Images and Symbols -- Deconstructing the Iraq War

hp. i broadly agree with your assertion that iraq war was about teaching arabs a lesson while demonstrating american muscle at the same time to scare off future protagonists. in addition, oil came into the equation as well because after 9/11, uncle sam did what obl wanted which was to get uncle sam out of saudia so that it would make it easier for obl to overthrow house of saud. americans however wanted to remain in m.e. to insure stable oil supply and iraq was the most viable option. importance of iraqi bases would become obvious if there was instability in s.a.

#45 by mohar11

So watch that video again .. Doktar Sahib ... maybe it`ll begin to make sense even to you who believes in a Boeing 757 with folding wings and the ability to morph into an angular long pointy cylindrical object a few seconds before impact ...

#43 by HP

You said .. if you are in to conspiracy theories so deep and so much, you would have found one buried in the article above. But at the same time you didn`t answer the basic question asked in your article i.e. Was the US administration flat out untruthful when it insisted on an Iraq and 9/11 relationship? You should have answered it in your conclusion.

So can we have it now? Was the US administration flat out untruthful when it insisted on an Iraq and 9/11 relationship? Was the cause manufactured to justify the outcome?

Thanks

[....The destruction and control of Iraq was essential in shattering the Jihadi spirit and to stop the cycle of revenge let loose after the first Gulf war. years later, Iraq’s destruction is almost complete.....]

But is jihadi spirit really shattered? Pundits are telling us that the War in Iraq has in fact done the opposite - it has rejuvenated jihadi forces.....

#25 by masadi

“What you are stating is that 9/11 had a link with Iraq and that link was the ethnicity/home/background of the Jihadis,”

No Asadi, I am not saying that. My case is not based on the ethnicity alone. What I am talking about is the symbolic value of Iraq. Due to the first gulf war and subsequent destruction of Baghdad via the Cruise and Tomahawk missiles, Iraq was the reason for attacks on the US soil. I have chronicled all the events leading up to 911: The bombing on the US embassies, the USS Cole and finally the attack on the US soil etc.

Basically you are on the wrong track in your post.
Everyone should know by now that WMD was a manufactured reason because as you might have heard “was the one thing they could agree on” (I forgot the name but he is World Bank’s president now). The reason they had to find a rationale (WMD in this case) was very simple. They were never going to say that in the UN or to the international audience that they wanted to inflict a severe trauma on Iraq to revenge 911. Though, both Bush and Cheney always sent the message to the US public that they want Iraq for revenge.

You read a few statements by both on the top of the article. It is no secret that this administration as well as the previous admin knew very well that they have to go after Iraq to break the Jihadi back.

“The US invasion was against Saddam and not Iraq. They even offered to put off the war if Saddam left before the invasion with his sons, there were no Jihadis mentioned in the equation, the link to the Jihadis that was mentioned was Saddam conspiring with them or allegedly giving them help in the future using his WMD.”

Saddam was a small potato. Do you really think that to get rid of Saddam, they had to mount two most expansive campaigns after the WW2? No not at all. They could have gotten rid of him in the first war but they did not. Saddam was not a popular leader in Iraq so they could have easily mounted an internal campaign and gotten rid of him with a fraction of money they spent in Iraq. I like to remind you that Cheney, when he was Sec. Def in the First war, strongly opposed removal of Saddam. (I can find the quote for that too if you need it.)

Now don’t go overboard with Neocons and their influence on this admin. They presented an idea with whatever motives they had like many groups do in the US. Since they were a conservative group, they had more say in this admin but going to Iraq was not their decision.

“There was no random picking of a country ever mentioned or revealed by facts either direct or indirect to teach the ``jihadis`` a lesson. Neither did that come up in the entire ``debate`` at the UN.”

I am arguing that there was no random picking; it was all calculated. The UN debate was an exercise in PR. No serious political analyst should pay attention to those silly PowerPoint presentations.

“there are other countries that would serve as better ``symbolic`` value and have greater ties to the jihadis.”

