blue news 1

1368 is the number given to the UN Security Council Resolution
condemning terrorism
adopted 12 September 2001*
1368 was a year in history
1368 I thought your killing
would have stopped by now
but it has accelerated
I thought that the cold war ending
meant that war was ending
or at least that the threat
of nuclear war was ending
they discuss plans to bomb Iraq
the way they might schedule
an ice cream social
questions are not asked
is it legally or ethically justifiable to invade another country
to remove its leader
or one of its citizens
why are all our worst enemies our former employees
bin Laden, Hussein, Noriega
can we get a hiring freeze until we straighten this out
how can you cut taxes while increasing military spending
who is buying you your war
why are we going to invade Iraq
a country with whom we are not at war
again
Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Bosnia
didn't the president
the man who accuses these nations of being undemocratic
lose the election
what about *our* people
there are laws regulating business and international conflict
but they are not enforced
U.S. Rejects All Support for New Court on Atrocities
Bush administration officials said on Monday
that the new International Criminal Court should
expect no cooperation from the U.S.
for what may be the first time
the CIA openly admitted to an attempted political assassination
an anti-tank missile was fired at Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
a former Afghan Prime Minister and head of Hezb-e-Islami
Hekmatyar has not been accused of terrorism
he was targeted because he did not support the US invasion of Afghanistan
and is critical of the Western-engineered interim government
assassination is illegal
criticism is legal
they hate our freedom
to violate international law
the wrong thing badly
they tried to assassinate a man with a missile and missed
just like they bombed two of the poorest countries in the world
Sudan, Afghanistan
with the most expensive military in the world
to hurt an individual
but failed to kill Osama bin Laden
although the civilian toll in both cases has been monstrous
they bombed Sudan's main medicine factory
they cut off foreign aid to the starving Afghan citizens
the victims of the Taliban
and now they are talking about invading Cuba
although there are no salient examples of Cuban terrorism
against the US
to compare with the Bay of Pigs
and repeated assassination attempts on Castro
the military reminds me of the Fighting Illini
well-funded
by the public
widely-supported
by spirited if misguided fans
undertaking a mission that isn't worth undertaking
and fucking up
making their opponents stronger
instead of defeating them
but nobody thinks for a moment of retiring them
it's good entertainment
a case in point
Coalition Forces Destroy Enemy Hide-Outs
Rockets, Other Weapons Blown Up Inside Caves
what is this? a newspaper or Sgt. Rock
in the Arab world, boycotts of American products are widespread
an abandoned KFC in Lebanon was firebombed
the newspapers assure us that this won't hurt the U.S. economy
but the newspapers don't address their reasons
for hating us and our chicken
afraid of nothing save being audited
or losing the election
1368, tell me
your holy lands don't seem so holy
mummified by newsprint
I open my mouth to speak and am choked by a flood
of bad information
nevertheless resolve to remain seized of the matter

...

*United Nations S/RES/1368 (2001) Security Council Distr.: General 12 September 2001 01-53382 (E) *0153382* Resolution 1368 (2001) Adopted by the Security Council at its 4370th meeting, on 12 September 2001 The Security Council, Reaffirming the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, Determined to combat by all means threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Recognizing the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence in accordance with the Charter,

1. Unequivocally condemns in the strongest terms the horrifying terrorist attacks which took place on 11 September 2001 in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania and regards such acts, like any act of international terrorism, as a threat to international peace and security;

2. Expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims and their families and to the people and Government of the United States of America;

3. Calls on all States to work together urgently to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of these terrorist attacks and stresses that those responsible for aiding, supporting or harbouring the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of these acts will be held accountable;

4. Calls also on the international community to redouble their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist acts including by increased cooperation and full implementation of the relevant international anti-terrorist conventions and Security Council resolutions, in particular resolution 1269 (1999) of 19 October 1999;

5. Expresses its readiness to take all necessary steps to respond to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, and to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations;

6. Decides to remain seized of the matter.