Editorial:

Bush's path to peace through war

President Bush is full of "understanding" of Israel's aggression against 
the Palestinian people. He declared at a news conference on March 30, "I 
can understand why the Israeli Government takes the actions they take. 
Their country is under attack every day ... Israel is a democratically 
elected government and the government is responding to the will of the 
people for there to be more security. Israel will defend herself and I 
understand that."

But it is not Israel that is defending itself. It is Israel that is 
committing aggression against the Palestinian territories administered by 
the Palestinian Authority. It is occupying Palestinian cities and villages, 
destroying the houses of ordinary people, killing those who resist the 
occupation, rounding up and imprisoning young men, depriving the people of 
water and electricity, refusing entry to Red Cross ambulances to treat the 
wounded, and many other war crimes.

In what may be a Freudian slip Bush went on: "Every leader I've talked to 
said, 'We need peace', but there needs to be a focused coalition effort in 
the region against peace — I mean, against terror, for peace."

He proceeded to attack Syria and Iran but when questioned about evidence 
that these countries were sponsoring terrorism Bush said: "No, I do not 
have evidence ... but Syria walked out of the UN ... that should say 
something."

Reasserting the US role of global cop, Bush said: "It's our capacity as the 
leader of the coalition against war on terror to continue not only our war 
in Afghanistan and elsewhere, but also continue to fight terrorism in this 
region".

The world is now witnessing a dangerous and deadly group of warmongers who 
are using the "war against terrorism" to impose war on other countries. 
Leading this group of warmongers is US President Bush with British Prime 
Minister Tony Blair as a principal cheerleader and war organiser. Blair is 
attempting to provide the "evidence" to justify a war against Iraq accusing 
Iraq (that has suffered a 10-year long blockade by Britain and the US) of 
building weapons of mass destruction.

Ariel Sharon is playing his part by attempting to destroy the Palestinian 
Authority and thereby deal a blow, not only at the aspirations of the 
Palestinian people, but also to silence the support given to Palestine by 
other Arab states. Israel remains the gendarme of the US in the Middle 
East.

Bush found no words to criticise, let alone condemn the Israeli aggression 
and the killing of many Palestinians. Not one word to suggest that the US 
will stop supplying war weapons to Israel. No criticism of the Israeli army 
and air force bombing Arafat's compound and imprisoning him for several 
weeks now.

When it comes to the Palestinians, Bush said: "Arafat doesn't need a phone 
call from me. All he's got to do is what I just said ... prevent terrorist 
organisations from finding safe haven ... that especially applies to 
Chairman Arafat..."

The Australian Government is fully supports the anti-Arab and anti-Muslim 
campaign of Sharon and the United States. Foreign Minister Downer used 
virtually the same words as Bush, saying that Yasser Arafat has not given a 
100 per cent effort to combat terrorism. The Australian Government has not 
protested against the Israeli aggression. Howard also repeats the US line 
giving his "understanding" of Israel's actions

US Secretary of State, Colin Powell is to visit the Middle East but will 
not hold discussions with Yasser Arafat. This confirms that the US is using 
talk of negotiations and a peaceful settlement as a dishonest subterfuge.

The US aim has been to build up Israel to suppress the Palestinians and as 
a military power to defeat all Arab nations.

Colin Powell's agenda is also a signal that if the Israel either kills 
Arafat or deports him forcibly, the US will back the Israelis in that vile 
act. The tactics of the US and Israel are not aimed at peace and justice 
but at suppression and domination. All this is made clear in Bush's 
comments at his March 30 press conference.