No, none was….Only other option was Saudi Arabia and there was no way the US was going attack them because Saudis were in the decision to go to Iraq all they way up to their necks.

“The fact is that these Jihadis, well known to the US, who nurtured their entire lifestyle through network, education and weapons support during the 1980s,”

The US did support the Jihadi network in the 80s. US has never denied that but it does not mean that there was no falling out. US pretty much stayed away from them in the intervening years.

“The fact is the war was against the government of Iraq and not the symbol of Iraq, and it was because the government of Iraq, unlike the government of Egypt and Saudi Arabia had become too independent and was not bowing to US will.”

Not true at all. Saddam had some regional designs but if you recall, he was also looking for the US consent before attacking Kuwait. You see you make serious mistake in your analysis when you under estimate the US and its influence in the Middle East.

There were reasons to keep Saddam out there after the first war and I will discuss that when we come to that in this discussion.

Some of your arguements are subjective.
More in the next post…

PS. Could you post shorter versions? I don’t need a long narration to figure out what you are saying. Unlike some of your other friends :)

Re: # 36 net

Thanks for the link - it makes sense... After watching that google video - I was NOT sure what`s going on - the video seemed to make a good case... :)))

good post HP, its nothing to do with WMD, but about world order. i have not read the interacts, so someone else may have made these points.

there were just too many states willing to molly-coddle the jihadist, provide money and safe-harbor, or just providing inspiratoins like saddam. he provided a great target, hated by many of his neighbors, an uppity defiance against the US, great TV performanced by his foreign minister. you rough him up, and therfore make an example for any other regimes who may harbor dreams of distrubing the new world order. afganistan did not make a good target since it was not able to provide financial support, they were the strategic depth state for pakistan.

my favorite analogy is thar of the baboon tribe method of enforcing heirarchy and peace. the alpha male often time demonstrates loud and highly visible force on a challenger (he roughs up the challenger only in front of rest of the tribe), and even sometime humps him. its not about sex or nastiness, its attmpting to maintain order with available tools, so that other pesky challenges are avoided and the tribe can carry on the more important taks of finding food and rasing babies.

#4 by SR

So for the sake of argument we accept that it was not a plane, how does that impact the results of the events?
This article is not about ``theories`` out there. But I guess some people would rather pay attention to a mouse and label it an elephant.


Now if you are in to conspiracy theories so deep and so much, you would have found one buried in the article above. Since you did not, I recommend that you (or any reader) find that in this article and let us discuss that.

#5 by rf786

“Revenge is too easy for a power (hyper) like the US, 9/11 provided its cabal of neocons the opportunity to set in motion there longterm plans of establishing US hegemony. Writer is correct in his assessment that Afghanistan did not offer enough targets or solutions to Islamic radicalism. Iraq was chosen because it was ``Doable`` as stated by VP Dick Cheney, Iraq offered oil, location, ideology and an easy target.”

Generally you are on the right track in your post but the only link with oil in Iraq’s case was that it happened to be in the Middle East oil belt. It was an allied benefit but never the main motive for the attack. The US establishment has figured out the Iraqi link way before Bush arrived on the scene. The neocons and Rumsfeld met and pleaded with President Clinton to attack Iraq to stop the terrorists. He could not have done it as I have explained in the article above.

#6 by bjkumar

No two bit low level coder on H1B visa living in one or two bedroom apartment tells me where I should live. You are merely a guest worker until you become a US citizen and even then you will only live on the fringes of the US because you still cannot pull yourself out of that godforsaken Siwan, Bihar.

This is not India or the RSS HQ and I am no Indian Muslim like FV whom you tell to leave the country at the drop of the hat. I know this country more than you can even dream of and I have the right to not only criticize this admin but the establishment itself. Now go take a dip in some talaab or JohaRr.

#10 by Salim_Chauhan

Kansi was an interesting story. I will write on that some other time.

#12 by arjun_m

I have in the article clearly outlined that it was the Jammat Islami that initially developed the message now you want co-defendant for witness? He will deflect it to any one in the world but himself. I had told you before you need to think before you post.

