Bob Murphy
The Empire Strikes Back:
Sat Oct 20 02:26:12 2001


The Empire Strikes Back:
Reflections of a Rebel

by Bob Murphy

I was in an airport when the news switched to the President’s address, where he
explained that we had begun bombing Afghanistan. This was fitting, since there
were two soldiers in sight – complete with camouflage and machine guns –
standing by the security checkpoint. Thus, the bombing of foreigners went hand
in hand with the militarization of the homeland. (Who woulda thought?) And
what exactly are those troops doing? Are terrorists going to take over the airport?

British Prime Minister Blair gave a passionate speech, in which he outlined the
coalition’s three-pronged approach: diplomatic, military, and humanitarian. Is it
just me, or does that make no sense whatsoever? As Gene Callahan remarked,
this may be the first time in history that a country has simultaneously dropped
bombs and food.

Speaking of food, ever since we started bombing, I’ve eaten virtually nothing
except schwarma sandwiches and falafel pitas. Is that weird?

The cabbie from the airport had to let me off a block away from Penn Station (in
Newark), since there were barricades, local police, state police, and National
Guard troops, all armed. Don’t kid yourself: The New York area is not "like" a
police state, it is a police state. This is what it feels like. And again I ask, why such
a strong presence? Is it "just in case," or rather, "The American people need to get
used to seeing guys with machine guns walking around"?

Security all around has been vamped up. NYU now requires that everyone
entering its buildings show ID, and this time, they mean it, since that’s always
been the official rule. (I was a little offended, since I thought I was on friendly
terms with one of the guards, but he asked me for ID like he’d never seen me
before.) Now, am I a traitor if I ask a simple question: What terrorist threat is
being countered by having NYU check everyone for ID? Are we afraid Arabs
might infiltrate the building, posing as economists, in order to give the
government horrible policy recommendations? (If so, they’re a bit late, since
that’s what my professors have been doing for years.)

If and when we install a Northern Alliance regime, how long before we suddenly
denounce them as evil, murderous opium dealers, and resume bombing
Afghanistan? Five years? Ten? ("We have always been at war with the Northern
Alliance.")

Since I’m making Orwell references, did anybody catch Defense Secretary
Rumsfeld actually using the term "oldthink"?? My roommate was going nuts; the
interview caused him to go back to smoking. I had to explain to him that not
only would most Americans not get the reference, but, even if they did, they
wouldn’t care. After all, who cares about some stupid phrase from a novel when
there’s a war going on?

My roommate’s had a rough week. He’s sort of a survival nut, stocking up on
canned food and bottled water. A couple days ago he tried to buy a shotgun, but
was informed that he needed a long gun permit from his friendly, local police
department. Oh, he hadn’t applied for one before? It would take four to six weeks
to get his permit. Have a nice day.

Now that anthrax is being mailed to people, will the government assume the
right to open and inspect all letters?

Did you watch the news Wednesday night? It didn’t bother me so much when it
featured brave NBC workers, vowing to stand up to the terrorists by staying at
work, and then switched to Washington in order to explain the evacuation of
Congress. It didn’t even faze me when Gephardt explained that the evacuation
was done for the security of staffers (i.e. not for the courageous politicians who
laugh at death). But what finally got me yelling at the TV was when some
congresswoman (whose name I should have written down) acknowledged that
Congress was definitely a role model for the American people, and that’s why,
"We must stand firm." (Again, she’s saying this after running away.)

Speaking of standing firm: If I go to the Village Halloween
parade dressed as Osama bin Laden, would that be entirely
inappropriate?

October 20, 2001
http://www.lewrockwell.com/murphy/murphy48.html
=====================================================

October 20, 2001
Posted: 12:25 a.m. EDT (0425 GMT)

The U.S. has suffered its first two casualities
in the war against Afghanistan. A helicopter
launched from the USS Kitty Hawk in the
Arabian Sea crashed during an overnight raid
into Afghanistan by Special Operations troops.

The Pentagon has not released the names
of the two dead soldiers. This will be done
only after their loved ones back home are notified.

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