The American administration is a bloodthirsty wild animal

Opinion - The UK Telegraph ^ | December 11, 2002 | By Harold Pinter

[vannrox]

The American administration is a bloodthirsty wild animal

By Harold Pinter
(Filed: 11/12/2002)

Earlier this year, I had a major operation for cancer. The operation and its after effects were something of a nightmare. I felt I was a man unable to swim bobbing about under water in a deep dark endless ocean. But I did not drown and I am very glad to be alive.

However, I found that to emerge from a personal nightmare was to enter an infinitely more pervasive public nightmare - the nightmare of American hysteria, ignorance, arrogance, stupidity and belligerence; the most powerful nation the world has ever known effectively waging war against the rest of the world.

"If you are not with us, you are against us," President George W. Bush has said. He has also said: "We will not allow the world's worst weapons to remain in the hands of the world's worst leaders." Quite right. Look in the mirror, chum. That's you.

America is at this moment developing advanced systems of "weapons of mass destruction" and is prepared to use them where it sees fit. It has more of them than the rest of the world put together. It has walked away from international agreements on biological and chemical weapons, refusing to allow inspection of its own factories. The hypocrisy behind its public declarations and its own actions is almost a joke.

America believes that the 3,000 deaths in New York are the only deaths that count, the only deaths that matter. They are American deaths. Other deaths are unreal, abstract, of no consequence.

The 3,000 deaths in Afghanistan are never referred to. The hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children dead through American and British sanctions which have deprived them of essential medicines are never referred to.

The effect of depleted uranium, used by America in the Gulf war, is never referred to. Radiation levels in Iraq are appallingly high. Babies are born with no brain, no eyes, no genitals. Where they do have ears, mouths or rectums, all that issues from these orifices is blood.

The 200,000 deaths in East Timor in 1975 brought about by the Indonesian government but inspired and supported by America are never referred to. The 500,000 deaths in Guatemala, Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Argentina and Haiti, in actions supported and subsidised by America, are never referred to.

The millions of deaths in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are no longer referred to. The desperate plight of the Palestinian people, the central factor in world unrest, is hardly referred to.

But what a misjudgment of the present and what a misreading of history this is. People do not forget. They do not forget the death of their fellows, they do not forget torture and mutilation, they do not forget injustice, they do not forget oppression, they do not forget the terrorism of mighty powers. They not only don't forget: they also strike back.

The atrocity in New York was predictable and inevitable. It was an act of retaliation against constant and systematic manifestations of state terrorism on the part of America over many years, in all parts of the world.

In Britain, the public is now being warned to be "vigilant" in preparation for potential terrorist acts. The language is in itself preposterous. How will - or can - public vigilance be embodied? Wearing a scarf over your mouth to keep out poison gas?

However, terrorist attacks are quite likely, the inevitable result of our Prime Minister's contemptible and shameful subservience to America. Apparently a terrorist poison gas attack on the London Underground system was recently prevented.

But such an act may indeed take place. Thousands of schoolchildren travel on the Underground every day. If there is a poison gas attack from which they die, the responsibility will rest entirely on the shoulders of our Prime Minister. Needless to say, the Prime Minister does not travel on the Underground himself.

The planned war against Iraq is in fact a plan for premeditated murder of thousands of civilians in order, apparently, to rescue them from their dictator.

America and Britain are pursuing a course that can lead only to an escalation of violence throughout the world and finally to catastrophe. It is obvious, however, that America is bursting at the seams to attack Iraq.

I believe that it will do this not only to take control of Iraqi oil, but also because the American administration is now a bloodthirsty wild animal. Bombs are its only vocabulary. Many Americans, we know, are horrified by the posture of their government, but seem to be helpless.

Unless Europe finds the solidarity, intelligence, courage and will to challenge and resist American power, Europe itself will deserve Alexander Herzen's declaration - "We are not the doctors. We are the disease".

The article is taken from an address given by Harold Pinter on receiving an honorary degree at the University of Turin © Harold Pinter 2002

[vannrox]

This writer has a history of writing anti-American opinions. I hve no problem with that. It is that he pretends to be objective that is the most infurating.

I am sure that any American reading this trash would hope that Terrorists adjust his way of thinking. And, do it as they have adjusted the Americans way of thinking...that is... on a personal level.

[Maelstrom]

Poor guy. He's obviously suffered some brain damage.

[Paleo Conservative]

Harold Pinter (1930-)

English playwright who achieved international success as one of the most complex post-World War II dramatist. Pinter's plays are noted for their use of silence to increase tension, understatement, and cryptic small talk. Equally recognizable are the 'Pinteresque' themes - nameless menace, erotic fantasy, obsession and jealousy, family hatred and mental disturbance.

This is an excerpt of the full article.

