What is terrorism? As I see it, terrorism is using violence to instill fear in people so to defeat or control them -- for one's own interests and purposes. Terrorism, in its most extreme form inflicts pain, suffering, misery and death upon non-combatants as a way of weakening the enemy.
Much has been said about the (bogus) connection between Obama and Bill Ayers, who was considered a terrorist in the late sixties as part of the Weather Underground, an organization that engaged in bombings to bring the country's attention to the Vietnamese War and the need to call it quits. Obama was eight to ten years ago at this time and, and, of course, did not work with Ayers and the Weather Underground. About twenty years later, Ayers not convicted, became a highly respected scholar in the field of education, social justice and urban problems. Ayers and Obama were thrown together in organizations at this time because of mutual interest in urban matter and poverty. They were not conspiring to instigate terrorist activity. This is total nonsense.
Now, let's take a look at John McCain and his support of the Contras. The Contras were a creation of Reagan and his supporters. A well funded group of para-militaries whose purpose was to overthrow the Sandinista Socialist Republic in Nicagarua. Tne Sandinistas were originally a rebel army composed mostly of ordinary civilians, supported by many intellectuals, some enlightened members of the upper class, and ocassional activist members of the Catholic Church. In 1979, they succeeded in seizing control of the country from the Somoza family, who ruled Nicaragua from 1936 to 1979 as a military dictatorship. The Sandinistas began the work of restoring the land to its people and setting up a democratic socialist nation.
Everyone expected that the Somozas, the U.S. government, much of the upper class, and the army, would stage a counter attack.. The United States, then under Reagan began in 1981 to fund the "Contras" militant and organized terrorists under the pretext of being "freedom fighters intent on stamping out "communism" in the struggling nation. Reagan would not tolerate any nation in Latin American that was not friendly/subservient to the United States. And, of course, all of these nations had to have a capitalist economic system. The Sandinista government was socialist and would have evolved into a democratic socialist nation. However, Reagan and American right wingers were outraged that they had overthrown a military dictatorship with excellent relations with the U.S. government; that was cooperative in allowing American corporations to use Nicaragua as a source of profit at the expense of its people and its own use of its natural resources. Therefore, the new government had to be taught a lesson: cross the interests of the U.S. and you are in trouble. The Western Hemisphere is our patch, our territory.
Instead of the new democratic government being able to get organized, to set up new structures, to take care of the needs of its people --- it had to spend its time, energy, and few resources defending itself against the richest nation on earth and the band of violent terrorists that they had "hired" to topple their government by terrorists acts, by creating chaos. The Sandinista government was forced to become more authoritarian, had to institute martial law, had to do all the things that a nation sometimes has to do to defend itself. Of course, by doing this, the Reagan administration could then say, "See how dictatorial they are. It's a police state?" "Yes, Ronnie, and you and the terrorists you empowdered did this. Are you happy now?"
McCain was good friend of Oliver North, who played a key part in raising money for this attack upon Nicaragua by getting the green light from Washington to sell $48 billion in battlefield missiles and other weapons to Iran, classified then as a sponsor of international terrorism. This was a money laundering scheme to provide surreptiously funds for another band of terrorists -- our own mercenaries: the Contras.
McCain supported politically and financially the Contras and their terrorist tactics, which included mining the harbors of Nicaragua in defiance of world legal opinion.
This is what Human Rights' Watch said about the Contras in 1989: "...the Contras were major and systematic violators of the most basic standards of the laws of armed conflict, including by launching indiscriminate attacks on civilians, selectively murdering non-combatants, and mistreating prisoners." Details (not for the squeamish) of Contra tactics can be found at this url.
McCain was a friend, supporter of G.Gordon Liddy, a rogue militant who had seen some time with the army and the FBI. He masterminded the Watergate break-in and served four and half years for his part in the crime that led to Nixon's premature departure from office.
I think it is fair to label Liddy a terrorist. Some examples: during his radio show he advised his listeners that if the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms tries to disarm you: "Go for a head shot; they're going to be wearing bulletproof vests ... Kill the sons of bitches."
More examples: Liddy proposed to kidnap anti-war activists during Vietnam War and plotted the murder of an unfriendly newspaper columnist.
McCain took part in a fundraiser for his re-election in 1998. In 1999 McCain appeared on Liddy's talk show radio, where McCain told Liddy on air: "I'm proud of you, I'm proud of your family. It's always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulation on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great."
Obama has never supported what Ayers was doing when he, Obama, was eight years old. However, John McCain has never withdrawn his words and actions in support for terrorists like The Contras, Oliver North and G. Gordon Liddy. McCain was a knowing adult when he befriended and supported these terrorists.
One would think that Mc Cain would have some sense of shame. Apparently, terrorism on behalf of causes McCain's supports is not terrorism.
What kind of foreign policy would a McCain foreign policy be?
(A major source, but not the only one, for this blog came from John K. Wilson -- the author of five books, including the new book "Barack Obama: This Improbable Quest" (Paradigm Publishers) and the forthcoming "Patriotic Correctness: Academic Freedom and Its Enemies." His previous books include “The Myth of Political Correctness: The Conservative Attack on Higher Education” (Duke University Press) and “Newt Gingrich: Capitol Crimes and Misdemeanors” (Common Courage Press). He is the founder of Institute for College Freedom at www.collegefreedom.org. He lives in Chicago, and can be reached at collegefreedom@yahoo.com.)
