Blair
Talks to World Youth–Unmasking Terror
MTV–using
it’s global arena–tackled today’s hottest topics concerning
peace, terror and the war on Iraq by bringing together world youth
and British Prime Minister Tony Blair for a debate of sorts where
the British leader took tough questions. Even as the Iraqi poison
drone and other secret Iraqi weapons activities are being exposed
in UN documents, 5 more terrorists were arrested in Spain and attacks
were being prevented to save lives in Europe. Yet, the connection
in people’s minds is not easily made between terror attacks
around the world and a terrorist state like Iraq that had aided
in the execution of attacks such as 9-11.
Just days before
the MTV challenge, Blair and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar
held a conference where both leaders agreed that standing strong
for the protection of their countries may not be popular to some,
but it is in fact a matter of ‘life and death’. While
talking with youth on MTV, Blair answered their questions and tried
to foster understanding about changes that have hit the free world
in the last decade and the dangers of Islamic extremists who won’t
stop plotting terror simply because we want peace. Blair has said
that despite what we prefer to believe, the reality is Islamic radicals
want to destroy the free world, through terror and propaganda, so
they can enact a Taliban-type government over the world.
Iraq
and Al Qaeda: Using the Media to Influence Western Minds
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Clockwise:
Saddam Hussein, Adolf Hitler, Saladin, Saddam Hussein
Recent
media stories tell of Saddam Hussein’s apparent belief
that he is the new Saladin who will conquer and rule again
and more. Saladin was a 12th century Iraqi muslim that attacked
and captured Jerusalem from Christian defenders (including
England’s King Richard the Lionheart) but according
to a few accounts he had somehow gained a so called nice guy
reputation. Saddam reportedly also likens himself to Adolph
Hitler, who fooled foreign leaders with his rhetoric, yet
invaded European countries, killing 55 million and systematically
gassed millions of innocent families, mostly Jews. At least
one Iraqi defector says that Saddam’s youth martyrs
and his mustache are evidence of his affinity for Hitler. |
Mention of the
12th century crusades comes up again, but this time not in Iraq. After
the CIA and Pakistani forces successfully captured al Qaeda chief
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, an interview of KSM resurfaced by Al-Jazeera
reporter Yosri Fouda. The interview was conducted in April 2002 during
which Mohammed gave the Al-Jazeera reporter CD-ROMs and cassettes
that were reportedly related to terrorist activities and attacks such
as the September 11th hijackings that KSM referred to as part of the
"new crusades" and a video of the beheading of the Wall
Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.
Khalid
Sheikh Mohammed apparently told the reporter that he wanted him
to distribute the tapes to Western news agencies in particular to
the French media. Perhaps this story illustrates a possible reason
there is so much confusion in the media, even after the 9-11 terrorist
attacks that killed over 3,000 innocent people.
However, Sunday
on MTV, Blair tried to help quell confusion by giving more information
and by focusing on questions the group wanted answered about varied
aspects of the impending war on Iraq.
Blair also put
into perspective the need for stability in the Middle East and its
effect on peace in the world and said that although he would accept
Saddam and his “immediate entourage” going into exile,
he would rather see Saddam tried before the world court for crimes
against humanity.
While the case
for war is being made by Spain, England, the U.S. and its allies
around the world in preparations for a UN vote, efforts in the war
on terror continue aggressively to disrupt and prevent planned terror
attacks against innocent people, known to Islamic radicals only
as “infidels”. Intelligence sources say that to make
the most of their propaganda against the war on terror, Islamic
radicals are holding out for the free world’s forceful disarmament
of Saddam to launch more attacks.
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LONDON
– A still photo from video tape of an Islamic cleric who says
Islam will take over the world. George Thomas, an investigative
reporter, looks into the power radical muslims wield in England.