Masadi 25, 26, 27.

Let me read your posts and I will respond to them in details.

#37 by khalid_ahmad / #36 by Netizen

By definition a hypothesis is laid down as a theory, which is tested for being true or false through hard evidence. If it passes the test it no longer remains a theory but becomes a fact. If it does not, it either remains a theory looking for better evidence or is rejected outright as false.

In this case, the hypothesis laid down as theory is ``A 757 jet crashed into Pentagon``. There is no hard evidence supporting this theory, rather a lot of evidence to the contrary. So it becomes false.

On the other hand the other hypothesis laid down as theory is ``Something other than a 757 jet crashed into the Pentagon``. This is proven as a fact at-least to the extent of the other theory being proven as false, but it still remains only a theory because it doesn`t specify if not a 757, then what did crash into the Pentagon?

So if there`s a conspiracy theory, it is the former one, and not the latter ... because that has been spread without a shred of evidence.

Finding the Real Source of Sept. 11
Dr. Aleksandr Nemets and Dr. Thomas Torda
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2001
A month has passed since the Sept. 11 strikes.
The world`s focus has been on Osama bin Laden and his network -- but the connections to Russia and China exist and need more investigation.

A Chinese military handbook advised the use of civilian airline jets as ``flying bombs`` -- and evidence has surfaced about Russian ``mafia`` ties to bin Laden.

The best brains in the world have done their best to try to solve the puzzle of who carried out these strikes and who organized them.

The situation has gradually become clearer, though much is still hidden in darkness.

It would be senseless to claim that only one person (Osama bin Laden) and one organization (al-Qaida) are responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks.

It would be more accurate to say that the entire world terrorist community, with tens of thousands of active fighters and scores of ringleaders, is behind the strikes.

Can one deny the possible participation of Palestinian terrorists in these strikes?

Or underground fundamentalists from Algeria and Egypt?

Or terrorist groups originating in the secret services of Iran and Iraq?

Some experts even claim that bin Laden is a ``stooge,`` or scapegoat, who deliberately elicits retaliatory strikes on himself, thus providing safety -- and opportunities for preparing new strikes on the U.S. and Western Europe -- for other terrorist groups and ringleaders.

Eliminating the entire world terrorist community would be the proper solution to this puzzle.

The current U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan can solve -- in the best case -- perhaps 10 percent of this problem.

This campaign, however, could have important benefits; in particular, Uzbekistan will enter the West`s sphere of influence and Sino-Russian control over Central Asia will seriously diminish.

Still, two main problems remain: the extermination of the world terrorist community and the destruction of its rear-support facilities, which provide terrorist groups with money, expertise and sophisticated technology.

The second problem could be even more serious than the first one.

The Sept. 11 strikes were truly sophisticated.

They differ greatly from the terrorists` usual handwriting, which we have observed for many years all over the world and can observe on a daily basis now in Israeli-held Palestinian lands.

The usual strikes of this kind are comparatively primitive and mostly of limited scale: suicide bombings, aircraft hijackings, hostage-taking, etc.

There is no comparison between such actions and the well-organized, precise, large-scale strikes of Sept. 11.

There is the deep impression that these strikes were prepared at some very sophisticated secret bases deep in the rear of the terrorist community, in an absolutely safe environment inaccessible to any retaliatory strikes, and by experts with very high qualifications.

In particular, these experts had comprehensive knowledge of Pentagon air defense and the entire U.S. air defense system.

In short, these facilities and experts are far beyond the level of the usual bases and operatives of the world terrorist community.

Facts build a bridge from this impression to certain logical conclusions.

U.S. Attacks Based on Chinese Book

According to New York-based Shijie ribao (World Journal, Oct. 5, 2001) and Japan`s Evening Fuji (Oct. 4, 2001), Japanese security organs have decided that the Sept. 11 strikes were based, with very high probability, on the ideas presented in the book ``Unrestricted Warfare,`` published in 1999 by China`s People`s Liberation Army (PLA).

