In this issue:

U.S. Ambassador's Fit Against Egyptian Press Shows Imperial Madness

Kennedy Attacks War Plan; U.S. Congressmen Visit Baghdad

U.S.-British War on Iraq Already Underway

Mubarak in Diplomatic Initiative To Stop War

Dr. Mahathir Demands End To Israeli Attack on Palestine

Indonesia Condemns IDF Attacks on Arafat Headquarters

Israel will Ignore UN Resolution on Withdrawal from Occupied Territories

Palestinian Leader Refuses To Ride to Power on Back of an Israeli Tank

World Jewish Leader Accuses Sharon of Ethnic Cleansing

Rumsfeld Plays Dumb About U.S. Arming Iraq with Bio-Weapons

Warnings: Israel will Use Iraq War To Launch Nukes

From the Vol.1 No.30 issue of Electronic Intelligence Weekly, Published September 30, 2002
MIDEAST NEWS DIGEST

U.S. Ambassador's Fit Against Egyptian Press Shows Imperial Madness

The current U.S. Ambassador to Egypt, David Welch, triggered a wave of protests when, on Sept. 20, he published an article in the Egyptian daily newspaper Al-Ahram, denouncing those who dare to question the "official" accounts of the attacks of Sept. 11. The publication of Welch's rant provoked protests from Egypt's leading journalists' association, including calls for Welch to be declared persona non grata and asked to leave the country.

Lyndon LaRouche called attention to this heated exchange, as yet another manifestation of the mad imperialist bent of the present Bush Administration. Below, we publish the official published statement from the Journalists' Society of Egypt, condemning Welch's comments, followed by excerpts of the Welch article, which appeared in the warmongering New York Post on Sept. 27.

The statement below, translated from Arabic, from the Journalists' Society of Egypt, was published in the same daily Al-Ahram on Sept. 24. A series of published statements by leading Egyptian intellectuals denouncing Welch's demand for censorship, are not yet available:

"In its meeting on Sunday, the Bureau of the Supervisory Board of the Journalists' Society discussed the comments sent to the Society in response to the article written by Mr. David Welch, U.S. Ambassador to Cairo, and published in Al-Ahram daily, especially his call on Egyptian chief editors to ban any articles and opinion commentaries that do not fit into the American viewpoint on the responsibility of al-Qaeda for the September 11 attacks. On this occasion, the Bureau emphasizes that the main principle to which the Society and all Egyptian journalists are committed is that the freedom of expression includes the right to publish all opinions, no matter how much they go against the general consensus, and that the road to truth starts from presenting all views, and not from the scissors of the censorship.

"There is no doubt that the publishing of this article [of Welch] by the oldest and most prestigious Egyptian and Arab newspaper [Al-Ahram], is the embodiment of this principle, while it is highly doubtful that a similar article criticizing American press would ever find its way to an American newspaper that easily.

"While expressing its astonishment at the U.S. Ambassador's disregard for the principle of freedom of expression and publishing, it also expresses it towards his attempt to manipulate this principle for the advantage of the American Administration's viewpoint....

"The Bureau would like to assure Mr. Ambassador that any attempt to interfere in the publishing policies of the Egyptian newspapers is regarded as an unacceptable move, violating the independence of the press as granted by the Constitution and law. Furthermore, it is useless to expect a positive response from any Egyptian chief editor to any orders that might bring real damage to the reputation of the Egyptian press."

From the article by Ambassador David Welch:

[After thanking the sympathizers in Egypt for commemorating the September 11 attacks favorably.]

"Unfortunately, the anniversary also brought yet more media voices questioning who planned and committed the attacks, and positing incredible conspiracy theories without the slightest bit of evidence to back them up.

"Leading Egyptian newspapers and magazines in the past two weeks alone have published columns by senior columnists who suggested governments or groups other than al-Qaeda were responsible. A leading Egyptian professor of sociology, in a public lecture on Sept. 11, 2002, spent nearly half an hour trying to cast doubt on al-Qaeda's culpability and even went so far as to implicate the U.S. government by asserting that America had benefited from the attacks. Much attention and credibility have been given in the media to a book by a Frenchman, a book that has been completely debunked by more careful and thorough French authors. [Welch does not mention their names: Guillaume Dasquie and Jean Guisnel— who wrote a book attacking Thierry Meyssan, Lyndon LaRouche, and Jacques Cheminade.]

