Beyond September 11

An Anthology of Dissent

Edited by Phil Scraton

Publication date:

20 June 2002

Length of book:

272 pages

Publisher

Pluto Press

ISBN-13: 9781849641708

The unprecedented and tragic events in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania left an indelible mark on world politics. Civilian deaths in horrific circumstances triggered an uncompromising response from the US administration and its allies: an open-ended 'war on terrorism'.

This anthology includes some of the world's leading commentators - Noam Chomsky, Robert Fisk, Naomi Klein, John Pilger, Paul Foot and A.Sivanandan. It presents accessible, detailed and often deeply personal accounts of the aftermath, the bombing of Afghanistan and the dubious claims for its legality. From investigative journalists to critical academics, human rights lawyers and anti-racist campaigners, the contributors are united in their opposition to military intervention in Afghanistan and beyond and to the attack on civil liberties in the US, the UK and Europe.

Examining the the context and rhetoric of US vengeance - ennobled by the symbolic title 'Enduring Freedom' - they challenge political and popular definitions, constructions,pathologisation and reporting of terrorism. In questioning the representation of war as 'just', the anthology focuses on civilian deaths in Afghanistan, evidence of US/allied atrocities, violations of prisoners' rights and US determination to escalate military offensives, regardless of global destabilisation.

Preface
1. Introduction: Witnessing ‘Terror’, Anticipating ‘War’ by Phil Scraton
2. America’s Jihad: A History Of Origins by Christian Parenti
3. An Unconscionable Threat To Humanity by John Pilger
4. The Threat Of United States’ Ruthlessness by Madeleine Bunting
5. ‘Terrorism’, ‘War’ And Democracy Compromised by Paul Foot
6. The Politics Of Morality by Phil Scraton
7. Representations Of Terror In The Legitimation Of War by Eileen Berrington
8. ‘Either You Are With Us Or You Are With The Terrorists’: The War’s Home Front by Jude McCulloch
9. Resistance And Terror: Lessons From Ireland by Bill Rolston
10. September 11 Aftermath: Where Is The World Heading? by Noam Chomsky
11. A Question Of State Crime by Penny Green
12. This War Was Illegal And Immoral, And It Won’t Prevent Terrorism by Michael Mandel
13. Expanding The Concept Of Terrorism by Thomas Mathiesen
14. Legislative Responses To Terrorism by Philip A Thomas
15. All In The Name Of Security by Liz Fekete
16. Airy Fairy Liberals And All That by Paddy Hillyard
17. Poverty Is The New Black by A. Sivanandan
18. The Challenge Of September 11: An Interview With A. Sivanandan
19. The Policing Of Immigration In The New World Disorder by Leanne Weber and Ben Bowling
20. September 11 And all That: An African Perspective by Tunde Zack Williams
21. The Khaki Election by Russell Hogg
22. Signs Of The Times by Naomi Klein
23. Business As Usual? Corporate Moralism And The ‘War Against Terrorism’ by Dave Whyte
24. Markets, Regulation And Risk: The US Airlines Industry And Some Fallout 25. From September 11 by Steve Tombs
26. Dangers Of The Armed Response At Home by Mick North
27. Terrorism, Neighbours And Nuremberg by Herman Schwendinger and Julia Schwendinger
28. Pledging Allegiance: The Revival Of Prescriptive Patriotism by Cecilia O’Leary and Tony Platt
29. My Fellow Americans: Looking Black On Red Tuesday by Jonathan David Farley
30. Neither Pure Nor Vile by Mike Marqusee
31. The Lion, The Witch And The Warmonger: ‘Good’, ‘Evil’ And The Shattering Of Imperial Myth by Howard Davis
32. Beyond September 11: Certainties and Doubts by Barbara Hudson
Could Osama Bin Laden Have Been A Woman? Masculinity And September 11 by Martti Grönfors
33. An Attack On Truth? by Elizabeth Stanley
34. My Beating By Refugees Is A Symbol Of The Hatred And Fury Of This Filthy War by Robert Fisk
35. In The Name Of A ‘Just War’ by Phil Scraton

'A formidable array of intellectuals has been lined up to present this hard hitting collection of essays and comments. The contributors include some of the world's best known voices of dissent'