This book, describing ``asymmetrical`` and other unconventional warfare tactics that can be used by terrorists, was written by two PLA air force senior colonels (i.e., brigadier generals), Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui.

Almost immediately after the Sept. 11 strikes the Japanese Security Bureau acquired this book in Beijing and began analyzing it.

The book considers the United States to be the major potential enemy of China.

Its goal is to find the full range of warfare techniques (financial, psychological, commercial, etc.) capable of providing a country with limited military potential but strong state oversight (i.e., China) with an effective resistance against -- or even victory over -- the strongest world army (i.e., U.S. armed forces).

According to the analysis of the Japanese Security Bureau, the book contains ``useful recipes`` for those who intend to cause maximum harm to a developed nation.

These recipes include hijacking of civilian aircraft and transforming them into ``flying bombs`` for attacking the most important population centers and facilities such as nuclear power plants.

After reading the book, Chinese President Jiang Zemin in February 2000 stated that ``future digitized forces will be the key in a [coming] war. China cannot lag behind here.``

In late September 2001, the two authors of ``Unrestricted Warfare`` issued a statement: ``The September 11 strikes showed how vulnerable the U.S. is, despite its military might, and how many weak points the U.S. defense system contains.``

This statement probably further fueled the interest of the Japanese Security Bureau in this book.

Involvement of Russian Mafia

Let us look for other facts -- or the link. On Sept. 28 the Washington Times published the following report (excerpted here):

U.S. intelligence agencies have uncovered information that Russian criminal groups have been supplying Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida terrorist network with components for chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Bin Laden has worked with Russian mafia groups in obtaining components for weapons of mass destruction, according to officials familiar with the intelligence reports. The contacts between the mafia and bin Laden could be related to drug trafficking and such cooperation would not be surprising.
The Russian Foreign Ministry immediately responded with alarm: ``Why should such information be splashed on newspaper pages instead of being discussed through the channels existing between our countries, including confidential ones?``

And ``One may get the impression that some in the United States oppose the positive tendency in Russian-American relations that has made itself felt recently.``

That reaction is understandable: The Russian Foreign Ministry actively participated in a smoke-screen campaign organized by some Moscow-based pro-Kremlin media immediately after the Sept. 11 strikes.

And the question ``Whom to believe: the U.S. intelligence community or the Russian Foreign ministry?`` is a rhetorical one. The same goes for the question ``Could some expertise used in the Sept. 11 strikes have originated in Russia?``

The more serious question is the following: What is the real reason for the Russian Foreign Ministry to defend the Russian mafia?

First, the mafia is the real boss of Russia, and a defense of the mafia is, in reality, a defense of the Russian ruling system and the Russian establishment.

Second, the close ties of the Russian secret intelligence services and mafia are well-known.

In fact, it is impossible for the mafia to transfer any weapons of mass destruction (WMD) technology or related expertise abroad without the approval -- or even support -- of the secret services.

The Foreign Ministry is possibly trying to protect the most sensitive top secrets of Moscow and the Kremlin.

So, there is one link to China`s PLA, and a second link to the Russian mafia and secret services. However, let us look for some additional facts.

Asymmetrical Warfare

In 1998, Russian military experts began using the expression ``asymmetrical warfare,`` i.e., advanced warfare of a special kind providing a ``comparatively weak country`` with the opportunity to prevail in battle with a ``strong enemy`` (read the U.S. and its allies).

According to available data, much of this ``asymmetrical warfare`` can be effectively used -- after proper training -- by terrorist groups also.

Almost instantly, asymmetrical warfare became an object of great interest to the PLA. In particular, interest in asymmetrical war fighting techniques can be readily found in the book ``Unrestricted Warfare.``

In 1999-2000, along with the forging of the Sino-Russian alliance, China and Russia initiated joint research and development programs for dozens of items related to ``21st century warfare,`` including new-generation missiles, fighters, space warfare, information warfare and asymmetrical warfare.

