Is it possible that I know what both public and secret U.S intelligence agencies do not know? We all know that there are 16 intelligence agencies in the United States with a total budget of 75 billion dollars a year, as this is public-issue knowledge. Then a few days ago, the Washington Post revealed stunning details about the clandestine aspect of the War on Terror, and we learned that there are 1272 government organizations and 1931 private companies working in programs related to counter-terrorism, homeland security and intelligence, in ten thousand locations across the United States. Following the terrorist attacks in 2001, 33 secret complexes were planned to be built in Washington and around it, to house intelligence services; some of these have been completed. The number of personnel working in this secret world is estimated to be nearly 854 thousand, each of whom possessing clearance to access intelligence information. And yet, all of these are not aware of what I have noted in this column time and again regarding the relationship between the Pakistani military intelligence and the Taliban, a subject that was probed and well documented by colleague Samir al-Sa'adawi in this newspaper. Then we find, according to leaks online, that the Americans were taken by surprise when they learned about this relationship. What is indisputable is that terrorism increased after the U.S declared the War on Terror. The U.S will never defeat terrorism so long as its foreign policy in the Middle East is biased in favor of Israel at the expense of Arabs and Muslims, and American interests themselves. I accuse the advocates of an American empire, the Israel lobby, the Likudniks of all types and casts and the U.S Congress of being responsible for unleashing terrorism, and I shall continue with news on American affairs worthy of consideration: - Gen. Stanley McChrystal was forced to resign as commander of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan because of the statements he gave criticizing the civilian leadership in an interview with Rolling Stones. He was succeeded by Gen. David Petraeus, while it was announced that Lt. Gen. James Mattis will succeed Petraeus in the U.S Central Command. McChrystal was sacked because he did not choose his words well in a country where the military takes its orders from the civilian leadership, and not vice versa like in our countries. However, Mattis is worse than McChrystal, as he lacks both wisdom and tact. No sooner had his name been proposed as the head of U.S Central Command that voices rose to remind the Americans and the world that it was this general that led the assault on Fallujah which killed thousands of civilians, and that it is this general who once described the killing and fighting in Afghanistan as being ‘fun'. There is a recording of him that dates back to 2005 in which he can be heard saying that he loves combat, and that in Afghanistan he found men slapping women five years for not wearing the veil, men who lack masculinity, and for this reason, he finds it fun or enjoyable to shoot them. I await the next mistake to come from Mattis, or his resignation or sacking. - As the saying in Lebanon translates (used when things go contrary to what a person wants), “things are not going okay” for America's wars, intelligence agencies, and generals' competence, and there is daily proof for that. - WikiLeaks uncovered the U.S reports on the relation between the Taliban and the Pakistani intelligence. This website first became famous when it leaked a video showing a U.S military chopper attacking a group of Iraqis. Recently, I read that a young employee working in the U.S intelligence leaked to this website thousands of classified exchanges between U.S embassies in the Middle East, and that they will soon be published. Then there is a memo issued by the U.S Army enumerating the ways to fight the site and hunt down those behind the leaks which the site itself is expected to publish soon, despite pressures. The leaked helicopter video showed two pilots firing missiles at Iraqi civilians while chatting and laughing. When an ambulance showed up to help the injured, it too was bombed and everyone was killed. - The visit of the new British Prime Minister David Cameron to Washington and his talks with President Obama provided an occasion to talk about the ‘special relationship' between the United States and Britain. There is no special relationship whatsoever, but complete and humiliating British subservience to American policy, the sole result of which is that Britain is paying the price for anti-Americanism all around the world, especially among Arabs and Muslims. As a result, Britain is subjected to terrorism where the first and foremost cause, if not only cause, is Britain's subservience to U.S policy. Would the terrorist attacks of 7/7 have ever taken place had it not been for this? I doubt this as much as I doubt that the terrorists would have targeted Britain in all subsequent attempts, were it not for its pro-American policy. I also am saddened when I read day after day about the British soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Then my sadness turns to anger when the British press described each fallen soldier as a hero, or the equivalent of a martyr in our culture. Those are not heroes, but are victims on the altar of British subservience to U.S policy. [email protected]
