World War III

by

Michael C. Ruppert

[© Copyright 2001, Michael C. Ruppert and From The Wilderness Publications. All Rights Reserved. May be reprinted and distributed for non-profit purposes only.]

Lead Essay From The September 18, 2001 Issue of From The Wilderness

Some of us will come out of the shock sooner than others. Some of us will acknowledge the fear and the hurt sooner than others. Sooner or later we all will feel the pain. But the unfolding of events following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon will wait for none of us. I do not rely on the fifteen or so times that I have seen the term "World War III" used by major publications like the New York Times. I rely on my knowledge of how the U.S. military, intelligence and economic infrastructure will respond to a given set of circumstances. In this case, the relevant context for these tragedies had developed long before last Tuesday's events.

Only a few, as yet, grasp the dynamics already in motion that will almost certainly produce a long and protracted war, as well as huge economic and perhaps physical dislocations in the United States and around the world. Additional attacks on Americans are almost a certainty, even -- as I am about to describe -- a necessity. The rhetoric from President Bush and his Administration contains messages for the American people, which they do not yet grasp, and for terrorist organizations, which they most certainly do. "This is a war and it will not be a short war." "This will not be over quickly." "We have a war plan that will work, over whatever period of time it requires." "There will be many casualties. The military is prepared for that." "This is not just an effort to get bin Laden. This is a war to wipe out terrorism all over the world." "We are not thinking just in terms of a few air strikes. Ground troops will be involved. And some of them will die." "We will go after terrorism wherever terrorism threatens the United States." "Americans need to be prepared for more sacrifices and more casualties." "Just removing bin Laden won't suffice. We are going after terrorism in all of the countries where it resides."

The last statement is the first great lie of this war. As the U.S. government has announced its partnership with the drug-financed government of Pakistan, which has supported terrorist groups from the Middle East to the Balkans, to China, to Southeast Asia, the deception begins. Indeed, after Afghanistan, Pakistan should have been the first great enemy in this war. It's long support of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan ended only as the Taliban destroyed most of that nation's opium crop in February of this year. As in every conflict since World War II, the drug trade will now see a new day of freedom.

And I guarantee that terrorist groups are well aware of one fact that we, as Americans, have not yet grasped. George W. Bush carries on his shoulder the political memory of a father who waged a war against Saddam Hussein and then left him in power. He can afford no such image in the current context and the military he commands must become engaged in a do or die battle. They too, will accept no less.

That said, the terrorist groups in or from Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, the Sudan, Yemen, Jordan, Algeria, Somalia, Turkey, Chechnya, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Germany, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Albania, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico know that they are now in a "use it or lose it" position. For, not knowing where and when the industrialized nations may strike, they now realize that almost any action against any political group will go unchallenged in the world press. Even separatist groups not posing an immediate threat can be conveniently eliminated in the months and perhaps years to come. As evidenced by the almost immediate admission of China into the World Trade Organization, after 15 years of unsuccessful attempts, the warp drive for globalization - unfettered by any need to respond to public opinion - has now been engaged. The most cynical part of me hopes that the headline for this war will not be, "The G-8 Wipes Out Poverty." In this model I must say that the long discussed, but rarely acknowledged, alleged plans for massive global population reduction are no longer a "back burner" issue.

Therefore, in this context, the American people must expect additional attacks that may even include biological warfare or nuclear devices on American soil. And these attacks, already being hinted at by the Administration, will serve an additional purpose. Two days after the attacks every street and highway was a sea of American flags. Now, a week after the attacks - at least in Los Angeles - they are hard to find. Whether we admit it or not, what the vast majority of the American people really want is for this to go away. Only sustained attacks on the American people will provide George W. Bush with the political mandate to wage the war he has committed to fight - to the bitter end. As the economic impact sinks in, and as Americans feel the pain in their wallets, the willingness of American citizens to experience the carnage that has been raging around the world for decades - in the name of prosperity and for the benefit of the G-8's largest corporations - is, in my opinion, a big question mark. Do not expect a quick recovery in the stock market based upon emotion. As we describe in this issue, the fundamental weaknesses in the U.S. economy were not blown up with these attacks. And the markets, if they can still be called that, are driven by one 800 pound guerilla above all others - earnings. With the exception of defense contractors, there is absolutely nothing hopeful to report and I, for one, cannot and refuse to be an advocate for investing in the destruction of the planet.

The United States has many enemies. It is the economic enemies that warrant the most scrutiny now because the perception that America is the safest place in the world in which to invest foreign capital has been dealt a huge blow. Further blows will come with further attacks and this exposes the fine line that the Administration must walk. Without more attacks at home, the bold gambit of George Bush, et al will fail for lack of political support. With them, the world may eventually conclude that the United States is economically expendable as nations look to their own interests. Too much economic blood in the water will start a feeding frenzy.

In the major media, in the alternative media, in Congress and around the world the context now provides the opportunity for great lights with courageous souls to emerge and to lead. We are walking a fine line on a precipice that may lead to Armageddon or, please God, something better. The Bush Administration is not equipped with a repertoire of responses sufficient to navigate the long term perils. We must dig and find something better within ourselves.

We are living in a whole New World. We just don't know what it looks like yet.

  Mike Ruppert

Sept. 18, 2001