In these projects, the Chinese side usually provides the money, while the Russian side provides the research facilities and specialists. New military technologies developed on Russian soil are later used both in the PLA and the Russian army.

In May-September 2001, Chinese media, including the official Jiefangjun Bao (PLA Daily) and authoritative magazine Liaowang, published several articles describing recent Russian achievements in ``sixth generation warfare`` and stressing the PLA`s need to master this new ``super-advanced warfare of the 21st century.``

This sixth-generation warfare includes smart missiles (among them, ``smart`` modifications to the Topol SS-27 ICBM and X-101 strategic land-attack cruise missile), space warfare (new generation spy satellites and anti-satellite weapons), information warfare (including computer viruses and other smart tools to penetrate an enemy`s computer networks) and asymmetrical warfare.


The ``rear base facilities`` of the world terrorist community are still in the dark, but we already know something about the new direction the investigation into the Sept. 11 attacks should take.

In particular, this investigation should provide answers to the following questions:

(1) How does it happen that Dr. Koryagina, one of the Russian government`s top economic advisers, knew so much about the forthcoming strikes as early as July?

(2) What is the role of the Moscow-based ``Eurasia`` movement, whose goal is to ``liberate Europe and Asia from American hegemony``? This movement, having close ties with both the KGB and Islamic fundamentalists, is headed by Gleb Pavlovsky, President Putin`s major strategist.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/9/16/103951.shtml
Expert: Russia Knew in Advance, Encouraged Citizens to Cash Out Dollars
Dr. Alexandr Nemets
Monday, Sept. 17, 2001
Russian press accounts and other activities by the Russian government this summer indicate that the Russian government knew in advance that something would happen to America, including a ``financial attack`` against the U.S.
During the past three months, Russian media and officials have encouraged citizens to cash out U.S. dollars pending an economic collapse there after an ``attack.``

Currently, the dominant view of the media is that the terrorist actions in New York City and Washington were just a ``bolt of thunder from the sky.``

Could it be? Yes, a well-organized group accomplished these dastardly acts. But just how well organized was it?

Obviously, President Bush and Vice President Cheney are targeting the powers behind these terrorist groups, the states that give them safe harbor and backing.

Sponsors of state terrorism include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Cuba, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.

Did you know that all of these countries have very close ties with Russia and her military/intelligence agencies?

Could it be that the Russians actually expected this in advance and even counted on it, discussing the possible consequences?

My suspicions were raised this July and August as I scanned and sifted through all of Russia`s major newspapers.

Considering Russia`s close ties to these terrorist countries, Russian activities need close scrutiny.

Pravda Wrote of Financial `Attack` on U.S.

Consider the July 12, 2001, Page One report in Pravda – still considered the establishment voice of Russia`s old guard communists who control the military and intelligence agencies.

The Pravda article was entitled ``Will the Dollar and America Fall Down on August 19? That`s the Opinion of Dr. Tatyana Koryagina, Who Very [accurately] predicted the August Default in 1998.``

This article struck me for several reasons. Major newspapers so closely aligned with the government do not attempt to create panic or fear in the public – unless the government wants this information to be publicly aired.

Also, a major newspaper would be reluctant to print a major prediction for which it could be held accountable.

This Pravda article was published about the same time as another strange event that took place in early July in the Russian State Duma.

The Duma held a conference entitled ``On the measures to provide the development of Russian economy in the environment of destabilization of the world financial system.``

The chairman of the Duma Commission on Economic Politics, Dr. Sergei Glazyev, headed the hearings.

Some prominent foreigners, including Lyndon Larouche from the U.S. and Malaysian Ambassador in Russia Yacha Baba, were among the participants.

Tatyana Koryagina made a statement at the end of hearings – as a Russian expert in the shadow economy, shadow politics and conspirology.

She is a senior research fellow in the Institute of Macroeconomic Researches subordinated to the Russian Ministry of Economic Development (Minekonom). The main theme of the Duma hearings was the rapidly approaching economic crash of the United States.

The hearings focused on preparing recommendations for President Putin as to what Russia should to do to soften the consequences of this coming catastrophe.

