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The Spread of Missionary Zeal
Isn't it interesting how people in power react when they contract missionary zeal? George Bush's venture into Afghanistan has cost the American public $37 billion so far and though he has not found bin Laden he still has a big grin on his face. In Afghanistan - though it goes largely unreported - the situation has been steadily deteriorating as attacks against the American-installed regime in Kabul escalate.
In Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, hundreds of Taliban suspects seized in Afghanistan continue to be held by the US, are interrogated by foreign intelligence agencies so that torture can be used and the US deny liability, are being held without charge or trial, have been denied all legal rights in defiance of international law and have no contact with the outside world.
In a speech Bush has even jokingly made reference to the extra-judicial killing in Yemen when the CIA incinerated a car carrying alleged Al Qaeda operatives with a laser-guided Hellfire missile. But, as we know, American Intelligence is scary. For example, the FBI's. Had British pensioner Derek Bond been holidaying in Yemen and been a terrorist, rather than a criminal, suspect, then based on FBI intelligence he too might have been a target for elimination.
Bush's impending war against Iraq is set to drain US reserves and further destabilise world markets. But the plan is good. Heavy bombing. Quick victory. Dancing in the streets, for those with legs, followed by a surcharge on the oil revenues of the liberated people of democratic Iraq.
Tony Blair's gung-ho stance has surprised many. He continues to ignore all appeals to slow down the slide into war, ignores public opinion, splits his party and his stance threatens to lose Labour a large number of seats in the Scottish and Welsh assembly elections. But that's okay. The world eventually will be a better place. Wait and see.
But until they pass the litmus test in the Middle East that they have refused to resolve and which is a major contributing factor to the scepticism millions of people share about US and British motives then Bush and Blair deserve nothing but our opposition. The USA and Britain have had decades to make the Palestinian world a better place but they never gave a damn, never even imposed sanctions against Israel for its systematic defiance of UN resolutions (which the US routinely vetoes, anyway).
And now the disease of missionary zeal has spread. For under cover of attacking terrorism the Spanish government of Jose Maria Aznar, one of Bush's staunchest allies on Iraq, last week, in the best Franco tradition, raided and closed down the Basque language paper, 'Euskaldunon Egunkaria'. Hundreds of police officers wearing ski masks descended on the newspapers' four offices and arrested ten journalists and managers. These include a Jesuit priest, Padre Auxmendi, who is publicly recognised for his clear opposition to armed struggle and his defence of the marginalised. They were taken into custody, held incommunicado, with later allegations that they were beaten.
Six have been jailed and four released on bail, among them Martxelo Otamendi who gave a lecture at Feile an Phobail in 2001 on the subject of establishing a daily newspaper in Irish. Another of those detained has reportedly attempted suicide. One of those released said: "They've treated us like rats. The treatment was merciless, brutal." He said that his interrogators had applied twice "the bag" (suffocation with a bag over his head) in the five days he was questioned and that he was made to stay crouching and naked, and made to do exercises endlessly.
"You could hear the screams of your workmates and even the noise of the beatings," he said.
'Egunkaria' is considered less radical than the mixed-language 'Gara' (a supporter of ETA's aims which fails to condemn its armed struggle). The paper was set up in 1990 by a collective of Basque language lovers and in recent years has been helped financially by the Basque regional government to the tune of more than £5 million. It publishes 76 pages every day on average, six days a week. Its front page coverage of the 9/11 attacks was featured alongside others in the National Press Club of Washington DC's commemorative poster, 'Darkest Page in American History'.
In defiance of state censorship the paper appeared the day after the raids under a new name, 'Egunero', which means "every day", with the headline, "Shut but not silenced". However, on February 24th, the courts froze the assets of the paper and its directors.
Last weekend more than 100,000 people protested in San Sebastian against the crackdown on the paper which is seen as a Spanish government attack on the Basque language movement. Markel Olano, the head of the regional government, even described the operation as an attack on "Basque society".
Spain has also accused Basque newspapers, cultural magazines and even the children's Basque language school of being breeding grounds for terrorists. Which is what you come to believe when you hang around with Bush and Blair.
When asked why they had been arrested and charged the Spanish Justice Minister replied that senior staff were using 'Egunkaria' to tip off ETA each time there was a police operation against it. But neither he nor the investigating magistrate said how the newspaper did this. It is so implausible. If you wanted to urgently tip somebody off wouldn't you simply phone them?
But haven't we heard something similar before about secret messages being passed through the media? Correct. Last year George Bush warned the world's press and live media that it shouldn't be broadcasting bin Laden's interview with the Al-Jazeera TV station as his words might well contain secret instructions to al Qaeda cells!
Yes, the disease of missionary zeal is spreading.
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© 2007 Irish Author and Journalist - Danny Morrison