Who supports terrorism?
The answer: many of the same people and companies now pushing the "war on terrorism."

By Steven T. Jones and Sharon Luk

"Terrorism," according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, "is the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives."

In our current war on terrorism, thousands of people have been arrested for their purported ties to international terrorist groups. But even a cursory look through government documents, history books, and research by the media and nonprofit groups shows that funders of al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, or Sikh separatist groups aren't the only ones who could be construed as having innocent blood on their hands. The list even includes onetime U.S. allies like the Contras and Afghan mujahideen, whose actions later made them fall from favor (for example, factions of the latter group became the hated Taliban).

Here's a small sampling:

Organizations at one time officially labeled "terrorist" that have received widespread financial support from U.S. citizens and institutions

Irish Republican Army

African National Congress (before Nelson Mandela's release from prison)

Contras in Nicaragua (during the Sandinista government)

Afghanistan's mujahideen (during Soviet occupation)

United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (indirectly supported by $2 billion a year in current U.S. aid)

 

Prominent Americans who have contributed to or worked for United States-listed terrorist organizations or "rogue states," either privately or in an official capacity

Henry Kissinger

George W. Bush

George H. W. Bush

Dick Cheney

Donald Rumsfeld

Oliver North

John Poindexter

 

Corporations that use foreign subsidiaries to do business with Iran, Libya, or four other countries that the United States currently lists as sponsoring terrorism, thus skirting U.S. laws banning such trade

Halliburton

General Electric

ConocoPhillips

DynCorp

Arizona State Retirement System (a major investor in such companies)

 

Corporations that do business with governments that have been internationally condemned for rampant human rights violations

Bechtel

Carlyle Group

Unocal

ChevronTexaco

Occidental Petroleum

Sources: Reuters, New York City Controller's Office, U.S. State Department, Mother Jones, Wired, Conflict Securities Advisory Group, Investor Responsibility Research Center, congressional testimony, CorpWatch, Global Exchange, Amnesty International