The Art of Tyranny

Condoleezza Rice is making the rounds in Europe, ostensibly defending the American practice of extraordinary rendition; that is, the practice of secretly kidnapping and torturing what it deems to be suspects. But that is merely a ruse and given the nature and history of that administration, it would be reasonable to suggest everything they do is has an ulterior motive.

It is a ruse, a distraction and a smoke and mirrors game. The real intent of Rice's admission that people are rounded up in the middle of the night and spirited away to secret prisons across Europe as well as locations all over the world, is to normalize such practices. This has been happening throughout the Bush administration's time in power. They have provided a thin and flimsy defense for the most horrific crimes imaginable, including the mass slaughter that continues to grind along in Iraq with no relief in sight for the poor innocent people of that abused country.

Within the context of these thin and flimsy rationalizations, Rice and apologists for this practice of normalizing fascism make claims that they are in the process of installing democracy and freedom in these assumed international backwaters. In the meantime, they are torturing detainees, waging illegal war, and locking people up without trial. The contradictions are too obvious. They have no intention of persuading people that they are democratic or champions of freedom. Within the context of which they are operating, it would take exceptional naivity to even entertain faith in this barely visible veneer of good intentions.

They are and have been sending an implicit message to the world. No only to the international community, but to the American population as well. That message is that the very underpinnings of modern legal principles means nothing; that this is The New World Order and we are in charge. Cross us and you will be crushed whether you are defending your country or even if you are an unfriendly or independent news source.

Rice maintains that the U.S. does not condone torture, a statement that Bush has recently been repeating. When can we remember reasonable leaders repeating, over and over again that they do not condone torture? It isn't done because reasonabe people don't torture people. The people that would make such utterances would be generals in Latin America in the 80's, the tyrants of Asia or Africa, the Stalinists and so on. They said they didn't do it because they indeed did it. If you will torture, chances are you will also lie. Those kinds of defences occur within a context of tyranny, they are the smoke from a burning fire.

Rice also said in her recent news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that they need good intellegence to face down the threat of terrorism. They need to defeat the terrorists that wantonly kill civilians and Rice made the distinction between that and collatoral damage. This splitting hairs and justification of bombing the life out of civilian populations again is a means of normalizing state terror and tyranny.

Previous to this news coference with Merkel, Rice chastised Europeans for criticizing the American practice of rendition. She said that interrogations of these suspects have saved European lives. This is a loaded statement. First, it blows the cover off the rationale for the renditions. They are to interrogate people outside the restraints of the law. In other words, Rice is admitting here that the detainees are tortured. Secondly, there is a hint here that European lives are more valuable than say, Iraqi, or Arab lives. Rice also reminded some Europeans that their hands are not clean either and they better just shut up. Europe is nowhere near as comfortable and not only are the population and the media unfriendly to the spirit of fascism but many politicians are as well. An all party committee in Britain recently issued a report that said even giving permission to fuel fligts to collect prisoners in the Middel East would breach interntional law. Europeans are recognizing that they are in bed with the devil.

European leaders may be genuinely disgusted at these practices or maybe they have to deal with a more informed and sensitive domestic population that does Rice. In any case, they must at least show a degree of outrage at these practices. Enter stage Right; Condoleezza Rice and the traveling road show. One of many that have graced the world stage over the past five years with the same mesages repeated over and over; We don't torure and murder because murder means this and torture means that.
European leaders have been collaborating with the Americans in the war on terror and have proven to be pliable and weak. Now they are in a position where they must cooperate with the devil or be exposed for all they have done in that collaborative effort. Over 400 rendition flights have landed in Germany. It is no wonder than that Merkel appeared a little nervous standing next to Rice. She had to choose her words very carefully.

Perhaps all world leaders, with exceptions such as Chavez and Castro, have publicly wrangled with the Americans for domestic consumption and at the same time colluded with them behind the scenes. There is a price to pay for this 'dealing with the devil' sort of cowardice. The price is, when you do it, the devil gets control of your soul. And that is exctly what this devil does best; it controls anything and everybody it can.

Throughout history, world powers have emerged with the intent to dominate and terrorize with the aim to take over the world, no less. It is happening again and it is America that is doing it. And when this happens, the true nature of political leaders is exposed. Their slippery cowardice is evident for all to see. They side against those they see as weak in order to curry favour from those with power. Even the most elemental morality is ignored in this persuit.

Is the is the duty of all of us to keep on top of this process and to talk about it and to write about it. Above all, it is our duty to stand against the tyrants and their accomplices and to stand in solidarity with the victims. As Bush himself said, you are either with us or against us. Let him know in no uncertain terms that we are against him. He is the alpha and the omega of terrorism.

(Previously published in MWC NEWS)