[dighton]

Mark Steyn took that column out and had it shot.

[Cachelot]

The American administration is a bloodthirsty wild animal

That is very fortunate. There's a lot of blood that needs to be shed.

I felt I was a man unable to swim bobbing about under water in a deep dark endless ocean.

Geez, Harry - didn't they tell you that you weren't supposed to swim right after your operation? And in the (dirty) ocean, yet. How's the stitches?

[Yardstick]

This sort of attitude is irritating, but I'm starting to get numb to it. Articles like these are just so much recycled, Chomsky-flavored grey mush to me now. The cartoonish hyperbole and the total inability to even consider legitimate American motivations are just silly.

[VOA]

However, I found that to emerge from a personal nightmare was to enter an
infinitely more pervasive public nightmare - the nightmare of American hysteria,
ignorance, arrogance, stupidity and belligerence; the most powerful nation the world
has ever known effectively waging war against the rest of the world.

Mr. Harold Pinter obviously either writes for The Los Angeles Times or is bucking for
a job with that liberal rag.
His writing reminds me of the article that appeared in The Los Angeles Times
that basically was criticizing the citizens of Israel for being too "on edge"
and belligerent...after decades of putting up with cowardly terrorist killings
by Palestinian @ssholes.

[VOA]

America believes that the 3,000 deaths in New York are the only deaths that count,
the only deaths that matter. They are American deaths. Other deaths are unreal,
abstract, of no consequence.

Dear Mr. Pinter,
Take some money out of the bank and get a clue.
(If you have any money in the bank after paying all the taxes, fees, and licenses
required of the over-taxed citizens of the U.K.)

The United States of America has only collected THE FIRST INSTALLMENT on the debt
that Radical Islam owes us after 9-11.

They are slowly, but surely learning that they have screwed with the wrong people.
Of course, they formed their impression of Americans and their present President
by reading American magazines and watching CNN.
So it is understandable that they thought all Americans were spineless idiots.

But, as one legendary (and even imaginary) member of The United States Marine Corps said:

"SUPRISE, SUPRISE, SUPRISE!"

You @sshole Radical Muslims might as well accept your error.
Just remember..."You can run, but you'll just die tired".
(the motto of our Spectre gunships)

[zarf]

Murica bad....Murica bad....UGA, UGA......

[Hugin]

America believes that the 3,000 deaths in New York are the only deaths that count, the only deaths that matter. They are American deaths.

"This big dog will fight will fight when you rattle his cage"--Toby Keith

[Jonathon Spectre]

America believes that the 3,000 deaths in New York are the only deaths that count, the only deaths that matter. They are American deaths. Other deaths are unreal, abstract, of no consequence.

Well, at least he got one thing right.

[PianoMan]

You don't sound like a libertarian to me. :)

[Chi-townChief]

'Unless Europe finds the solidarity, intelligence, courage and will to challenge and resist American power, Europe itself will deserve Alexander Herzen's declaration - "We are not the doctors. We are the disease".'

He's right - Europe needs to resist us and go back to killing each other by the millions.

[Hoplite]

When you're dealing with arabica terrorists and their supporters, you have to use cruller methods - this ain't no tea party.

[montag813]

The hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children dead through American and British sanctions which have deprived them of essential medicines are never referred to.

You can stop reading there. It is a lie.

Saddam Hussein just paid $3 billion to Libya just to reserve a spot in Tripoli for the Hussein Clan in case they need to leave Iraq unexpectedly, as in when America kicks their ass.

$3 billion goes a long way toward feeding the supposedly hungry in a country which has a population 30% smaller than the State of California. (in fact the entire cost of California's food stamp program is only $1.5 billion, which provides 750,000 people with $200 per month in food).

In addition Iraq is cheating the absurb U.N. "oil for food" program to the tun of $20 billion per year. That must be going somewhere. Apparently not to the "suffering" Iraqi people.

[toddst]

Many Americans, we know, are horrified by the posture of their government, but seem to be helpless.

Wrong, Harold Pinter. You don't know MANY Americans or you wouldn't try to pass your rant off as representing us in any way. We believe we are being helpful in supporting George W. and his crew.

The terrorists need to heed a quote from the attack on Pearl Harbor - "We have awakened a sleeping giant and instilled in it with a terrible resolve." Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Imperial Navy.

Obviously no sense of history among the scum.

[michigander]

"If you are not with us, you are against us," President George W. Bush has said.

Strange, I thought the quote was "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

Well Mr. Pinter, here's a quote you shouldn't forget:

"Those who make war against the United States have chosen their own destruction."
Sept. 15, 2001 Radio Address

[Fzob]

There is actually a Harold Pinter Forum at this link

Harold Pinter Community Forum

Perhaps he would enjoy a critique of his position on us bloodthirsty American by some thoughtful conservatives