COMMENTARY:6/28/02
THE PROTESTORS ARE THE REAL TERRORISTS
By
Joan Veon
Because
of the protestors last year in Genoa, the G8 heads of State are holed up
in the Rocky Mountains while the media—who represent the people—since we
convey what was said and done at key political events—are 60 minutes away
in the city.The streets here look
like any post-Seattle WTO city:Quebec,
Washington D. C., Davos or Genoa.Police,
the National Guard equivalent and the Canadian Mounted Police are here
from all over the country and are riot-gear ready.The
streets are lined with the usual barricades and there is concern in the
air over a group of people who have a track record of violence.
Interestingly
enough, as a result of September 11, one of the main topics here is terrorism—finding
the “faceless enemy.”According to
the Council on Foreign Relations-CFR, all forms of modern terrorism contain
four key elements:First it is premeditated
rather than an impulsive act of rage.Two,
it is political and not criminal looking to bring about a change in the
political order versus financial gain.Three,
it is aimed at civilians rather than military targets and fourth, it is
not carried out by the army of a country but by sub-national groups.The
CFR has identified six types of terrorism:nationalist,
religious, state-sponsored, left wing, right wing and anarchist.The
CFR further writes that the two key forms of terrorism come from nationalist
and religious zeal.
With
this in mind, I think most would agree that the protestors fill the bill.Their
acts are premeditated, looking to bring a change in the political order
with violence aimed at civilians.What
I have witnessed first hand in Seattle, Washington, D. C., New York City,
Davos, Genoa and Montreal is that they have been allowed to continue.I
have met personally key individuals who are paid professional protestors
who move from city to city to manage the designated protest.Furthermore,
many individuals who protest are part of environmental groups that are
supported by gracious grants from private foundations such as the MacArthur,
Pew, Rockefeller, Carnegie and Rockefeller foundations.While
there are many college students who are going “save the world”, there is
a strong core of key individuals who know how to push the right buttons
for the effect they want. The anarchists, who were present in Seattle,
were not without funding.For a buck,
some people are willing to do anything.
In
mid-June, the G8 Foreign Ministers issued a Progress Report on the Fight
Against Terrorism.They wrote, “We
have begun by putting our own houses in order first.G8
members have implemented new laws and policies strengthening our political,
diplomatic, military, legal, intelligence, law enforcement and financial
counter-terrorism activities.Police,
judges and all other relevant experts of the G8 now share more information
and coordinate their activities to identify and, when they exist, disrupt
the linkages between drug trafficking, organized crime, smuggling of migrants
and terrorism financing.”
While
the G8 statement does not include protestors, you mean to tell me that
they could not put a stop to the on-going terrorist activities of the protestors?I
am told Canada has spent a whopping $500M for this two-day meeting, most
of which is for security.That figure
does not include any damage that might be inflicted.I
find it rather hard to believe that the power, might, force and intelligence
services of the most industrialized countries in the world can’t track,
trace, infiltrate and neutralize the protestors. Furthermore, the fact
that the G8 heads of state are barricaded in their own 21st
century Eagle’s Nest says a whole lot!
So
what should be done?One, go after
the protestors using all of the intelligence capabilities lobbed al Qaida.Once
they are identified, seize all of their assets—books, signs, baseball bats,
etc.Then place a lien on their parent’s
home for damage done.Make them
attend classes on what it means to be a good, decent citizen as a form
of community service.Lastly, take
away the tax-exempt status of any foundation that directly or indirectly
aids and abets the protestors.
As
far as I am concerned, the actions and inactions of the G8 heads of state
say it all!