"Most of the world accepts the voluminous evidence of al-Qaeda's responsibility. No serious debate still exists about this. This has been detailed in thousands of articles in independent media in many countries, articles available to anyone with access to the Internet.

"Moreover, al-Qaeda itself fully admitted its culpability in interviews given in June to Yusri Foda of Al-Jazeera, interviews which aired on the network this month. It is difficult to fathom how commentators can simply disregard these confessions, coming on top of all the other publicly available evidence.

"That educated columnists and professors would still doubt who designed and carried out the attacks makes one wonder if they are ill-informed or simply too upset with American policy on other issues to accept the reality on this one. If the former, then their sources of information are flawed and incomplete....

"Sadly, such disregard for the facts in such a serious matter can tarnish the reputation of the Egyptian media in the eyes of the world. I hope editors will keep this in mind and exercise their editorial judgment when reviewing articles or columns to print in their publications.

"If nothing else, responsible media should be dedicated to telling the truth, not spreading falsehood, and knowing the difference between the two...."

Democrats Voice 'Anti-War' Sentiments, But War Has Already Begun

In a race against time, where the Bush Administration is already at war with Iraq, having escalated British and U.S. allied air strikes on fixed Iraqi defenses throughout the week, leading Democratic members of the U.S. Senate and House are belatedly attacking the idea of a war against Iraq. While the Democrats' anti-war language uses the strongest terms heard in years, only 2004 Democratic Party Presidential pre-candidate Lyndon LaRouche has identified that the Bush "National Security Strategy" is a Cheney-Wolfowitz imperial nightmare that has nothing to do with a threat assessment concerning Iraq. The war has been planned for a dozen years. For details, see EIW #29's Editorial calling for Cheney's resignation; and this week's INDEPTH feature.

Kennedy Attacks War Plan; U.S. Congressmen Visit Baghdad

On Sept. 24, two more members of the U.S. Congress joined a delegation to Iraq to explore a road to peace, and in a Washington speech on Sept. 27, Sen. Ted Kennedy warned that Israel could escalate the war by launching a nuclear strike— a reality that few leaders outside of Lyndon LaRouche have ever mentioned. However, Kennedy, like other war opponents, failed to assert that it is well known that Sharon's Israel has plans for a "preemptive attack" on Iraq, such as the one they carried out against the Iraqi Osirik nuclear reactor in 1981.

Senator Kennedy delivered his attack on the Bush war plans, ironically, at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), which was under the control of former Cheney aide and chickenhawk warmonger Paul Wolfowitz, before he became Deputy Secretary of Defense for the Bush Administration.

Kennedy's speech is a new development in a show of opposition to the war. At the same time, Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-Missouri), James McDermott (D-Wash), and David Bonior (D-Mich) were on their way to Iraq, to assess the damage caused by the Gulf War and ten years of sanctions. McDermott says that he does not think that there is any evidence that Iraq is a real threat to the United States. They say they want the Bush Administration to exhaust all diplomatic measures and allow weapons inspectors to go to Iraq, before discussing military action. However, these events are occurring as the Bush Administration has already escalated its air war.

Kennedy opened his speech by saying that "America should not go to war against Iraq unless and until other reasonable alternatives are exhausted.

"There is clearly a threat from Iraq and there is clearly a danger," Kennedy said. "But the Administration has not made a convincing case that we face such an imminent threat to our national security that a unilateral, preemptive American strike and an immediate war are necessary.... War should be a last resort, not the first response," Kennedy proclaimed to applause.

Kennedy noted that "it is an open secret in Washington that the nation's uniformed military leadership is skeptical about the wisdom of war with Iraq," and he cited testimony by retired Generals Wesley Clark and Joseph Hoar in the Senate earlier this week, including Hoar's warning that the U.S. military would have to be prepared to fight block by block in Baghdad, where a battalion of soldiers a day could be lost in casualties.

