From: wolda002@umn.edu
Date: Wed Jul 23 2008 - 17:38:39 EDT
US imposing its values through its global military presence
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:33:56
By Ramin Etesami, Press TV
The following is an interview with prominent British peace activist and one
of the founders of the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases
(CAAB), Lindis Percy.
Born in Leeds, Percy is a trained nurse and midwife and she has been
arrested over 150 times for her political activities.
She says: "I was woken up to the issue of weapons of mass destruction and
the presence of US bases in the UK in early 1980 when I was a midwife
working in a place very near to a base called Greenham Common.
I got involved in the campaign to oppose Cruise missiles and have been
involved ever since. Anni Rainbow and I founded the Campaign for the
Accountability of American Bases in 1992 - campaigning to bring public
scrutiny and awareness to the roles and functions of US bases in this
country and world wide - both of us were engaged in the Greenham Common
campaign of the 1980s - profoundly changing my life.
I have been arrested hundreds of times and have been to prison over a dozen
times - the last time was in May this year. I say this with no pride or
pleasure. (Asking questions of those in authority sometimes gets you into
trouble).
I am a pacifist and will always be involved in trying to change the ways of
settling conflict by violent means to pursuing alternatives to violence. It
is the civilized way desperately needed in a very trouble world."
Q. Your campaign is focused on US military bases across the world and the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; do you thing there is a link
between these two issues?
A. Of course there is a link - being that the world wide web of US bases
are all inter-connected and the US government is bent on developing more
and more deadly weapons - now in space in the form of Missile Defense which
of course if an offensive system - in more ways than one! It is about
domination of the world by the US - militarily and politically and the
imposition of the US values and standards...there is also a question of
oil!
Q. Washington says it runs military bases across the world to boost global
security but critics say they pose a threat to local residents and other
countries. What do you think?
A. The fact that the bases are there means that they are a focus for attack
- I live 15 minutes away from a US base called Menwith Hill - it is the
largest US intelligence gathering and surveillance US base outside the US.
The terrible events of 9/11 and the war in Iraq meant that it is a target
for attack - from persons unknown who are bent on targeting any US
interests. The presence of US bases in our midst puts all our security at
risk. US bases are extremely vulnerable.
Q. Do you think US troops abroad have the freedom to do what they want
without having to abide by the host countries' laws?
A. Yes - US bases in the UK and world wide are out of control of the host
governments. I have many personal experiences of abuse of the host
country's laws to back this up. And, when there is a serious offence
committed by a member of a visiting force, there are no legal remedies
available as a Certificate of Immunity is submitted to the court - which
says that this court has no jurisdiction to hear the case - Visiting Forces
Act 1952 - I am involved in such a case at the moment. The US government
has never signed up to the International Court in The Hague.
Q. While the White House claims that its missile shield plan has a
defensive nature, as it would defend its European allies against threats
posed by so-called 'rouge states,' your campaign opposes the proposed
system. Why is that?
A. It is an absolute nonsense to suggest that Missile Defense (read
'offense') can and would fulfill such a claim. This campaign was the first
to reveal that two bases in the UK were to be 'designated' a crucial
connection to the US Missile Defense system - Menwith Hill and Fylingdales
- that was in 1997. We warned that it would not work (it is a long way off
from ever being operational - if it ever can be - the system is fraught
with difficulties), it would cause international tension (Russian in
particular very unhappy and threatening to up the military stakes in
opposition - the start of a new Cold War), it would be the start of a new
arms race (it is), and that the cost would be huge etc.
The intention of the planners of Missile Defense (which has been around a
long time - remember Ronald Reagan's daft plan?) is to dominate space for
US military and economic interests.
There is an urgent need to talk to so called 'rogue states' - through
serious diplomacy and mediation and working together - not threatening each
other but settling conflict by non-violent means. The sooner George W Bush
goes the better - he has been a disaster and has made the world a far more
dangerous place through his and his bedfellows' mindless plans.
Q. What steps should the UK take to keep the US bases in the country
accountable? What do you exactly mean when you use the term
'accountability'?
A. Successive UK governments have been blinded by the 'special
relationship' with the US and has followed on whatever.....a true friend
gently tells her friend if they think their decisions are folly. It is high
time that the UK government decouples from the US foreign policy and acts
independently. I have to add that CAAB is not anti-American people - we do
have a big problem however with US foreign policy. Our aim is to send the
visiting forces back to within their borders - we are opposed to any
visiting force being based here.
Accountability means that there are credible systems and structures in
place to keep a check on what is actually happening concerning US bases -
that the host nation lays down rules and regulations which are meaningful
and controlled by the UK authorities and which are strictly abided by -
their legal status to comply with the host nations laws, any abuse brought
to account through the courts of the host nation and any offense committed
dealt with accordingly.
The US military and their agencies are in firm control here - partly
because historically a few people behind closed doors handed over large
areas of land to a visiting forces without meaningful legal and political
controls. However, this goes on worldwide.
Q. What are the direct impacts of the existence of US bases on the British
nation?
A. I think that many people do not realize the full extent of how the US
military and their agencies are in occupation and have full control. All US
bases in the UK are known as RAF (Royal Air Force) and so people assume
that that is who is in command and control. The reality is very different -
it is the US Commander who is in control.
CAAB has some interesting documents marked SECRET which set out exactly how
this came about. There is a lot of secrecy surrounding what goes on US
bases - it is only perhaps when people are personally affected adversely
that people might wake up!
Q. Do you believe that the West has a hand in proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction?
A. There are many countries in the West who are involved in developing more
and more deadly weapons. The UK government is pursuing the replacement of
the Trident nuclear system (actually the US control this system) - despite
signing up to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Hypocrisy abounds!
Q. Have your moves against the politicians who favor the expansion of US
bases abroad been successful? And what can the people do?
A. We have made small steps of change and the fact that CAAB exists means
that we are constantly questioning the UK government about the roles and
functions of what goes on US bases. We are constantly trying to think of
new effective ways. We should all be much more aware of the extent of the
presence of US bases here and worldwide. It is alarming and of deep
concern.
Q. The UK is supposed to be a democratic country. Why does the UK
government arrest and exert pressure on the activists that are against
foreign bases in their own country?
A. Democracy is in a very unhealthy state in the UK. This question, I
suggest, might be directed to the UK government who have brought in more
and more laws and surveillance of its citizens. It is baffling to many of
us that a Labor government should have done this. Freedom and liberty are
precious. Over the ten years that the Labor government has been in power
there has been a very worrying erosion of civil liberties - involving
protest against US bases - all in the guise of 'national security' - it
seems to me that it is born out of fear and control. It probably goes back
to the 'special relationship' - the relationship between the US and UK
governments is so special that the US government does exactly what they
want - legal or not! I have many personal experiences - what the
'authorities' have done to try to curtail my deep concerns - was to only
make them stronger!
Count of views : 471
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