Pravda also detailed its own interview with Dr. Koryagina.

Here is an excerpt:

Pravda: All the participants at the hearings stated that America is a huge financial pyramid which will crash soon. Still, it is hard to understand how this could happen in the first and richest country of the world – without a war, without missile or bomb strikes?

Koryagina: Besides bombs and missiles, there are other kinds of weaponry, much more destructive ones. ...

Pravda: Well, economic theory. But how it is possible for you to give an exact date [for the U.S. crash] – August 19?

Koryagina: The U.S. is engaged in a mortal economic game. The known history of civilization is merely the visible part of the iceberg. There is a shadow economy, shadow politics and also a shadow history, known to conspirologists. There are [unseen] forces acting in the world, unstoppable for [most powerful] countries and even continents.

Pravda: Just these forces intend to smash America on August 19?

Koryagina: There are international ``super-state`` and ``super-government`` groups. In accordance with tradition, the mystical and religious components play extremely important roles in human history. One must take into account the shadow economy, shadow politics and the religious component, while predicting the development of the present financial situation. Pravda: Still, I don`t understand what could be done to this giant country [the U.S.], whose budget is calculated in the trillions of dollars.

Koryagina: It is possible to do anything to the U.S. ... whose total debt has reached $26 trillion. Generally, the Western economy is at the boiling point now. Shadow financial actives of $300 trillion are hanging over the planet. At any moment, they could fall on any stock exchange and cause panic and crash. The recent crisis in Southeast Asia, which touched Russia, was a rehearsal.

Pravda: What is the sense of smashing just America?

Koryagina: The U.S. has been chosen as the object of financial attack because the financial center of the planet is located there. The effect will be maximal. The strike waves of economic crisis will spread over the planet instantly and will remind us of the blast of a huge nuclear bomb.

Pravda: Did Russia`s crisis of 1998 have this religious-mystical component?

Koryagina: ... The Russian crisis of 1998 was preconditioned by internal factors. Yeltsin`s policy enlarged its consequences. Now we have President Putin, and this is a good choice.

Pravda: What do we have to do now?

Koryagina: Recommendations, compiled by the Duma Commission of Economic Politics after the recent Duma hearings, offer instruction on what should be done to escape the consequences of a world crisis inspired by a financial catastrophe in the U.S. This document will be sent – or has already been sent – to President Putin.

Pravda: What should Russian citizens do?

Koryagina: They should start changing their dollars for rubles. President Putin and the Russian Central Bank are already taking the necessary healthy measures. There are high chances that after 19 August the ruble will become a very good currency.

Pravda: Why 19 August, say, and not the 21st?

Koryagina: Some fluctuation in this date is possible. Serious forces are acting against THOSE WHO ARE NOW PREPARING THE ATTACK ON THE UNITED STATES [emphasis added]. August, with very high probability, will bring the financial catastrophe to the U.S. ... The last 10 days of August have especial importance from a religious-sensible point of view.

[End of excerpt]

It is important to note that this story was not an isolated one, or a cute, human interest story as one may find occasionally on the cover of the Wall Street Journal.

It was a serious news report, and story, discussed widely in Russia, including on national TV programs. The thrust of the story was that Russian officials were strongly encouraging Russian citizens to cash out the U.S. dollar.

It is also important to understand that Dr. Koryagina is one of the leading economists in a Russian social group which, from the very beginning, has fiercely opposed ``radical economic reform`` in Russia. She is a firm supporter of President Putin.

She and her network actively support Putin, especially his foreign policy aimed at the diminishing America`s global role.

In particular, they support Putin`s policy of engagement of Iran, Iraq and other nations of concern. Dr. Koryagina herself should be considered as an insightful, well-connected and well-informed person.

Dr. Koryagina says much about the invisible and unstoppable ``international mystical-religious forces`` preparing an attack on the U.S.

