Using Violence On The Eve Of Proliferation

Curt Day

It is often said, that 9-11 changed everything. And yet we did have warnings dating as far back as 1982. In 1982, a scholar--or perhaps a prophet-- warned us about the results of Russia's use of force in Afghanistan. This prophet predicted that if Russia were to withdraw later on, because of the violence employed, only the "most brutal and harsh elements" would be left who, in turn, would carry out their own slaughter.

The slaughter of 9-11 was planned by the victims of Russian aggression. The point here is not to praise the clairvoyance of a person, or to blame the Russians, but to briefly examine the consequences of using violence to obtain one's ends--especially on the eve of proliferation. Such an examination could not only help the causes of those seeking justice, it might prevent world suicide.

Indeed, the violence used by the Russians begat more violence. Palestinians, who are fighting for a viable state, need not look at distant examples to learn this lesson. Their use of suicide bombings and rocket attacks is not just immoral and outrageous; it is counterproductive. Before another Palestinian terrorist attacks Israel, that person should ask himself if past attacks have helped or hurt the Palestinian cause.

Do suicide bombers cause America to pay attention to or ignore Palestinian suffering? Is Israel now negotiating with or grabbing land from the indigenous Arabs? Do polls indicate that Israelis now care more about Arab suffering? The answers to these questions do not favor the Palestinians. The reason is because violence makes people coldhearted. Palestinian terrorism has done that to many.

Israelis must examine themselves as well. Though in America, the Palestinians' immoral use of violence is well-known, Israel's use of violence is not. According to some Israelis, such as those contributing to the book "The Other Israel" or those whose writings can be found on Z(www.zmag.org/weluser.htm), what the Palestinians have endured includes the destruction of infrastructure such as electric lines and water pipelines, the destruction of ways by which Palestinians can earn a living, the bulldozing of homes--sometimes with families still inside--and attacks from tanks, artillery, helicopters, and F-16s. In addition there is the Israeli Army’s use of human shields and their killing of women and children. In addition, there are the statistics from the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem (found at www.btselem.org/English). Of course, this list of violent acts is only partial.

What has been the result of Israel's use of violence? Are not the cold-blooded suicide attacks an answer to this question? And will a fence pour water on the fire of Palestinian rage? Has not Israel's use of violence fed the desire of some Muslims to see Israel's destruction? Unfortunately, not one of these questions can be answered in Israel's favor. Instead, Israel's use of violence has made the hearts, of both its victims and their sympathizers, cold.

And how are Muslims who are battling colonialism, occupation, and despotic rulers doing? Those who have opted to use terrorism have invited foreign attacks and occupation from its victims. How many innocent Afghanis have suffered because of the repercussions of the 9-11 attacks? And has not Muslim terrorism been used to camouflage the American reasons for attacking Iraq and possible plans to attack Iran? Did Muslim terrorism make Americans more sensitive to their own government's abuse of power?

And finally, is America's War on Terror paying dividends or incurring a debt that can never be paid? Hasn't our invasion of Iraq increased terrorism, such as in both 2004 and 2005? And hasn't our invasion increased the number of terrorist recruits? We could also point out that our accomplice, Britain, can no longer say that they have avoided fighting the terrorists at home because they are fighting them in Iraq.

If before proliferation, the use of violence led to atrocities such as 9-11, what will occur after proliferation? Regardless of what we do to Iran, as technology marches on, proliferation happens. What will be the blowback to our continued use of violence once that proliferation occurs?

The scholar/prophet, who foresaw the results of Russian violence against Afghanistan, is still speaking to us today. Noam Chomsky's words [1] should be read by ALL who rely on violence. In addition, his words should be read by those whose practices are linked to violence--domination and hoarding. The title of one of his books puts our choice this way: "Hegemony or Survival".

If we continue to use violence, domination and greed; then we are racing toward world suicide. Because of the coming proliferation, there is no other logical conclusion to make. The deadline for choosing nonviolence is yesterday.

1. The prediction about the results of Russian violence occurred in a 1982 interview with Paul Shannon and was reprinted in Noam Chomsk's book "Language and Politics", edited by C.P. Otero, expanded 2nd edition, 2004, pg 309

Curt Day is a religious flaming fundamentalist and a political extreme moderate. He can be reached at cday@prodigy.net.