Perspectives on Terrorism and Nonviolence
"The importance of dialogue cannot be overstated. Nothing must be allowed to impinge upon its free exchange. For unless we put an end to an era dictated by sheer force of arms, the 21st century will be no different from the 20th, and we will regress once more into a century of war."
Daisaku IkedaSince 1993, the BRC has worked to build bridges and foster dialogue between peace-seeking people from many different cultural and religious backgrounds. In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, we are continuing that work with a renewed sense of conviction, trying to create the types of communication and understanding that lead to peace. The selections offered below reflect the multicultural and holistic approach of the BRC, presenting a diversity of viewpoints, authors, and topics. We are dedicated to making a space for dialogue about issues that do not receive sustained attention in the mainstream media, and this commitment is reflected on this page.
The opinions expressed and arguments asserted in the commentaries, analyses, and dialogues below are the property of the authors and/or publications cited and appear here with their permission. These selections do not necessarily represent the views of the Boston Research Center, its staff, associates, or members of its founding organization, Soka Gakkai International.
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New Postings
America's Habit of Revenge – August 5, 2003, by James Carroll, The Boston Globe.
(http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0805-03.htm)
In an article written on the eve of the 58th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Carroll explores the "fundamental assumptions" surrounding America's use of the atomic bomb. He contends that the American public deliberately avoids addressing whether revenge has been, or might sometimes be, a motive behind U.S. military action because, "Americans do not like to acknowledge that a visceral lust for vengeance can be the main force behind national purpose, and that is why the Aug. 6 anniversary always arrives beclouded."
War's Unintended Effects – August 4, 2003, by Larry Johnson, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
(http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/133581_du04.html)
Johnson examines the connection between the use of depleted uranium (DU) weaponry by the U.S. military and increasing cancer deaths in Iraq since the beginning of the first Gulf War. He states, "Depleted uranium weapons used by the U.S.-led forces in the war have left battle sites throughout Iraq contaminated with abnormally high levels of radiation." Critics of DU argue that this radiation heightens the likelihood of serious life-threatening illness to not only the Iraqi civilian population, but also for American troops who are stationed in these infected areas.
Hope out of Quagmire – July 30, 2003, by Paul Loeb.
(http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/8507)
This article offers some next-step recommendations for the global peace movement. Loeb believes that with a growing number of Americans expressing concern over the possibility of a long term military occupation of Iraq, now is a crucial time to regroup and offer a different vision for U.S. foreign policy. He calls for a collective insistence on U.S. collaboration with the UN and writes, "If we can begin coalescing public concern around an alternative to U.S. troops remaining indefinitely in Iraq, we have a real chance to influence national debate."
The Fog of War Talk – July 28, 2003, by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber, AlterNet. (http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16497)
This excerpt from the recently released book Weapons of Mass Deception: the Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq, outlines the ways in which the Bush administration has manipulated language in order to sanitize the realities of war, as well as to confuse the public so thoroughly as to effectively end all debate. Rampton and Stauber detail how the current administration use a style of political language that "makes it possible to talk about invading Iraq without even thinking about the human consequences: assassination, occupation, or the deaths of thousands of innocents."
Chechnya and Iraq: Imperial Echoes, Militant Warnings – July 7, 2003, by Susan Richards, openDemocracy. (http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article-2-95-1380.jsp)
Richards lists the similarities between the current U.S. conflict against Iraq and Russia's decade long war with Chechnya. Specifically, he notes that in Chechnya, a large "Christian country" is found "bogged down in a smaller one which its occupation makes more 'Muslim,' encouraging further terrorism and brutalizing the invader's troops, with disastrous results at home." According to Richards, a study of the Russian quagmire offers a possible glimpse into the future U.S. occupation of Iraq.
A Nation of Victims – June 30, 2003, by Renana Brooks, The Nation. (http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030630&s=brooks)
This article argues that President Bush's consistent use of "negatively charged emotional language" has reduced a portion of the American public into a form of helpless dependency. Brooks, a practicing clinical psychologist, suggests that Bush creatively crafts his speeches to depict a negative framework, one in which "catastrophic words and phrases are repeatedly drilled into the listener's head until the opposition feels such a high level of anxiety that it appears pointless to do anything other than cower."
Adjusting to Empire—Summer, 2003, by Yifat Susskind, Madre.
(http://www.madre.org/art_nl_sum03_adjEmp.html)
In an examination of American national identity, Susskind proposes that the U.S. is a country in constant conflict between the self-perception of being a helpful 'global superpower' and the worldview of being a 'global empire.' Susskind believes that the current U.S. administration is pushing more toward the latter role. She notes that the invasion of Iraq "with its three-pronged goal of testing Bush's 'preventive war' doctrine, controlling Iraqi oil, and using occupied Baghdad as a springboard to overhaul the entire Middle East—is the most blatantly imperialist war in U.S. history."