In a nation where freedom of speech has been nearly outlawed
to appease intolerant political correctness groups, Islamic
radicals in contrast are free to speak boldly against people,
religions and their host nation. As U.S. and British citizens
burn their nation’s flags, the very people they are protecting
are the same that want to kill them.
The
Islamic cleric pictured above, told reporter George Thomas
that the world must follow the laws of Islam and if people
don’t submit to Islam they will be killed. "Like it or
not, Islam will conquer the U.S. and Islam will conquer Britain."
Click
to See Investigative Report (RealVideo):
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Spain
Arrests More Islamic Terrorists
Early Friday and Saturday Spanish Civil Guard agents searched offices
and homes in Logrono and Valencia–an area heavily populated with
muslim immigrants. Aided by authorities in Germany, France, Portugal,
Switzerland, Tunisia, and the U.S., officials captured 5 suspected
terrorists that authorities believe to be involved in money laundering
for al Qaeda cells. "These arrests make absolutely clear the
presence throughout Europe and in Spain of members or collaborators
of radical Islamic terrorist organizations, and that is a cause for
continuing concern," Spanish Interior Minister Angel Acebes said.
Spain says that
the money being laundered went to finance safe houses for al Qaeda
operatives as well as materials to carry out terrorist plots. Acebes
went on to say that it is believed that those arrested may have
a connection to the terrorists who bombed the historical El Ghriba
synagogue on the Tunisian island of Djerba. The tanker truck, containing
cooking gas, killed 21 people, including 14 Germans and a French
tourist last April and is believed to have been ordered by Khalid
Shaikh Mohammed, al Qaeda operations chief, who was captured last
week by Pakistani officials and is now reportedly divulging information
that has caused Osama bin Laden to move position.
Spain’s
Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, who has been a vocal leader with
Britain and the U.S. in the effort to disarm Saddam, sat down with
Newsweek to discuss Spain’s role in combating terrorism and
Iraq. Though 80 percent of Spaniards oppose war, the Prime Minister
is unfazed, saying it is his responsibility to protect his citizens,
whether they appreciate it or not.
Aznar:
“Spain knows what it means to fight terrorism”
“If terrorism and weapons of mass destruction are ever brought
together—which is the great threat of Iraq—I sincerely
don’t want to be living in a future that is on its knees,
powerless, before terrorists. We have a responsibility to make sure
that doesn’t happen. I would never forgive myself for doing
nothing. Spain knows what terrorism is and what it means to fight
terrorism.”
Aznar went further
to clarify Spain’s role on the Iraq issue saying, “Spain
is a country in ascendance. I don’t want my country to be
standing on the sidelines of history.”
Iraq
in Violation – UN Inspectors Discovers Iraqi Drone Capable of Spraying
Poisons
As the U.S. and allies amass troops in the Persian Gulf, reports
come from Kuwait that some Iraqi troops attempted to surrender this
week to British forces, thinking the war had begun, but according
to intelligence sources, war may not be as easy as marching in and
expecting white flags to appear. And now UN weapons inspectors released
a 170 page report to the Security Council that reveals that Saddam
has an illegal drone. This finding means unequivocally that Iraq
is in violation of 1441 and indicates that there could be many more
of these poison spraying drones.
Hans Blix, told
reporters that Saddam’s drone can spray biological or chemical agents
over a wide area: "Recent inspections have also revealed the
existence of a drone with a wingspan of 7.45 meters (24 1/2 feet)
that has not been declared by Iraq. Officials at the inspection
site stated that the drone had been test flown," Blix said.
Removing
the Veil – The Dangers Saddam Poses to the World
The new inspections report describes evidence of new rockets being
developed by Saddam Hussein as well as additional biological and
chemical agents still unaccounted for. British Foreign Secretary
Jack Straw said the new report is “a shocking indictment of
the record of Saddam Hussein’s deception and deceit, but above all,
of the danger which he poses to the region and to the world."
