As the World Turns
In a move that has blindsided the Bush administration, the United National
General Assembly, with Syria holding the rotating presidency, has called
for weapons inspectors from non-aligned countries, such as India and
Pakistan, to enter the US and verify and destroy up to 50% of America’s
nuclear stockpile. This resolution will surely be vetoed by the US and
Britain in the Security Council but has momentarily taken the steam out of
the new Iraq resolution. American officials fear that China, Russia and
perhaps France would support such a move because the US has such an
overwhelming nuclear advantage and is using this leverage to project
economic, financial and cultural power. Even a debate on this issue would
be an international embarrassment for the US. Partial text of the
resolution follows:
“Given that the United States is the only country to have used nuclear
weapons, that the US holds more nuclear weaponry than all other countries
put together, that the US has been very public about its intentions to
project its power into the world’s troublespots, such as oil-rich
countries, and that the US increasingly monopolizes economic and trade
debates due to this nuclear blackmail, the United National General Assembly
respectfully requests that the Security Council urgently convene and
address this matter. We cannot let a rogue state, not matter its
democratic intentions and posturings, dictate global politics, economics,
and trade.”
Most veteran United Nations’ observers scoff at this resolution but are
hard- pressed to explain why it passed 197 to 13, with 3 abstentions. They
note that many countries are saying privately, concerned about cuts in US
aid, that the resolution is more symbolic than real, more for local than
international consumption. Nonetheless, the resolution has encouraged
anti-American demonstrations throughout the world, including major capitals
of Europe. The Bush administration is concerned that this will be an
invitation to Muslim fanatics to increase attacks on American targets. They
were already performing damage control after Reverend Falwell called the
Prophet a terrorist (he subsequently retracted the statement). The White
House announced that just because the Prophet was a warrior, used force to
convert people to the Muslim religion, and subjugated the Arabian
peninsula, it was totally inappropriate to label him a “terrorist.”
While General Powell and his aides try to head of a Security Council vote
on what they called “a disgraceful resolution pushed through by some of the
world’s worst terrorist states,” New York has responded by towing all
illegally-parked cars belonging to UN officials. Although this response has
been long-threatened, Mayor Bloomberg finally tired of UN bombast and
ordered towed 2,000 cars in one evening, taking most of them to a landfill
in New Jersey. Some have been reported stolen or stripped of useful parts
which have already passed through chop-shops in the Bronx and are on the
way to Bosnia, Moscow, and Sierra Leon where parts for the cars of
gangsters, criminals, and heads of state are in great demand. New York and
New Jersey police have denied they looked the other way while these
expensive cars were being stripped.
The US government, in a series of symbolic acts designed to turn up the
heat on countries on the “betrayers’ list,” said “ we will no longer assist
African heads of state who steal for their people then beg the US for food.
We will no longer provide billions of dollars to dictators, in every region
of the world, who use American taxpayer dollars to repress, terrorize and
sometimes murder their own people. We will no longer prop up and support
governments that have not been chosen by their people in a fairly contested
election. We will no longer ignore the fact that many Muslims consider
themselves in a religious war with Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism--
and all other infidel religions. We will accept the fact that we are
hostage to Arab oil and will use our intelligence, resources and national
will to develop alternatives to this fuel source.. We will no longer let
people into this country that are from countries that allow terrorist cells
to operate openly.”
What was a minor memo from a minor official in the State Department has
taken on a life of its own. Rather than being considered another Nixon
“Enemies’ List” the “Betrayers’ List” has been met with widespread applause
and acceptance from the general public and much of the media.. Though
Secretary of State Powell has tried to put out the fire, stating “this is
an unauthorized draft memo that should never have seen the light of day,”
he has been unable to state why the points in the memo should not be
considered a reasonable, sensible response to a hostile world. His official
response, that “ we live in a world of real politick and must deal with the
situation on the ground,” has not dampened enthusiasm for the
recommendations in this memo. People from across the political spectrum are
asking “why should we support countries that are committed to our
destruction?” There is more serious talk of developing a bulwark of the
Americas and letting the French and English fight over the rest of the
world.
American public opinion polls indicate that 80% of Americans are weary of
supporting hostile governments and are less inclined to believe the
administration’s view of the world. A full 90% think the US should take
over vital oil field in the Middle East until our oil supply is secure.
Seventy-five percent think the country should withdraw from the United
Nations.
Since the release of this minor memo, UN officials have begun paying their
parking tickets. India and Pakistan, ready to go to war, have decided to
finally resolve the Kasmir issue. They have rescinded their anti-American
vote in the General Assembly and will not to be part of any weapons
inspection team to enter the US.
President Bush, who has been taken over by events, has tried to gain the
upper-hand by stating once again that America was not responsible for
propping up the Iraqi regime in the past. He added that a possible war in
Iraq would not be about oil but about the well-being of the Iraqi people.
“We have a responsibility to protect our Muslim brothers in Iraq.”
The writer of the minor memo has been sent to the US consulate in the
Philippines. He is assigned to the terrorist desk.
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