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In a high precision
operation on Sept.11, 2001 the two major symbols of US imperialism, its economic
nerve center and its military death machine, were attacked. The World Trade
Centre (WTC) at New York houses 300 offices of top brokers, bankers and some
major TNCs, of which 50 floors alone were occupied by that rapacious investment
banking company, Morgan Stanley. The Pentagon at Washington is the headquarters
of the US department of Defense, and the heart of its command and control
operations, which have been responsible for killing millions in the post-World
War II period. It was regarded as one of the most secure and impregnable
buildings in the world.
For all the US’s
high-tech defense machinery with its ultra-sophisticated NMD (National Missile
Defense) plan, it stood totally helpless in the face of the first ever attack of
its kind on US soil. The only weapon used in the entire operation were a few
knives worth a few dollars. It was the hijacked US planes themselves that served
as devastating bombs, piloted into the buildings by the suicide squads. This
made the mighty US war machine look ridiculous, when its own headquarters could
so easily be smashed by knife wielding hijackers. And for all its sophisticated
intelligence agencies, with its CIA and FBI operators snooping all over the
world, using hi-tech gadgetry, they had no clue of the planned operation
conducted by their own citizens. It showed up the US monster as a mere paper
tiger.
Though terrorism is
not the method to fight the ruthless imperialists, the success of the present
attacks indicate the hatred that exists against US imperialism internationally
and also within America. The perpetrators of this action could be any of the
millions of oppressed in the backward countries of the world, the blacks,
latinos, arabs, etc of America, or the lakhs of unemployed in any of the
developed countries of the world — all the victims of US sponsored globalisation.
And as for the standard scapegoat — Osama Bin Ladan and the Taliban — these were
forces nurtured, armed and fed by the US themselves to counter the then soviet
imperialist occupation of Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, those
who use terrorist methods, are unfamiliar with, or refuse to accept the real and
only alternative to imperialism — socialism. In the final analysis, imperialism
cannot be smashed by terrorist acts, though it may be weakened to some extent,
but only by wielding Maoism that entails a people’s war and a protracted
struggle, relying on the mass line.
Yet, successfully
targeting the two main engines driving the mighty US Empire was no simple event.
The loss of some ordinary people’s lives at the WTC, is no doubt unfortunate.
But, this will hopefully make the US upper middle classes working there, realize
the need for opposing the brutalities of US imperialism. No doubt if the plane
had crashed into a black ghetto the same class would not have been even 10% as
concerned. The yuppies of that country (as also the NRI community working there
— there were over 5,000 Indians working at the WTC currently), which act as the
most vocal protagonists of imperialist globalisation, will now hopefully realize
that wallowing in the crumbs of the imperialist loot, is no longer such a safe
proposition.
There is a limit to
people’s tolerance, and the atrocities and massive impoverisation taking place
under the signboard of ‘globalisation’ is beginning to surpass all limits. Lakhs
die daily in the villages and slums of Asia, Africa and Latin America, while the
Bill Gates and other TNC bosses mint billions each day. Besides, people cannot
forget the horrendous massacres done at US instigation in the decades following
WWII where millions were slaughtered in the backward countries of the world.
Remember Iran and Central America in the 1950s? Remember Indonesia, Brazil,
Palestine, Cuba and Vietnam in the 1960s? Remember Chile, South Africa,
Nicaragua, El Salvador and Panama in the 1970s & 1980s? And what about the
millions killed in Haiti, Angola, East Timor, and the Iran-Iraq war (where the
US instigated Saddam Hussain against Iran)? The list is endless. Not to speak of
the current inhumanities in Iraq, where, not only have thousands been bombed to
death, but lakhs of innocent women and children have been starved by US
sponsored sanctions. And what about the carpet-bombing of Yugoslavia? In fact,
as New York was being attacked, US secretary of State was in Peru, on his way to
Colombia, to further organize the massacre of Maoists in the former and fighters
in the latter.
The US imperialist
crimes against humanity far surpasses even the thirty million killed by Hitler.
There are crores around the world who hate US imperialism. With socialism having
faced a temporary setback, the organized and targeted violence of the communists
has, in places, been replaced by the random violence of the terrorists.
Society’s tolerance for imperialist inhumanities has its limits. People’s
violence against theses evil monsters can well be understood.
The Action
Four groups of
hijackers, numbering 3 to 6 boarded internal US flights from three airports in
that country. All of them took off within a half-hour gap at 8 to 8.30 in the
morning. According to initial reports they were armed merely with knives,
cardboard cutters and threatened the use of bombs, which they may or may not
have had. All four planes were hijacked soon after take-off. At 8.55 a.m. one of
these was driven into the first of the 110 storey WTC buildings. Twenty minutes
later another of the planes rammed into the second tower. At 9.40 a.m. a third
plane hit the Pentagon. The fourth plane ‘crashed’ — suspected to have been shot
down. At 10.35 a.m. a car bomb went off at the State Department building. It is
said that they had also targeted the White House.