The report gives
greater credibility for the U.S.-Britain-Spain proposal for action
against Iraq, but there is still fear of explosive retaliatory action
against western interests by terrorist groups. Fear of such attacks
were addressed by British Prime Minister Tony Blair during his MTV
forum.
“America
didn’t attack Al Qaida. Al Qaida attacked America. Let’s get this
the right way round. And I don’t believe, frankly, with these terrorist
groups, that it matters what we do. They will still attack us because
they detest everything we have and stand for and the freedoms we
have. Where I would actually say to you is the real issue, however,
for where people have some, in my view, misguided sympathy for terrorists
– I think the single thing that is a real issue is the issue to
do with the Middle East peace process and the Israeli/ Palestinian
issue, and one of the things that I believe passionately is that,
irrespective of what happens in Iraq, we have to find a way of restarting
that peace process, and, if you want to know, I think that is the
cause of more concern in the Arab and Muslim world than a liking
for Saddam Hussein because I don’t believe there is such.”
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A
Palestinian terrorist with a rocket on a street in the northern
Gaza Strip, March 6, 2003. Millions of dollars in weapons
and cash have reportedly been in Arafat’s hands over the years.
As their people suffer in poverty, both Arafat and Saddam
have millions in banks outside of their countries. Israeli
intelligence works to prevent weapons production and transportation
in the Palestinian region. As part of Israel’s war on On Monday
March 3rd, Sheik Mohammed Taha – one of 5 original founders
of the Hamas terror group – was arrested during an anti-terror
operation.
Photo
by Ahmed Jadallah
/ Reuters
|
During the hour
long MTV broadcast, Blair and the MTV youth also explored the issues
of international terrorism and crisis between Israel and the Palestinians:
Jenny Vagan, a 26-year-old Norwegian, says that
”if you look at the conflict you have the American that supports
Israel with weapons and you have the Palestinian people with rocks
and stone. It’s not a fair conflict. Like you call them terrorists,
but they don’t have any weapons, they don’t have any money, they
don’t have any support.”
Prime Minister
Blair didn’t try to give her the facts on the bombs and weapons
terrorists use or the millions of dollars in U.S. aid that have
been given to the Palestinians that Arafat apparently doesn’t use
for his people. Instead Blair responded saying, “All I can
tell you is… We, in Britain, have held a conference here to try
and get some political reform on the Palestinian side so they can
have a better chance of negotiating. And it’s fair to say that this
American President who is the first American President to commit
himself to two states, and the reason I think there is a chance
of having peace in the Palestinian issue is for the first time I
think the Arab world is prepared – it hasn’t yet, but I think it
is prepared to recognize Israel explicitly, so that the issue which
affects Israelis, which is the idea they’re surrounded by countries
who want to destroy them, that issue is taken away. And the other
thing is everybody now accepts there should be a viable Palestinian
state. I think there is a chance there if we’re prepared to take
them. What I’d like to see is as much energy and commitment going
to get this peace process started as we’re showing confronting Saddam
over weapons of mass destruction.”
Money
and War – Reem Elmanan, Swedish, aged 23
Twenty
three year old Reem Elmanan wanted to know about the money involved
with war: "Throughout history countries have been entering
wars to benefit their economies. This is the US and other countries
during World War Two because of the Great Depression. Can you convince
us that this isn’t the case?"
PM Tony Blair
said, "I think it’s always been a mixture of motives. My father
fought for my country in World War Two against fascism and against
the Nazis.
"I think
that there is a link. I think the great thing about today’s world
which is shown by the audience here is it is interdependent and
that’s one of the reasons why you need strong international institutions
today because, in fact, I can’t think of a situation where you could
have a serious conflict in one part of the world that doesn’t affect
the whole of the world, but the motivation for this is not economic.
Frankly, there are worries in the economy in the markets because
of the prospect of conflict, so we’re doing it because we think
that the security of our people will be put at risk unless we take
a stand against this issue now."
Read
MTV’s Forum with British Prime Minister Blair |