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Despite this, the US government refused to reverse its policy of by the media and academia, fails to account for or explain them. maintaining regional alliances with the principal supporters of Al- Most commentators, including supposed critics of US policy, are Qa'ida, including the funnelling of financial and military aid—and content to dismiss arbitrarily any discussion of the role of the US continues to do the same, even after September 11. government in September 11 as irrelevant. But as this study At the very least, then, the facts on record demonstrate with demonstrates, the facts on record are far too important in their certainty an ongoing US policy of wilful and reckless indifference implications to be dismissed by anyone who is serious about to American lives, motivated fundamentally by strategic and understanding the events of September 11. economic interests. This policy has been relentlessly pursued, In the final analysis, then, this study points to a host of unan- regardless of the dangers to American lives, of which the US swered questions and blatant anomalies that US government, mili- policy-making establishment is fully aware. This policy therefore tary and intelligence agencies must be forced to answer through a amounts, even at the lowest possible level of involvement, to public inquiry. Such an inquiry is clearly a matter of the greatest deliberate if indirect complicity on the part of the Bush urgency, and must be demanded as such by all sectors of society. administration in the September 11 attacks. The United States government's actions should be transparent, Although it is the opinion of this author that the documentation —_ justifiable and reasonable. And in the event of a failure to meet gathered strongly indicates the conscious complicity of the Bush these criteria, the US government should be accountable to the administration in the September 11 attacks, it should once again American people. This is a public right and an elementary aspect be emphasised that this study does not aim to provide a of democracy. Whether key US figures and institutions have been conclusive or exhaustive analysis. It is primarily intended to guilty of complicity or sheer incompetence, the public has a right collate the innumerable facts surrounding the events of September to know—this is the least that could be done in memory of those 11, of which the public is largely unaware, and clarify them with who died on September 11. extensive documentation. Thus, a full-scale, independent public inquiry must be launched These facts have simply not been addressed in an adequate as soon as possible. Unless this occurs, the truth of what hap- fashion in the media, and the conventional version of events offi- pened on September 11—and thereafter—will remain indefinitely cially espoused by the Bush administration, and slavishly repeated suppressed. oo Continued from page 15 asking a long time, and we've been working About the Author: with them for a long time—not just during Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, a British this administration but during previous political scientist and human rights administrations—to reduce the footprint. I activist, is Executive Director of the think it's been a long-term interest of both Institute for Policy Research & cannes a perv _Devlopmen in Bigon, UK, which “ F . a "think tank" dedicated to the promo- that region, but we are looking to reduce the . . ~ footprint within Saudi Arabia, consistent tion of human rights, justice and peace of September 11, such as the corporate bailout, among other policies, it permitted. It is a fact that the attacks provided an opportunity for the corporate elite to escape the worst effects of this recession, and that, as a consequence, the recession has not had any adverse impact on Bush & Co. ost i cally locale enanl with America's interests and consistent with (see http:/ /www.globalresearch.org). ered allowing or provoking the occurrence the interests of Saudi Arabia." (See CNN, ; Ahmed is the author of many interna- af Oui, diay ran iere contin chen Saudis ask US to reduce forces, White tionally acclaimed research papers and ifs it eememntierl matizsiae| etre Gee House admits", January 27, 2002.) reports on human rights practices and damental damage to the interests of Bush& ibe reduction of the, UShmilitary/presence Western foreign policy. His archive of Co. would occur as long as certain safe- is designed quite specifically to meet the political analyses, published on the guards were taken on their behalf. mutual interests of both the US and the Internet by Media Monitors Network in 2. Other ways of securing US interests in Saudi regime—in terms of the latter sinter- Los Angeles, USA (see website the region in the event that the policy loses nal stability and continuing rule, and in http://www.mediamonitors.net), has Paver ' its viability, however, are no doubt being terms of thereby maintaining the former's explored by US policy planners. (See, for regional oil interests. This all ties in with instance: Peters, Ralph, "The Saudi Threat" the fact noted by former Saudi Oil Minister, Wall Street ‘ouszatl January 4, 2002.) > Ahmad Zaki al-Yamani, that the "US has a been nominated a "cool site" on the Netscape Open Directory Project. Indeed, both the US and Saudi governments _Strategic objective, which is to control the Editor's Notes: . are certainly cognisant of the dangers inher- _ il of the Caspian sea and to end depen- = The Institute for Policy Research & ent in the current arrangement. This appears ence on the oil of the Gulf". (See Develop ment can be contacted at: to be why they have both agreed to visibly ArabicNews.com, "Yamani: importance of Suite 414, 91 Western Road, Brighton, discuss the reduction of the US military Gulf oil collapses in the interests of the East Sussex, BN1 2NW, United presence in Saudi Arabia, with the aim of Caspian Sea", February 1, 2002, Kingdom, telephone +44 (0)1273 reducing pressure on the Saudi regime from _http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/ 329530, fax +44 (0)1273 706030, groups, particularly those sympathetic to bin Day/020201/2002020118.htm1.) email info@globalresearch.org, website Laden, calling for an end to US occupation 3. Monbiot, George, "The need for dissent", http://www.globalresearch.org. there. The Guardian, September 18, 2001. + Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed's book White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, 4. See Ahmed, Nafeez M., 'The 1991 Gulf The War on Freedom: How and Wh , affirming that the Saudis are "wonderful Massacre: The Historical and Strategic : “© . Ly allies in this war against terrorists", admitted | Context of Western Terrorism in the Gulf", America UES Attacked, September 11, that: "Ever since the Gulf War ended, we've Media Monitors Network, Los Angeles, CA, 2001, is available as a PDF e-book and been working to try to minimize the amount | USA, October 2, 2001, http://www.media- also as a paperback book from the web- of time and the size of the footprint that US_—_monitors.net/mosaddeq14.html. site http:/Avww.thewaronfreedom.com. forces have in Saudi Arabia... They've been 5. The Guardian, January 29, 2002. See the review in this issue. 16 = NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com AUGUST — SEPTEMBER 2002