Initial reports
estimated that at least 800 defense personnel were killed in the Pentagon
attack; over 10,000 people (including 80 police and 300 firefighters) in the two
WTC buildings that collapsed soon after the crash; and 266 people in the four
planes. Later the US propaganda machine tried to play down the figures. In
addition, one more neighbouring WTC building also collapsed and a number of
skyscrapers in the area were severely damaged or aflame by the cascading
collapse of the two 110 storied buildings. Even the 54-storey building housing
the new headquarters of the Nasdaq partially collapsed. One entire part of the
5-sided Pentagon fully collapsed.
The Panic
The entire US
establishment panicked as never before. The US president himself, who was in
Florida at that time, took off in his Presidential aircraft, with jet fighters
all around, moving around in the air, too afraid to touch the ground. When he
touched down briefly, it was only at the US air force bases, and then took
shelter in a nuclear bunker. It was many hours later that he had the guts to
return to Washington and lead the salvage operations.
By then the US armed
forces had been put on high alert; many States declared a state of emergency;
for the first time ever all US airports were closed down and flights in US
airspace were banned for many days; two aircraft carriers parked themselves
outside New York and Washington and another outside San Francisco; troops were
deployed in key areas of Washington and the National Guards were called out in
New York; jet fighter swarmed like mosquitoes all over the skies; the borders
with Canada and Mexico were sealed; the entire 3 lakh government staff were
evacuated from all Federal buildings and went underground operating from unknown
places; the White House, the Treasury, the UN headquarters, the Justice
Department, the New York police headquarters, Capitol Hill and the State
Department were also evacuated with Congressmen and Senate leaders also
disappearing to unknown places; all multi-storied buildings throughout the
country were evacuated; Wall street, which is located very close to the twin
towers, and even the far away London Stock Exchange, were evacuated; all bridges
and tunnels were brought under police/military control; and thousands of
companies sent their employees home. In addition, US Commissions throughout the
world closed for two days, with massive security being demanded. For example, at
the Embassy at Delhi an entire company of CRPF was posted together with
permanently stationed police control vans and constant patrolling in the area.
Not satisfied, the US ambassador demanded commandos for their defence.
Declaration of War
The attack came at a
time when the US economy was on the brink of recession. With gigantic losses to
the airlines and insurance industries, huge loses in financial transactions,
plus the damage to property and business in New York, there is fear of it
precipitating the recession. The US rulers will now divert attention from the
drop in living standards of the ordinary American to a fascist hate campaign.
The US administration
says it is in a state of war. In other words it has considered the attack as a
declaration of war. This ‘act of war’ has been endorsed by NATO, which
for the first time has invoked a clause to jointly retaliate if any one member
is attacked. With such aggressive statements, conditions are bound to escalate.
Throughout America the administration is whipping up a national phobia,
distributing millions of US flags and fascist attacks are being instigated
against people of foreign descent, particularly Muslims and Arabs. India is
particularly playing a notorious role in utilizing the situation to push for
coordinated action against so-called ‘international terrorism’.
But who is the enemy?
No one is yet clear, except for some vague islamic fundamentalists. This may
also turn out incorrect as with the Okalahoma bomb attack of 1995, killing 168
and injuring 500. Then, a similar anti-islamic hysteria was whipped up, but the
person involved was not only a US citizen, but a white right-wing ex-soldier
US imperialism has
many enemies for all its vile crimes throughout the world, and any of the
numerous disgruntled groups could have launched the attack.It is already hinting
that more than one terrorist organization may be involved. No doubt, the finger
is pointing to some US based Arabs. The anger of the Arabs, particularly the
Palestinians, is understandable as they have faced decades of atrocities at the
hands of the US-backed Israelis. Yet it appears that it is their own citizens
who are involved, whether Arab or otherwise. Are they going to declare war on
them? It seems so, as it has, for the first time declared a nationwide State of
Emergency.
The imperialists are
in a mood for vengeance, as what has been hit is the very heart of the
imperialist monolith. We are still witnessing the horrors of Iraq for a
comparatively minor action. One can well imagine to what extent they will now
go. But in the process they will antagonize an even larger section of the world
people. Yet, a militarist approach will fail to tackle the root cause that
breeds terrorism, which is itself a product of inhuman oppression; ethnic,
nationality and religious alienation; fascism, communalism and racism; and,
particularly, a reaction to state terrorism.
The imperialists and
all their lackeys throughout the world will even more bare their fascist teeth.
The oppressed people of the world will have to unite ever more firmly and
prepare themselves politically, organizationally and militarily, to fight back
the impending onslaught. The only real alternative to such terrorism is a true
Maoist offensive.
Sept.14, 2001 |
