How can the people of the US come to grips with the knowledge that their leadership has been involved in some of the worst acts of terror known to the planet?
Psychologists report that in abusive relationships the abusers often display an attitude of denial of their behavior even when faced with overwhelming evidence to the contrary. This phenomenon is the current dysfunction of the most abusive sovereign state on the planet. The political entity known as the United States of America, through its leadership and media are having trouble acknowledging the fact that the US engages in terrorism on a grand scale and has meted out some of the most horrendous terror ever wreaked upon the planet.
THREE MILLION VIETNAMESE were KILLED by the US in a war the reason for which we are still trying to figure out. Academics studying the war tend to agree that it was not about halting the “domino effect” of communism, as was told to the US populace by their leaders. Oh, and what about the ONE MILLION CAMBODIANS who DIED in illegal bombings directed by former US Secretary of State Henry Kissenger? But can these acts of violence compete with the current killing of FIVE THOUSAND CHILDREN PER MONTH in Iraq as a result of economic sanctions imposed by the US? To demonstrate the extent of the state of denial being exhibited by the US one need only remember the comment of former Secretary of State Madeline Albright when she said, with a straight face, that the DEATHS OF FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND IRAQUI CHILDREN is an acceptable price for the furtherance of US goals.
The list goes on and on . . . the policy of GENOCIDE PRACTICED ON NATIVE AMERICANS . . . the huge numbers of MINORITIES EXHILED TO GHETTOS palatably referred to as “public housing.’’ . . . the OVERTHROW OF LEGITATELY ELECTED GOVERNMENTS in Guatemala and Chile and elsewhere . . the missile firings that were responsible for KILLING INNOCENT CHILDREN, MOTHERS AND FATHERS IN KOSOVO. . .; and of course, who can forget the SUPPORT OF APARTHIED PRACTICES OF ISRAELIS? For more go to:
http://houston.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=1399&group=webcast History of US Interventions
This attitude of denial for past and current bizarre behavior on the part of the US leadership appears to have infiltrated many living within the boundaries claimed by that sovereign entity. This is true even though many who live within the borders of that nation-state have experienced abuse at the hands of the same leadership that is inflicting terrorist practices on other parts of the world. Victims of state abuse through sanctioned police violence are not admitting that the government of the United States is one that will and often does use violence and terror even at home to carry out its policies and thereby perpetuate itself.
The questions arise: What is to be done with an abuser who is in denial? Or as in this case, what is to be done with a whole nation-state that seems to be in a state of denial? Those from a criminal justice perspective would call for incarceration or some other type of punishment. Behavioral psychologists might recommend intervention and therapy. Others would call for different solutions. However, followers of most schools of thought agree that an abuser must get beyond the state of denial, accept and understand their errant behavior, before being able to move on to a fixing of the problem. If we are really a waking giant, as the designated leader of the political entity known as the United States of America has recently stated, we can only hope that this awakening is the beginning of realizing this state of denial and an admission of our own terroristic practices. The bottom line is that until the US can admit that its activities are acts of terror, the world is not safe. So far no US official is able to admit this propensity for terrorist acts. No one in a position of leadership in the US has made that step.