War Criminal Conference & Exhibition
[Dewan Merdeka, PWTC, Kuala Lumpur]
The Ultimate War Crime and How to Distract the Media
Dr. Gwynne Dyer
- We are here to criminalize war and not just the USA and the current admin.
- All the great powers had nuclear weapons programmes. US, UK, even Japan.
- Modern technology has made war tremendously destructive.
- Hundreds of nuclear weapons were tested between 1952 and 1963. It was a great power.
- How was war against Iraq sold in the US? Enormous terrorist attack which was bogus - the 9/11 - evidence now shows that it was an isolated act. Not a single American was killed in America by a terrorist since 9/11.
- Saddam Hussein - myth - Weapons of Mass Destruction - Saddam, former US ally - going to give these weapons to Osama. Cheney used American Intelligence to produce false evidence. Iraq was invaded - no WMD. Retrospective justification - it was necessary to invade Iraq to give independence so that Iraq will not support terrorists.
- Necessary to lie to American public about the war - 2003: necessary to manufacture reasons for American society - not enough to say it was because America is power, but due to terrorism and to achieve justice. This is good because the truth would not have served.
- The real reason for invading Iraq - did not have to do with the Great Power game - America's perception that new powers will be rising to threaten America's economic domination.
- It was not the Middle East that was threatening US' it was China. US is in the same position as UK as a colonial power. Chinese economic growth, Indian economic growth - instead of being the dominant economic power, 30-40 years, they will be only one of the three greatest powers and they did not like this passé. What has this got to do with Iraq? Core motive was oil - not for the conventional reason. Iraq sold half of its oil in January 2003 to US. Control the oil where it went. You might want to control this. Create a strong and permanent position in the centre of the Gulf to control the oil going to China, India and Japan. US wants to have a hand on the tap to control the oil going to China.
- Did not happen the way they wanted. Iraq resistance. The worst of it is almost over because after the next US presidential elections, they will leave Iraq.
- China is next enemy - so US forming coalitions and having troops around China. Japan wants to rewrite its Constitution so that it can send its troops.
- The next Great Powers game is already on the way - and a war from that will be worse than Iraq. We all will die.
- Criminalise war - halfway there because war is already illegal 62 years ago - 1945 - United Nations - generation was scared because of the 2nd World War. Illegal to enter into a war with another country. We have made war illegal.
- US had to get the approval of the United Nations re: Iraq. The law is there.
- Public opinion is immensely powerful if you can harness it and use it. Public opinion in the US is powerful. It is the only weapon.
- Tribunal is v.important because it will deliver judgments, judgments are not enforceable but effective on world opinion. Judgement should be manifestly clear - legally sound judgments are indispensable tools.
- General Assembly has been sidelined. Security Council - self-appointed, powerful. GA could pass resolutions condemning illegal war.
- Use the media.