Posted on 10/03/2001 2:32:21 AM PDT by kattracks
October 3, 2001 -- Anti-Americanism and anti-war sentiment raged yesterday during a "teach-in" at City College. The vast majority of the students and professors who spoke at the session, attended by about 200 people, ranted against any American military action - some of them even blaming the United States for the World Trade Center disaster. "American imperialism is responsible for this terrorist attack," shouted math professor Walter Daum. He claimed that U.S. foreign policy "created" Osama bin Laden by financing the Afghan resistance to the Soviet occupation. Professor Bill Crain said he wants "peace, not war." "Our diplomacy is horrible," he said. "During Iraq's war with Iran, Saddam Hussein used poison gas on his own people. We supported Iraq but sold arms to both sides." He insisted the U.S. is responsible for bin Laden, claiming it trained him to fight Russia. The forum was sponsored by the professors' union, the Professional Staff Congress and nearly all the students who spoke had absorbed the lessons taught by their professors. "We don't feel military action will stop terrorism, but it will lead to racism and hate," said sophomore Nuriel Heckler. Senior Halla Salem, 21, said, "I haven't seen the evidence that bin Laden did it." Student government leader Kenneth Williams said African-Americans should be suspicious of "rallying around the flag" and becoming "tools of the ruling class" in a war. Mohammad Alam Shumon, a native of Bangladesh who resides in Queens, complained that the United States supports Israel and Pakistan, which he maintains "practice terrorism." Charles Evans was one of the few professors who stood up to what he called the "anti-Americanism" on display. "Universities tend to breed this sort of thing," he said. "There are times when a country has to respond with force," said Evans, who teaches philosophy. "People opposed to this are trying to relive the Vietnam War period." Political-science professor Vincent Boudreau agreed there must be a military retaliation. "There has to be some kind of response to this," he said, adding he'd support the creation of a coalition that would use military force. Meanwhile, professors interviewed at NYU yesterday also said they were cool to war. Timothy Mitchell, professor of international relations, said, "Any attacks should not be seen as just the U.S. and a few allies. A much broader group should be brought in under the auspices of the United Nations."
The Bush administration is seeking to leverage the hatred of the opposing factions in the Afghanistan republic by arming them and giving them the money to fight. We tried the same with the rebels in Iraq. When has this policy ever succeeded? Fighting war by proxy has never worked for us.
The proper response should be ours directly and it should be complete.
I'm sure you know what I am thinking/saying/screaming/pulling my hair out about.
William Crain: 212-650-5650
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