Not worth fretting about, just some low-rent version of Chomsky, Vidal, Donald Duck, or whomever.
Posted on 09/10/2002 7:35:16 PM PDT by New Zealander
Bush disappoints Americans - terrorism expert 11 September 2002
United States President George Bush is terrifying the American people, and using the threat of terrorism to justify what comes next, says terrorism expert Jeff Sluka.
"All the people I have spoken to in the US are at least as disappointed in George Bush as they are in Osama bin Laden."
The year since the terrorist strikes of September 11 has been a victory for the terrorists "beyond their wildest dreams", the Massey University lecturer said yesterday.
It had also seen the introduction of "massive repressive legislation" and the triumph of hysteria and propaganda over commonsense.
The year was also marked by an increase in hate crimes against Muslims, with 350 reported to the FBI and about 1200 Muslims had been arrested on "petty" immigration charges and held without trial.
Generally, the terrorist strikes on America had been the catalyst for "a tremendous attack on civil liberties and human rights" in the US with the advent of the Patriot Act, which had disabled the Constitution, Dr Sluka said.
These changes had spread outside the US, and even to New Zealand where under Government definitions "every form of protest and direct action" could be construed as terrorist acts, he said.
"All of the protections of due process are disappearing."
But there had been some good developments in the past year, Dr Sluka said.
The American public were now "frightened and terrorised", not just by terrorists, but by President George Bush.
As a result, a groudswell of opinion was rising against the President, and his bellicose statements about attacking Iraq.
The media's "symbiotic relationship" with the Government meant the public had been hearing "99.9 percent of George Bush's view of the world".
"They take the word of George Bush and they simply report it as fact. The one thing we learnt from the (Vietnam War) is that you can't believe any of these people."
President Bush's talk about the War Against Terror meant he was using the media to "manufacture consent" for a war against Iraq.
Dr Sluka also dismissed catch-phrases such as The day the world changed forever as "lots of hype and rubbish".
"This whole thing is a lie. Only the politically ignorant believe this is anything more than US imperialism."
Creating a Government-led war on terror was unnecessary, as the pursuit of the terrorists of September 12 was the responsibility of existing police and court systems, he said.
New Zealand had nothing to fear from terrorism and the money the September 11 attacks was believed to have cost New Zealand was "utterly wasted", he said.
The over reaction of many governments was evidence of a victory for the terrorists, as many people had gone into "paroxsyms of panic" since the attacks, Dr Sluka said.
"That's what they wanted us to do. The strategy of terrorism is to provoke you into an over reaction."
Dr Sluka believed the next 12 months could be as interesting as the previous year, regardless of what happens with Iraq.
If the US did attack Iraq, there would be "nothing but trouble". If Iraq was spared, there would likely be increasing debate wthin the US about the erosion of civil liberties, he said.
So take a look at his credentials
PhD University of California in Berkeley.
I know what you'll say - but I'll ask anyway - PLEASE take him back! :)
Hasn't spoken with me.
Leftist, desperate that his "voice" isn't being recognized for it's intelligence, grasping at a life-preserver of vitriol, drowning.
What kind of idiot is this guy?
First, Bush is very strong in the approval polls. Secondly, WHO IS 'DISAPPOINTED' WITH OSAMA BIN LADEN?
"Disappointed with bin Laden?" Gimme a break!
You might want to talk to someone other than Marxist Jew-hating peaceniks at universities.
I know - I know. It's a terrible piece of reporting too - do you know of any good quotable sources for opinion poles? I'm considering writing to the Press Council.
Ah ha! That was the word I was looking for - somehow BARF didn't seem right, but puke was right out of the question...
Not worth fretting about, just some low-rent version of Chomsky, Vidal, Donald Duck, or whomever.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.