THE BURDEN OF PROOF To the Editor
Guyana Chronicle
October 1, 2001


Beneath the prevailing hysteria are some doubts about who is responsible for the World Trade Center (WTC) destruction. After giving sympathy to the families of those who have perished, the question now emerges as to on whom the burden of guilt should rest.

When the Federal building in Okalahoma was bombed, immediately thereafter, it was stated that the culprit was Osama bin Laden. These and other statements attributing that building's destruction to bin Laden was never really retracted by the media, after it was proven, that the perpetrator was American born and bred.

The list of suspects who may have master-minded this carnage is long and includes some governments, and now to prominently advertise that a member of that list is the culprit, without substantiated proof is unjustifiable.

If Osama bin Laden is responsible in some form for this act, then he should be made to pay the price. If on the other hand, his involvement is based on speculation, or guilt by association, then the Federal Government should be fourth-coming and say so. I understand that to divulge certain information about evidence may place some US operatives at risk, but also at risk are the countless lives that will be lost trying to capture bin Laden without any guarantees that capturing or annihilating him will be successful.

How long will the American public support a protracted war in the search for bin Laden is left to be seen. Currently, emotions are very high and the revenge factor seems fitting, but as time goes by and the public settles down to fulfiling it's agenda, war may not be seen as an altrenative.

Consideration should be given to the fact that the Russians tried the very war effort that America is about to embark on without success. Maybe it would be best to engage in some other form of covert activity against bin Laden other than the current show of force. The Russian war effort against Afghanistan has shown that military might and weapon sophistication is neutralized in the mountains, and it is in the mountains that this new war will be fought and decided.

The increased suffering will be felt by both American and the Afghan civilians who are currently being displaced due to fear of America's retaliation.

The continuous saber rattling and chest thumping does nothing more than to evoke emotions about the sincerity of Muslims in America. These emotions are already at fever pitch since the primrose path of our existence was disrupted. News events have reported of Asians, that look like Muslims, being beaten and even killed all because of the WTC destruction. Given the racial mentality of the US public a protracted war will result in Muslims, that look like Arabs, living in continuous fear of being beaten or worse.
PATRICK BARKER