Editorial:

September 11 hype is all about war

Last week's blanket media coverage of the anniversary of September 11 
has probably never been exceeded in its intensity. Acres of newsprint with 
full colour pictures of the World Trade Centre covered page after page in 
some newspapers. They cynically made use of the family losses in the 
terrorist attack.

There was no thought given to the suffering of the families that have been 
devastated by US bombs in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yugoslavia, Panama, the Sudan, 
Libya, not to mention the tens of thousands killed in US supported wars in 
Nicaragua, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, the Congo and elsewhere.

It was as though such tragedies did not exist. It is only the deaths of 
Americans that are worth commemorating apparently.

However, the commemorative hype by the US leaders and the media of Packer 
and Murdoch (and the ABC) is more a part of the preparations for the next 
war that the Americans are preparing to unleash against Iraq, than any 
genuine concern for American families. As reported in last week's 
Guardian, George Bush has blocked funding to monitor the long-term 
health of the rescue crews at the WTC and other allocations approved by the 
US Congress for firefighters.

The hype is also about smothering the as yet untold story about the 
September 11 attack. No inquiry has been held into the many unanswered 
questions. Why was there no interception of the hijacked planes? Why did 
Bush continue to read a story to school children after being told of a 
plane crashing into the first WTC tower? Why weren't prior warnings of a 
possible attack taken seriously? What are the business connections between 
Bush and the bin Laden family? Why weren't members of the bin Laden family 
who were in the US at the time of the attack, interrogated? Why are many 
people of Middle Eastern decent being held in US jails without trial?

There is much circumstantial evidence that top leaders of the US 
administration were part of a conspiracy.

Just ask the question: who benefitted?

Out of it has come the war against Afghanistan and the occupation of that 
country; the establishment of US bases in Central Asia; a tremendous boost 
in US armament expenditure that will make equally tremendous profits for US 
corporations. A now the threatened invasion and occupation of Iraq and 
other Middle Eastern countries.

However, there are also many signs that while the prostitute media and the 
lackey politicians of Australia and some other countries are desperate for 
war, the people and a majority of world governments are against it.

It does not appear that the Australian people have been swept along by the 
September 11 commemoration or by the war talk. In fact, many people 
responded on September 11, 2002 by turning off the endless TV and radio 
coverage.

Widespread opposition and distrust of the US have forced it to take the 
issue to the United Nations — against the wishes of Cheney, Rumsfeld, Bush 
and other leaders of the war hawks.

However, this is only a small step and must be associated with much 
stronger resistance and opposition by the leading countries, particularly 
by Russia, China and France who hold the power of veto over any action by 
the Security Council, as well as by the governments of other countries 
whether members of the UN Security Council or not.

Bush in his speech did not bring forward any evidence to prove that Iraq 
has or is developing weapons of mass destruction or a nuclear capability.

There is no evidence that Iraq was in any way involved with the September 
11 attack on the WTC.

That Iraq has not complied with UN Security Council resolutions is a fact, 
but neither has Israel. Israel does have weapons of mass destruction and a 
nuclear capability. Nor have the US and NATO complied with the resolution 
that the fascist KLA of Albania be disarmed in Kosovo.

If such a criteria is to be applied to Iraq and insisted on by means of 
war, it must also be applied to Israel and to the US itself.

Using its military power the US is now threatening the whole world. The US 
madmen must be stopped NOW!