Kennedy also raised the possibility that if Iraq attacks Israel with weapons of mass destruction, "Israel will retaliate, and possibly with nuclear weapons," and that this "could draw the Arab world into a regional war in which our Arab allies side with Iraq, against the United States and against Israel."

Kennedy urged the Administration to work through the UN for a new resolution providing for the resumption of inspections by the end of October, but his comments may be too little, too late.

U.S.-British War on Iraq Already Underway

Further American-British air raids on Iraqi defense sites are profiled as prelude to full assault, in a prominent article in the London Telegraph on Sept. 27. The Telegraph has an inside track into the war planning through its owner, Conrad Black, the major financier of the neo-conservative fascist organizations in the U.S., and through its top executive, Richard Perle, who runs the Defense Policy Board. The Telegraph states that "British and American aircraft have attacked four of the six main Iraqi air defense command posts in the past 48 hours, as the allies step up raids on Saddam Hussein's military facilities. The increasing frequency of raids is expected ultimately to build up into a full-scale air before any land attack...."

Reports from Washington indicate the U.S. war on Iraq has already started— without UN resolutions, or Congressional approval. On Sept. 27, the U.S. admitted that it had struck from the air at a civilian airport and radar system in Basra, which is an important outlet to the Persian Gulf, early the previous day. And exiled Iraqi military officers (among other sources) have reported a recent buildup in attacks on communications sites and Iraqi air defense command centers— presumably as preparation for a U.S.-led invasion.

At the same time, large quantities of armored and other material are being shipped from Europe to forward positions, while the number of troops ostensibly engaged in various "maneuvers" is continuously being increased.

Mubarak in Diplomatic Initiative To Stop War

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, after meeting with the Iraqi Foreign Minister in Cairo, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak flew to Saudi Arabia to meet with Crown Prince Abdullah. He told Reuters that "both leaders will be trying to seek a solution to avoid a U.S. strike against Iraq, either more concessions from Iraq or a formula on a new UN resolution which would be acceptable to both Washington and Baghdad."

Before Mubarak embarked on the trip, Egyptian Foreign Minister Maher told reporters that Iraq had reiterated that UN weapons inspectors would be allowed back into Iraq without any conditions.

Dr. Mahathir Demands End To Israeli Attack on Palestine

Malaysia's Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohammed wrote to President George W. Bush, France's President Jacques Chirac, and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on the crisis in Israel and Palestine, after receiving a call from President Yasser Arafat, prior to Mahathir's departure for the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Denmark that began on Monday. Mahathir called on the world leaders to intervene in the ongoing siege of Arafat's headquarters.

On Sept. 25, Mayalysia's Ambassador to the UN, Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, warned that Iraq should not be used as a cover or excuse by Israel to intensify its practice of state terrorism against the Palestinian people.

Indonesia Condemns IDF Attacks on Arafat Headquarters

A statement released on Sept. 23 by Indonesia's Foreign Ministry charged "that the continuing military aggression against the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people represents a continued defiance of the will of the international community as reflected in the relevant UNSC resolutions. The aggression also constitutes the intensification of the much-discredited attempt to sideline and endanger the elected Palestinian leadership under Arafat. Through its actions, Israel is once again threatening the stability and security of the region and jeopardizing the future of the peace process.

"At this juncture, the Indonesian government reiterates its support and solidarity with the Palestinian people. Indonesia demands that Israel immediately end its siege and the destruction of the Palestinian headquarters in Ramallah and fully comply with the UN resolutions."

Israel will Ignore UN Resolution on Withdrawal from Occupied Territories

Israel's record of scorning UN resolutions is exceeding that claimed by George W. Bush as a casus belli in the case of Iraq. On Sept. 23, the UN Security Council passed another resolution (the third since March 2002) demanding that Israel withdraw from Palestinian towns and stop destroying property. With Yasser Arafat under siege in Ramallah and Israeli tanks wreaking havoc in Gaza, the U.S. abstained from— but did not veto— the resolution, which was otherwise unanimous. The resolution specifically asked an end to Israeli operations in and around Ramallah. Israel was instructed to withdraw from Palestinian cities "toward the return to positions held prior to September 2000" when Sharon began the current war. The Security Council also condemned the terrorist attacks on Israelis.