It looks like she knows the real nature of these forces and tries to disguise them in a ``conspiratorial fog.``

She is sure that such an attack or strike of some kind – sudden and effective – will soon take place, and will cause panic and an ensuing crash of the U.S. financial system and the world financial system, already unstable. However, Dr. Koryagina evidently does not know the exact mechanism of the attack.

Duma Warned Citizens to Cash Out Dollars

The hearings in the Duma, which has become a rubber stump for President Putin, have been inspired, without doubt, by the Kremlin, ``taking the necessary healthy measures`` in advance of a U.S. crash and world crisis.

The Kremlin clearly is thinking how it should operate in the ``new world`` after the expected U.S. crash.

It is my belief that the Kremlin provided Dr. Koryagina with a very small part of its information on the forthcoming attack against the U.S.

Another article on this same theme was published by Pravda on July 17, 2001.

It was an interview with Chairman of the Duma Commission on Economic Politics Dr. Sergei Glazyev, one of the most prominent Russian economists.

The article was entitled ``The Dollar and the U.S. Could Fall at Any Moment.``

Dr. Glazyev, in his answers, did not mention the forces preparing an attack on the U.S. and its financial system.

He merely discussed the forms and scales of the forthcoming financial catastrophe in the U.S. and its consequences for Russia – mostly beneficial ones if the necessary measures are taken in advance.

In particular, like Dr. Koryagina, Dr. Glazyev advised the Russian public to change dollars for rubles and predicted that ``the ruble will become the reserve currency for Eurasia, particularly in trade with China and India.``

Third Article, More Media

Pravda published a third article on this theme on 31 July-1 August 2001. This article, called ``The Dollar and the U.S. Will Fall,`` was in the form of an interview with the Malaysian ambassador in Russia.

Other Moscow newspapers published articles of this kind also.

As a result, New York`s Russian-language TV channel in early August was forced to state that ``the Moscow rumors are ungrounded.`` Within a few days the public forgot all about this story.

The tone of Moscow economists predicting the crash of the U.S. financial-economic system is confident and somewhat delightful: ``Finally, it is going to happen!``

They are not only discussing the future, they are evidently trying to issue a self-fulfilling prophecy, transforming this future into the present. This is because the prospects described in the above articles are extremely attractive for the Russian elite for the following reasons:

a) It will become possible to pay off Russia`s huge foreign debts with devalued dollars; it would be really easy enough if oil prices jumped to $100 per barrel or more.

b) Russia would become really equal among a weakened G-8 group of nations.

c) Investment conditions in Russia would become really attractive in comparison to the bleak global background. Russia could become the goal of huge foreign investment.

d) If the U.S. military might is undermined (and it might be, if the financial system collapses), Russia will regain its control over the former Soviet republics, spread it to the Balkans and reacquire its former super-empire status.

Such a prize, such a temptation for the criminal Russian ``elite``! One small push, and such great booty! While reading these articles, it is almost possible to visualize how they are licking their lips with excitement.

So, those in Moscow had very serious reasons not to share information with the U.S. about the coming attack on the latter – if they indeed had such information.

Very likely they did, and the maximum amount of information was concentrated in the Kremlin. According to numerous statements published by prominent U.S. economists after the tragedy, the time and places of the attacks were chosen – more precisely, pretty well calculated – as if the terrorists or those backing them had tried to do their best to undermine the U.S. financial system and political system and to cause a financial-economic crisis in the U.S.

There is some evidence that another targeted aircraft, a TWA plane at JFK airport, did not take off and perhaps another crash was thwarted. Was it intended for the New York Stock Exchange?

``It wasn`t a healthy economy to begin with, and this could be just enough to push us into a mild recession and render a blow to consumer confidence,`` one of these economists told the UPI.

He continued: ``There has been a complete disruption of passenger flights. Besides the airline industry, tourism, retail and the shipping sectors will feel the negative effects of Tuesday`s attack. Tougher security measures now in place at the nation`s airports will increase shipping and travel expenses that will be passed along to the consumer.``

And the consumer confidence index, low already, declined additionally.

However, those in Moscow very probably waited for much greater effects.

