<nettime> Harbouring terrorists: A lesson from history

[Janos Sugar <sj@c3.hu>]

Harbouring terrorists: A lesson from history
http://www.blueear.com/forum/wtc913berenyi.html
From: Peter Berenyi <berenyip@psi.com>
September 13, 2001

Let me say something about the notion, that all states harboring
terrorists are to be held equally responsible. This is not new. The
Austro-Hungarian government took essentially the same approach in 1914.

"Now the history of the past few years, and particularly the painful
events of the 28th of June, have proved the existence of a subversive
movement in Serbia, whose object it is to separate certain portions of its
territory from the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. This movement, which came
into being under the very eyes of the Serbian Government, subsequently
found expression outside of the territory of the Kingdom in acts of
terrorism, in a number of attempts at assassination, and in murders. "Far
from fulfilling the formal obligations contained in its declaration of the
31st of March, 1909, the Royal Serbian Government has done nothing to
suppress this movement. It has tolerated the criminal activities of the
various unions and associations directed against the Monarchy, the
unchecked utterances of the press, the glorification of the authors of
assassinations, the participation of officers and officials in subversive
intrigues; it has tolerated an unhealthy propaganda in its public
instruction; and it has tolerated, finally, every manifestation which
could betray the people of Serbia into hatred of the Monarchy and contempt
for its institutions. "This toleration of which the Royal Serbian
Government was guilty, was still in evidence at that moment when the
events of the twenty-eighth of June exhibited to the whole world the
dreadful consequences of such tolerance."

In: The Austro-Hungarian Ultimatum to Serbia, 23 July 1914 
http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/1914/austro-hungarian-ultimatum.html


We all know what followed. The Great XX. Century War was started. It's not
to say that the majority of Powers were pro-terrorism ones at that time.
The day after Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie was
assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia, King George V of Britain decreed seven,
Czar Nicholas II of Russia ordered twelve days of mourning. However, when
the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia (because the ultimatum
was rejected), these Powers took sides quite independent of their
anti-terrorist feelings. It was a long and cruel war, with close to a
hundred million casualties, most of them civilians. By the end of it the
dreadful might of all the European Powers vanished, the last step being
the unexpected dissolution of the Soviet Union, the former Russian Empire
in 1992. 

In this sorrowful, 76 years long process the United States emerged as the
only undeniably victorious party in spite of the fact it was only a
second-order Power at the beginning and in spite of its reluctance to get
involved at all. However, even if this war has turned the whole world
upside down, the original problem was not even touched, not to mention
solved. Terrorism, mass-murder and nationalism is still raging around
Serbia and Bosnia, although the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the first one to
take stance against it, was eliminated a long-long time ago. Remember the
American aircrafts that had to bomb all the proud bridges into the depths
of the Danube only recently. I really don't know what is the moral of the
story. But I think terrorism is only the tip of the iceberg, behind it
much deeper and much more complex problems are lurking. It's absolutely
childish to believe that they can be solved by simply declaring war on any
number of states "harboring terrorists". You could certainly declare war
on the peoples themselves harboring terrorists deep in their heart, but
the only way to win that war would be to exterminate them once and for
all. The same way the Roman Empire solved the Carthagean problem and also
tried to solve the Jewish problem, until a Jewish sect called Christians
took over the Empire and helped to destroy it.

Unfortunately this kind of solution, although eliminates terrorists,
doesn't eliminate terrorism itself, for it can't be done without harboring
terrorists and mass-murderers in your own ranks. So what? America, as the
sole winner of the last war got extremely rich and powerful compared to
the rest of the world. To win this war required excellent performance in
many respects, however, she didn't get so rich because of her excellent
perfomance, but because everyone else are paying tribute to the winner.
This is a fact. A fact that no one denies (except some Americans). And you
are not even in a position to be able to get rid of this cumbersome power
easily. For it would mean an immediate sink-back to (relative) poverty and
helplessness, but wouldn't mean the immediate cessation of negative
feelings against those once in power. Such a transition would be extremely
dangerous, and not only for America, but for the entire world. The only
viable path is to re-learn that power means responsibility and absolute
power means absolute responsibility. To learn not to dominate the world,
but to lead and serve it. To learn how to share that looted wealth in a
veritable and sensible way, e.g. by financing education on a large scale,
all over the world (including America!) - as a matter of courtesy from the
American taxpayers. To regain the spiritual meaning of being American, and
also the outward radiance and attraction attached to it. This latter goal
can not be achieved by any easy means. You can't entrust PR professionals
with this job, neither would the Holywood industry suffice, not even
installing malls and fastfood facilities worldwide. It requires a change
in your hearts. It requires the inscription "In God We Trust" to be moved
from the coins to its proper place: the human spirit. Back in 1914 and
before mainly Sovereigns were targeted by terrorists, for they were
believed to be the ultimate sources of power, or at least it was so
remembered. Today it's different. America has won the war and with it, at
least in the public mind, won the American idea that all power comes from
the people. It must follow, that all American power comes from the
American People. These modern day terrorists, horrible as it may sound,
also target Sovereigns, as they see it. This is why they are trying to
kill people en masse, and two days ago they hideously succeeded. I'm not
saying that America should surrender to terrorism. The American people
(yes, the entire people, not only the Government, the CIA, the FBI and
such) should take every concievable precautions to prevent such acts, as
long as these precautions themselves don't threaten the core ideals of
America. The terrorists themselves and all those who actively helped them
to commit the crime should be brought to justice. But it doesn't make
sense to go to war against entire nations for the deeds of a few. Nations
should be captivated instead of being conquered.

http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/EastEurope/FranzFerdinand.html 
http://www.worldwar1.com/tlplot.htm 
http://www.ukans.edu/~kansite/ww_one/comment/sarajevo.html
                                                                    
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