Re: Bush caused US devastation

In a message dated 9/12/01 1:26:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time, dagda@eircom.net 
writes:

<< t is clear that there is a strong link between the kami kazi acts in the 
US and
 the Middle East. It is clear that the Palestianians have been treated like 
pigs
 by US imperialism and are now acting like pigs.  >>


Careful--its not clear Palestinians had anything to do with these attacks.  
If Bin Laden was behind them (IF), he is a Saudi.  

Also, it may sound like a semantic distinction, but its worth noting that Bin 
Laden is a lot angrier about US geopolitical ambitions than about capitalism. 
 Were the US to withdraw from the gulf and back away from Israel, it seems 
likely he would lose interest.

Elson--I agree with you that the short term prospects look bleak.  As usual, 
I'm a little bit more pessimistic (or is that optimistic?) that the US could 
use an event like this to consolidate its power rather than just fruitlessly 
assert its might, but in the short term we will likely see assertions of 
might--both at home and abroad.

The anti--IMF etc movement will likely faced increased surveillance and 
repression, and a souring of mood that could well work against it.  Some of 
my own students who were planning to go to the protest are thinking twice, 
fearing out of control police response to any provocation (something to think 
about when considering how to protest on those days).  

On the other hand, what else is there to do but attempt to continue to 
challenge the practices, discourses, structures, etc that made what happened 
practically inevitable?

Steven Sherman