However, Reuters quoted a senior Israeli official saying Israel's compliance was "highly unlikely" since Palestinians would probably not arrest militants as required by the UN.

Palestinian Leader Refuses To Ride to Power on Back of an Israeli Tank

Tawfiq Tirawi, head of West Bank intelligence for the Palestinian Authority, and one of those inside Yasser Arafat's compound whom the Israelis have demanded be handed over as an alleged "terrorist," told the Dubai-based television, MBC, that the Israelis want him out of the way, because he refuses to turn against Palestinian President Arafat. "I and other Palestinians are wanted by Israel because we are an obstacle to attempts to bring in an alternative leadership on the back of Israeli and American tanks, such as happened in Afganistan," he said. He told the Israeli daily Ma'ariv: "Yasser Arafat and I will fight to the last minute."

World Jewish Leader Accuses Sharon of Ethnic Cleansing

Henry Siegman, former chairman of the American Jewish Congress and currently fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, accused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of implementing a policy of transfer and ethnic cleansing.

The statements appeared in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz on Sept. 25. First Siegman accused Sharon of being responsible for a policy that serves to "undercut Palestinians who seek to abandon violence and resume a political dialogue." In the last six weeks, while efforts to stop the violence by the Palestinians themselves were underway, "The brutal curfews and closings remained unchanged. Indeed, during this period, the Israel Defense Forces killed 75 Palestinians, most of them civilians, including children.... [E]ven more telling, Sharon chose to announce his designation of Effie Eitam, the most outspoken advocate of the expulsion of the Palestinians from the West Bank, to take charge of Israel's settlement program. It is difficult to imagine a move better calculated to discredit Palestinians seeking to repudiate Hamas and Islamic Jihad and end the violence."

Siegman also pointed to a recent commentary by Avi Primor, vice president of Tel Aviv University, who accused Sharon of planning to implement a South African-style apartheid policy against the Palestinians.

Rumsfeld Plays Dumb About U.S. Arming Iraq with Bio-Weapons

Senator Robert Byrd (D-WVa) grilled Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about how in the past the U.S. helped Saddam Hussein produce biological weapons, during Rumsfeld's appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee last week, syndicated columnist Robert Novak reported Sept. 26. When Rumsfeld denied any knowledge of the U.S. providing the building-blocks for weapons of mass destruction to Iraq in the 1980s, Byrd read sections of last week's Newsweek article aloud to him, describing the U.S. exports. Rumsfeld denied ever having heard of anything like this.

Novak suggests that Rumsfeld should become familiar with the following national security documents:

*"The sole surviving copy of a May 25, 1994 Senate Banking Committee report," which said that "pathogenic ... toxigenic and other biological research materials were exported to Iraq," under U.S. Commerce Department licenses. The report details 70 shipments from 1985-88, and says that "these microorganisms exported by the U.S. were identical to those the United Nations inspectors found and recovered from the Iraqi biological weapons program."

*National Security Directive (NSD) 26, signed by President George Bush the elder on Oct. 2, 1989, now declassified, which proposed normalization of relations with Iraq.

Novak also describes Rumsfeld's Dec. 20, 1983 visit to Baghdad, in which he was carrying a secret letter from then-Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, offering Israeli assistance to Iraq in its war against Iran.

Warnings: Israel will Use Iraq War To Launch Nukes

A top Israeli military commentator is warning that Ariel Sharon is leading Israel to the deployment of nuclear weapons. Reuvan Pedatzur, writing in the Israeli daily Ha'aretz of Sept. 26 warns Sharon ran a psychological warfare campaign to prepare Israel's population for the use of nuclear weapons against Arab countries. Pedatzur's commentary can be found in EIW's INDEPTH this week.

But also warning of this Israeli "doomsday" scenario was former UN Arms Inspection Chief Richard Butler, one of the most rabid promoters of war on Iraq; he said, to a business conference in Hong Kong, regarding Israel responding to any Iraqi attack: "My deepest fear in that context, if that occurs and the war escalates, is that Israel will use its nuclear weapons. If that happens, the world would have been changed beyond recognition, and I would fear that if that happens the state of Israel would cease to exist."

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