Recent Postings
On The Roads of Ruin – May 25, 2003, by Peter Osborne, The Observer.
(http://www.observer.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,1501,962936,00.html)
This article reports on the increasing political and economic instability in post-war Afghanistan. According to Osborne, with warlords in control of much of the country and Taliban forces regrouping in the mountains, civilian safety has been an ongoing issue. President Karzai, though desperate for international donations to rebuild roads and increase security, is receiving considerably less funding than what is needed. Osborne writes, “The West’s refusal to give adequate financial aid or security has castrated the President: it means that he has little direct authority outside Kabul.”
Text of the Rockford College Graduation Speech by Chris Hedges – May 20, 2003, Chris Hedges, The Rockford Register Star.
(http://www.rrstar.com/localnews/your_community/rockford/0521hedgesspeech.shtml)
In his controversial graduation address, New York Times reporter Chris Hedges condemns the U.S.-led war on Iraq, calling it an expansion of empire. He argues that many Americans view war as a sport or game, and therefore have forgotten the brutal nature of armed conflict. In addition, Hedges believes the U.S. war on terrorism is actually contributing to extremism, noting, “Once you master people by force you depend on force for control. In your isolation you begin to make mistakes.”
Confronting Their Differences – May 21, 2003, by Frances Grandy Taylor, The Hartford Courant.
This article highlights “Moderate Voices for Progress,” a program designed to help young Israelis and Palestinians develop leadership and conflict resolution skills. This Connecticut-based collaboration offers a neutral setting for Jews and Arabs to engage in sometimes heated, yet always open, dialogue with the final goal being to “help moderates find their voice in a situation dominated by more extreme points of view.”
Acts of Hope: Challenging Empire on the World Stage – May 19, 2003, by Rebecca Solnit.
(http://www.oriononline.org/pages/oo/sidebars/Patriotism/index_Solnit.html)
In an inspiring essay on the “unimaginable future,” Solnit examines several social and environmental breakthroughs that began as small, seemingly insignificant acts. She believes that it is “always too soon to calculate” the lasting impact of these individuals and events. Looking ahead Solnit writes, “I’m hopeful, partly because we don’t know what is going to happen in that dark future and we might as well live according to our principles as long as we’re here.”
The Daughter I Can’t Hear From – May 11, 2003, by Carrie Corrie, Alternet.
(http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15914)
In her recent mother’s day speech, Carrie Corrie reflects on the life of her daughter Rachel, who was recently killed when she stood in front of an Israeli bulldozer that was attempting to remove a home in the Gaza strip. Mrs. Corrie criticizes U.S. financial support of the Israeli military which she believes adds to tensions, noting, “I believe that the policies of this country, and the money that follows them in the world, should reflect values that most mothers here hold—the sanctity of each life, the equal value of each human being, and a commitment to justice applied equally through adherence to law.”
Soul Power – May, 2003, by Thomas Moore, Resurgence.
(http://resurgence.gn.apc.org/readhome.htm)
In an article examining the true essence of power, Moore remarks that, “Violence appears only when you have lost your strength and have nothing left but to act out of fetishes—guns and other weapons—that betray your weakness.” He suggests that global leaders need to be given an alternative vision of nonviolence from the peace movement, one based on a spiritual transformation that is creative and empowering.
What We Do Now – April 21, 2003, by David Cortright, The Nation.
(http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030421&s=cortright)
Cortright outlines the immediate and long-term political objectives for the peace movement. He contends that the movement “must offer an alternative vision, one that takes seriously the terrorism and proliferation threat but that provides a safer, less costly and ultimately more successful strategy for countering these dangers.”
To the Anti-War Movement – April 3, 2003, by Marty Jezer.
(http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0403-11.htm)
Jezer reflects on his involvement with the 1960s era protests, while offering guidance to contemporary activists. Specifically, he emphasizes that demonstrations are successful only if protestors reach out to their opponents. He writes, “Anti-war activists have to go back to the older organizing tradition of talking to and persuading individuals who might not necessarily agree with them.”
The Message Coming from our Families in Baghdad –April 3, 2003, by Haifa Zangana, The Guardian.
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,928414,00.html )
This article by an Iraqi woman now living in London describes the day-to-day struggle for survival of her relatives, prior to and just after the war began. With most Iraqi cities under a steady stream of bombardment, the general emotion felt by many of its civilians, who were “confined to small rooms, eating tinned food,” without water or electricity, is overwhelming anger aimed at the U.S. and British.
For further research, please check out the following Web site on alternative coverage: www.icaer.org/emma/blast
Our thanks to American Friends Service Committee, Institute for Resource and Security Studies, COPRED-PSA, and others for sharing many of these selected commentaries with us.
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