With the recent terrorist attacks in the Middle East, a suicide bombing on a bus in Israel and the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Iraq, we once again see how using violence and force to deal with terrorism rather than focusing on the underlying issues that motivate people to undertake such drastic actions only results in more terrorism. Israel has been using violence for years and has not put an end towards terrorism, and President Bush's "War on Terror" is on the same route. With the "War on Terror" now nearly two years old, terrorism is still around, and with the occupation in Iraq and the killing of thousands of civilians during the invasion, many terrorist groups will probably see an increase in membership.
As would be expected, the mainstream media's coverage of the recent events has been laughable. Many commentators are trying to link the bombing to "foreign elements" such as Al-Qaida, while ignoring the fact that the very presence of US forces may be motivation for the attack. CounterPunch has published an interesting article looking at the recent bombing and the role the UN has taken in Iraq and has an interesting discussion how the UN attack may not be considered an act of terrorism by Iraqi guerrillas, but rather a legitimate target in their campaign. Also, now that Israel has raided Palestinian towns after Tuesday's bombing, it is safe to assume that the mainstream media will not cover what is really happening there but the Electronic Intifada will.
CounterPunch: The UN Bombing Act of Terrorism or Guerrilla Warfare?
Robert Fisk: Bush's Crumbling Authority in Iraq - Now No One is Safe
