Posts
Selling the Freedom of Other People for the Price of Oil
Masha Lipman’s
article in Washington Post Nov. 22, 2002 issue regarding President Bush’s support for
Putin’s suppression of Chechen liberation movement is an eye opener.
Reportedly, the President’s support of Putin's repression is for obtaining in return Putin’s support for
campaign against Iraq .
Firstly, we need
very urgently a clear definition of terrorism in the aftermath of 9/11. The
phobic mood we have been in since then, every action against any “establishment”
is considered terrorism, to the extent that we will soon be deprived of or
denied our freedom of speech, assembly and opposition. Chechen action is clearly a
desperate attempt to gain liberation from Russian oppression.
Secondly, the
comparison by the President of Moscow theater occupation with 9/11 is
belittling the tragedy and the political importance of 9/11. There is no
parallel between the two in any shape or form.
Thirdly, has
defense of freedom, which we claim to be the champion of, been so marginalized
that it can be exchanged for support for a military campaign that half of the US and of the
world are doubtful of its reasons and consequences. Is all of this for the
freedom of the Iraqi people at the expense of the freedom of the Chechens? Why
not defend the Chechen freedom as much as we want to defend that of the Iraqis?
Fourthly, among
the oft-changed objectives for the Iraq war mentioned by the President
there is also freedom of the Iraqi people. In fact, he was prepared to go it
alone for that purpose. Since when is Russia a freedom fighter? Where
were they when we were fighting for it over the last half-century? Isn’t this
the same Russia
of today that refuses our pleas to discontinue assistance to the Iranian
nuclear program?
It was further
reported in your Sunday Nov. 24 edition that the President also promised Putin
to maintain world oil prices high after the Iraq war. That means you and me,
the men on the highways, will be paying to help Russia
and, of course collaterally, Saudi
Arabia , neither of whom have clean hands in
terms of freedom.
But apparently,
this is not the point, the point seems to be to help the hawks of the war, who
have an invested interest in oil. We already feel the effects of this war for
oil policy, an extended economic slump.