Remarkably, immediately after the events in New York and Washington – at approximately 6 p.m. Moscow time – the dollar exchange rate in Moscow street exchanges fell from 29 rubles to 15-20 rubles – as if the Moscow financial experts had awaited the strikes or expected greater panic and collapse.

It is important to note that such a great fluctuation in the exchange rate happened in no other world capital. The next day, the dollar in Moscow gradually returned to its previous exchange rate.

A network of terrorist groups – mostly in the U.S. and Middle East – merely provided the fingers to implement the terrorist strikes.

After all, Arab terrorist groups are supported by rogue nations – Libya, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Sudan.

These countries are ``hands.``

U.S. Needs to Look at Source

Now, if the U.S. and NATO forces carry out retaliatory strikes on Afghanistan, the ``hands`` will be punished.

And where is the body, the heart of the beast?

And who provides the advanced military technology – including that needed for ``special actions`` – to these nations of concern? Who supports them in the U.N.? Who demonstrates daily the desire to diminish or undermine America`s global influence?

Moscow and Beijing. And Moscow, probably, is even more evil and impudent. Let us consider the Moscow rulers.

Yes, of course, Putin immediately sent condolences to President Bush and the American people.

It should be taken into account here that in September 1999 Putin conveniently used the apartment explosions in Moscow and Volgodonsk (KGB-organized actions, in the opinion of most of the Russian media and in the opinion of the author) to gain supreme power in Russia.

Now the Kremlin is making statements about a ``joint struggle against world terrorism,`` about ``the ties between the actions in New York and the actions in Moscow in September 1999.``

Indeed, these are probably closely tied to one another, and the same forces are behind the actions in New York and Moscow. But what is the real name of these forces? The investigation should go to the bottom of the barrel and provide the proper answer.

Editor`s note: NewsMax columnist, Col. Stanislav Lunev, has warned of Russia`s plans against the U.S. NewsMax has just published his audiotape set called ``CIA Files.`` Click here for more information.

Dr. Nemets is a consultant to the American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC). An expert in Chinese-Russian strategic-military alliance development, he has spent the last several years researching Chinese and Russian economic and military issues. Dr. Nemets worked from 1986-92 at the Presidium of Russian Academy of Sciences. He immigrated to the United States in December 1994

Re: # 27

>>>>(Sorry to detract from the topic but this sob needs to be answered)

Everyday news comes out of USA of someone mass murdering, or raping someone or an entire church authority deeply involved with pedophilia and child molestation, or dozens accusing someone of this or that in a court of law, does that justify doing to America what the US did to Iraq? <<<<


Hey Asadi Kuti Ki Aulad, are you suggesting that raping someone or pedophilia is the same as praising Mohammad and Allah? You are bigger jerk than you come across. Are you suggesting that Ahmadis praising Allah and Mohammad are committing a rape?

I dont know, this theory looks too stretched...

Netizen:
[Jeez.... I thought only the mullah crowd believed in the jewish conspiracy.]

Because it is always easier to blame somebody else than it is to own up and take the responsibility. Especially in the case of a religion that advocates that it is okay to lie, or even kill, in order to ``defend`` the ``honor`` of the religion. ``Truth`` does not have a place. If ``truth`` doesn`t agree with the adherent, simply use the sword. Or burn it. Or demolish it.

So it should not come as a surprise or shock that the behavior is restricted only to the mullah crowd.

Do not underestimate the power of decades of nodding and mumbling...

Jeez.... I thought only the mullah crowd believed in the jewish conspiracy.

several years after the event, some ``educated`` and ``world toured`` pakis are still grasping with reality.

i don`t want to get drawn in this tug-of-war, but if it helps someone please read this:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/defense/1227842.html?page=1&c=y

Jeez.... I thought only the mullah crowd believed in the jewish conspiracy.

several years after the event, some ``educated`` and ``world toured`` pakis are still grasping with reality.

i don`t want to get drawn in this tug-of-war, but if it helps someone please read this:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/defense/1227842.html?page=1&c=y