The Terrorism of Fear

Transfered from old site

Reposted from Buffalo Forum,
 
vol. 7 no. 7
 
February 14, 2003
 

 

 
The Terrorism of Fear
 
In the week since Colin Powell's speech at the UN where the U.S. threatened all the world, announcing "time is up," the following has occurred:
 
The "terror" alert went from yellow to orange.
 
In New York City, where a massive demonstration is planned, elite "specialized units" of the NYPD, National Guard and State Police, complete with automatic weapons, are patrolling the city including main transportation centers. Arbitrary car and truck searches are taking place at bridges into Manhattan and elsewhere. The city and courts have refused protesters a permit to march, refused any portable bathrooms, will not guarantee buses access to the rally site, all based on "heightened security concerns."
 
In D.C. numerous large jeep-mounted Stinger anti-aircraft missiles have been deployed and F-16 fighter jet patrols increased.
 
Yet another tape said to be from bin Laden is released. This one is said to express support for the people of Iraq, which is then turned into a "link" between Iraq and al-Qaida. CIA Director George Tenet testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee that al-Qaida may strike both the United States and on the Arabian peninsula any time now. FBI Director Robert Mueller emphasizes the "threat from within." The greatest threat, he told the Committee, are "al-Qaida cells in the United States that we have not identified."
 
Just for good measure, Tenet and others promote a "nuclear" scare. They claim the threat of nuclear weapons comes not from the U.S. and its first-strike plans, but instead from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iraq, Iran and Libya. And, as in the days of bomb shelters and "drills" in schools, the government releases "emergency preparedness" guidelines, complete with calls for duct tape and plastic.
 
What is the aim of the psychosis of fear being generated? Such widespread fear does nothing to solve the problem of terrorism. It is a means to so terrorize people that they are rendered hopeless and powerless. Fear and humiliation are potent means of suppressing resistance while spreading doubt and confusion. What follows is not peace and stability but anarchy, chaos and military rule.
 
Given the FBI claim of "terror cells" in the U.S. and the widespread profiling and detentions already occurring, it becomes clear that the main terrorism inside the country will be by the state police agencies imposing collective punishment on communities throughout the country. Not a few are also worried the FBI, CIA or similar agency will itself instigate a "terror attack" inside the country, perhaps using the February 15 demonstrations as an opportunity to provoke an incident. Such police provocations happened in the '60s and before. They can happen again.
 
The solution to the problem of terrorism lies not with war but in changing the role of the U.S. in the world, beginning with outlawing any and all involvement in wars of aggression and removing all U.S. troops from foreign soil. The solution lies with empowering the people to govern and decide and removing power from rich and their military and police agencies.