Below we post a selection of letters on our October 9 statement “Why we oppose the war in Afghanistan” and earlier articles on the US war buildup in Central Asia.
Dear people,
I just came across your web site and read a couple of articles. How refreshing to find a source of real news reports—as opposed to the mainstream media’s recitations of propaganda and lies! I think I will consider your web site my newspaper. Thank you for your good work.
KW
9 October 2001
Thanks for your comprehensive and thought provoking analysis of the Afghan crisis and thanks again for revealing the diabolical intentions of the Bush administration. My question is where are the so-called Christian conservative Republicans who always preach virtue but practice vice? They are digging long graves for the eventual burial of American troops in Afghanistan. Just before September 11, they were criticizing Vladimir Putin for the Chechen war. He is now an ally. How can people with such short memory lead the world?
SY
9 October 2001
Hey folks,
Just read an article from you and yes let’s act in an irrational way and condemn the world of freedom, the world of sanity, the world of normalcy. Let’s keep saying that the Islamic fundamentalists would have gladly handed over that loser Osama if they had exact proof. Do you folks live in a cloud or what! My lord, and to think how many people read your articles. Scary, as scary as terrorism, if you ask me.
T
9 October 2001
Dear WSWS,
I am a regular visitor of your site and I have read with great interest your latest editorials regarding the terrorist attacks in the US. The events of September the 11th are indeed historical, obviously because of their sheer magnitude but also because of the far-reaching consequences they will have in the future of national and international policies. While there is a rightful consensus among the population in condemning these attacks, the mainstream media of all western countries is forcing another consensus on the so-called “New war.” As a consequence, a majority of people in the US and Canada are in favor of a US-led military strike, mostly because this is the only solution proposed by politicians of all parties, and because it is pounded every day into the news and the political comments. Hence, the mass media and ruling elite have instituted a political climate where any alternative action or even opinion is implicitly prohibited. This kind of propaganda is very similar to the one carefully fabricated around the existing economic system, where capitalism is presented as the “natural” state of the economy, and should not be impeded by “unhealthy” government actions such as regulations on minimum wages and job security.
By siding with Pakistan, the US is supporting a regime that is as corrupted as the one they are fighting, both heavily involved in drug trafficking and social repression. Also, let’s not forget that US companies were most recently negotiating with the Taliban government for the construction of pipelines running through Afghanistan that would drain the oil and natural gas from the region. The military action that the US and Britain are about to undertake unilaterally will have dreadful consequences on this already unstable part of the world. These actions will be in line with many others where the US got involved in local conflicts, blindly siding with the faction that would serve its most direct economic and geopolitical interests, as in Latin America, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Kosovo, etc.
The right actions, if any, to be taken in the aftermath of the September 11th events are not as clearly defined as the media consensus presents them. I understand that these events are a result of many years of US, Russian, and British imperialism, which is rightfully denounced on your site. Nevertheless, I would be most interested to know what is the position of the WSWS on specific alternatives that should, or could, have been taken in the short and long terms in response to these events, within a true socialist perspective.
Sincerely,
TC
9 October 2001
I am so happy the world is not run by people with minds such as yours as exhibited by the analysis displayed in most of your articles. I am glad that, at least in the US and Europe, your voices are in the minority.
D
9 October 2001
I feel this article is the most cogent depiction of what is going on I have read so far. This is the sort of thing we need to counteract the total garbage we are being spoon fed by the mass media.
Thanks,
J
9 October 2001
Dear Sir ,
Thank you so much for giving me so much clear information. I am absolutely disgusted with the way the governments of the west are dealing with this terrible war. I cannot understand how so many countries can give their support to such an evil action as all-out war, especially when it is caused by countries such as the USA and the UK invading other countries for their own greedy gains and hunger for oil. They must rethink their policies.
I can only see one end to their act of war and that is even more terrorism. I live on a small farm here in Japan. I am married to a Japanese man but I myself am British. I wish there was something I could do to stop this awful madness, the Japanese government have given their full support to the US and are very busy rushing to change their laws so that the self defense can go and join in the “fight.”
I just cannot understand them at all, have they forgotten how terrible war is? If you have any idea what ordinary peace loving people like myself can do, please let me know.
Yours sincerely,
SN
8 October 2001