Author: Joseph Massad
Affiliation: Columbia University (New York)
Organization/Publisher: The Middle East Eye
Date/Place: September 17, 2021/UK
Type of Literature: Opinion
Word Count: 1820
Link:https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/binary-imperialist-world-terrorists-anti-terrorists
Keywords: Terrorism, War on Terror, Israel and Imperialism.
Brief:
The author explains how the US has divided the world between terrorists and anti-terrorists. He claims that the colonial wars that launched in the 16th century were in the name of fighting the ‘barbarism’ and ‘healthism’ of non-Europeans. For the author, the US “war on terror” is the continuation of the Western colonial wars. The author exposes the Zionist terrorism in Palestine; he elaborates on their methods to suppress Palestinian resistance, such as blowing up cafes with grenades. Likewise, Zionists introduced car bombs and market bombings to the Middle East and plane skyjackings starting from 1954. To the author, the US, Israel, and other imperial European countries understand that the resistance of oppressed people like the Palestinians, Afghans, Yemenis, to be self-defense against imperial and colonial terror; thus, it is legitimate resistance. Nevertheless, Western propaganda fabricates the term “terrorism” to portray such a resistance as illegitimate as well as immoral to justify the imperial invasions. Thus, the “War on Terror” should be considered in its historical context.
By: Ahmad Ali, CIGA Senior Research Associate