego. Ninguna opción debe quedar fuera de la mesa”, añadió el diputado republicano por Nueva York Peter King. “No creo que vamos a intimidar a esa gente a menos que matemos a alguno”, dijo por su parte Reuel Marc Gerecht, experto de la Fundación para la Defensa de las Democracias. Corrientemente, se emplea el término “terrorismo” en casos de acciones llevadas a cabo por unidades secretas o irregulares que, dada su inferioridad militar para enfrentar a las instituciones armadas gubernamentales, operan fuera de los parámetros de las guerras. Pero es obvio que es un lenguaje terrorista el que se está empleando por Estados Unidos, no solo contra Irán, sino a escala mundial, seguramente estimulado por los “exitosos” recientes asesinatos a mansalva del líder de la organización terrorista Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, y del Jefe del Estado de la República de Masas (Jamahiriya) de Libia, Coronel Muammar Khadafi, dos de las figuras más intensamente demonizadas por los medios de prensa estadounidenses en los últimos años. El pueblo estadounidense, que también ha sufrido los horrores del terrorismo y no es responsable de las atrocidades de su gobierno, puede resultar también perdedor en esta legitimación de las ejecuciones extrajudiciales que la superpotencia promueve al más alto y todos los niveles de los gobiernos sin respeto por las fronteras y las soberanías nacionales. Noviembre de 2011.