September 11, 2011
Akahata editorial (excerpts)
Ten years have passed since the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. During the decade, the “anti-terror” wars waged by the former U.S. Bush administration have actually increased terrorism in the world, brought about serious damage, and reached an impasse. The international community has clearly rejected the U.S. hegemony of forcing the wars on the world by using its military and economic strength as the world’s single remaining super-power.
However, an international order for peace, which is indispensable to eliminate terrorism, has yet to be fully established. At the 10-year mark, it is necessary to strengthen international cooperation to create the international order of peace based on the U.N. Charter.
War is no solution
The United States in May murdered Osama bin Laden, the suspect of the terror attacks, in Pakistan. The U.S. insistence on retaliation violates the rule established in the international community that terrorists must be brought to justice, and makes it more difficult for the international community to cooperate to root out terrorism.
The U.S. military toll in Afghanistan in August reached 67, the worst monthly record since the U.S. invasion in 2001. The U.S. troops bogged down in Afghanistan shows the error of trying to suppress terrorism with military strength. The foreign military operations in the country injuring and killing Afghans are worsening the security situation.
During the last 10 years, the United States has been continuing its retaliatory war in Afghanistan and its war of aggression against Iraq in violation of the U.N. Charter. A U.S. study shows that the toll of these wars, servicemen and civilians in total, will amount to 225,000 in a conservative estimate, with 7.8 million people taking refuge inside or outside their countries. The war cost of 4 trillion dollars weighs heavy on the U.S. economy.
The U.S. government is refusing to see these wars as failures, despite the enormous cost and human toll, as well as the increasing criticism inside and outside the country. Neither weapons of mass destruction, which were used as the pretext to start the war, nor links with terrorists, were found in Iraq. However, U.S. President Barack Obama justifies the Iraq War as giving an opportunity for Iraqis to have a dictator removed and build their future, while eventually withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.
Terrorism is brewed on the soil of poverty, regional conflicts and other forms of injustice. International cooperation is essential to solve these problems. Global solidarity emerging 10 years ago with the terror attacks on the United States showed the possibility for increasing the international cooperation against terrorist attacks.
Japan must also rethink the war
Japan under the Liberal Democratic Party government blindly followed the U.S. lead and dispatched the Self-Defense Forces to take part in the “anti-terror” wars. The Japanese government has to take the responsibility to examine its policy.
Democratic Party of Japan Policy Research Commission Chair Maehara Seiji during his U.S. visit proposed for Japan to relax the restrictions on the SDF to use arms in order to protect foreign troops. These past 10 years have shown that Japan’s exclusive reliance on a military response by sending troops overseas in violation of the Constitution drives the world into more danger.
Ten years have passed since the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. During the decade, the “anti-terror” wars waged by the former U.S. Bush administration have actually increased terrorism in the world, brought about serious damage, and reached an impasse. The international community has clearly rejected the U.S. hegemony of forcing the wars on the world by using its military and economic strength as the world’s single remaining super-power.
However, an international order for peace, which is indispensable to eliminate terrorism, has yet to be fully established. At the 10-year mark, it is necessary to strengthen international cooperation to create the international order of peace based on the U.N. Charter.
War is no solution
The United States in May murdered Osama bin Laden, the suspect of the terror attacks, in Pakistan. The U.S. insistence on retaliation violates the rule established in the international community that terrorists must be brought to justice, and makes it more difficult for the international community to cooperate to root out terrorism.
The U.S. military toll in Afghanistan in August reached 67, the worst monthly record since the U.S. invasion in 2001. The U.S. troops bogged down in Afghanistan shows the error of trying to suppress terrorism with military strength. The foreign military operations in the country injuring and killing Afghans are worsening the security situation.
During the last 10 years, the United States has been continuing its retaliatory war in Afghanistan and its war of aggression against Iraq in violation of the U.N. Charter. A U.S. study shows that the toll of these wars, servicemen and civilians in total, will amount to 225,000 in a conservative estimate, with 7.8 million people taking refuge inside or outside their countries. The war cost of 4 trillion dollars weighs heavy on the U.S. economy.
The U.S. government is refusing to see these wars as failures, despite the enormous cost and human toll, as well as the increasing criticism inside and outside the country. Neither weapons of mass destruction, which were used as the pretext to start the war, nor links with terrorists, were found in Iraq. However, U.S. President Barack Obama justifies the Iraq War as giving an opportunity for Iraqis to have a dictator removed and build their future, while eventually withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.
Terrorism is brewed on the soil of poverty, regional conflicts and other forms of injustice. International cooperation is essential to solve these problems. Global solidarity emerging 10 years ago with the terror attacks on the United States showed the possibility for increasing the international cooperation against terrorist attacks.
Japan must also rethink the war
Japan under the Liberal Democratic Party government blindly followed the U.S. lead and dispatched the Self-Defense Forces to take part in the “anti-terror” wars. The Japanese government has to take the responsibility to examine its policy.
Democratic Party of Japan Policy Research Commission Chair Maehara Seiji during his U.S. visit proposed for Japan to relax the restrictions on the SDF to use arms in order to protect foreign troops. These past 10 years have shown that Japan’s exclusive reliance on a military response by sending troops overseas in violation of the Constitution drives the world into more danger.
