U.S. Department of State regarding global terrorism

Wick Gankanda
A concerned citizen of the US
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

To: Mr. Richard Boucher
United States Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs U.S. Department of State

Dear Mr. Richard Boucher,

This letter is in references to five articles published by respectable journalists and Web sites on global terrorism, that I like to discuss in four topics.

1. "Richard Boucher emphasized that fighting must end and both parties must resolve the issue through negotiations only" - Asian Tribune (Vol. 6 No. 41) titled "US urges Sri Lanka's warring parties to find speedy solution" on October 21, 2006,
URL: http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/2702

2. LTTE "Tamil Tigers" and its UK-wide network - Global Politician, by Dominic Whiteman on October 18, 2006,
URL: http://globalpolitician.com/articles.asp?ID=2235

3. Democratic Congressman, Frank Pallone Jr. strongly condemned the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for its suicide attacks at Habarana in a statement issued to the press - SinhalaNet on October 20, 2006,
URL:
http://www.sinhala.net/LocalNews/SinhalaNet_Full_News.asp?ID=1047#NewsViewBM
AND
Congressman Danny Davies for the U.S. Congressional seat in Illinois 7th House District made a trip to Sri Lanka paid by the LTTE, as published by the metropolitan daily Chicago Tribune.
URL:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0608240213aug24,1,4768177,print.story

4. Counterterrorism Strategies: Successes and Failures of Six Nations by Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C.
"The LTTE are the inventors. The Islamic terrorist groups are the imitators."
URL:
http://www.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=hudson_upcoming_events&id=305
This book is available on Potomac books, September 2006.

Let me begin by thanking you for taking the time to read this letter and consider its contents.

Allow me to quote Sir Winston Churchill, as noted by Mr. Dominic Whiteman:

"One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half."

Topic 1:

I quote "Addressing a news conference at Colombo's Galle Face Hotel, Boucher emphasized that fighting must end and both parties must resolve the issue through negotiations only. He also stressed that the time was right for a new beginning between the two warring parties. This week has been one of the worst since the ceasefire agreement was signed in February
2002 with more than 130 security forces been killed, hundreds more injured, and a failed LTTE suicide mission on a naval base in Galle. "Negotiations, is the only right way forward. In the end, fighting will not get anybody anywhere," Mr. Boucher emphasized."

As a citizen of the US, I find these statements by the United States Assistant Secretary of State very disturbing. Let's (not) practice what we preach!

I would like to ask you several questions:

* Why should we not apply this to America's war on terror since Tamil Tigers and Al Qaeda are both terrorist organizations? Tamil Tiger terrorists are far more established as a terror network that is more than capable of helping Al Qaeda attack US interest around the world. With all the resources available to us Americans, why are we missing this point?

* How often does the US pressure Israel (or even other
countries) to negotiate with terrorists? Aren't we committed to fighting, I repeat fighting terror around the world?

* How can we expect other nations to take the US policies on combating terror seriously when we fail to practice what we preach?

Topic 2:

The Global Politician bravely published this well-researched article to expose how Tamil Tiger terrorists openly run their terror organization in the UK. The disturbing fact about this is that the British are considered close allies of the US in war against terror!

* If the Tamil Tiger terrorists can do this, what will stop Al Qaeda from doing the same in the UK, other European countries and in Canada?

* Do we really have "true" allies in our fight against terror?

* At the end of the day, are countries like Sri Lanka our true allies in our fight against terror? If the answer to this question is remotely yes, then why are we not extending America's full military might to support Sri Lanka fight terrorists?

* Aren't we committed to fighting terror around the world?

I have tried to attach the full text of this article below for your consideration.

Topic 3:

Many thanks to Congressman Hon. Frank Pallone Jr. for strongly condemning terror. We need more of our lawmakers to do the same and act constructively to assist democratic nations like Sri Lanka for fight terror organizations like the LTTE. I was very disappointed to hear that Congressman Danny Davies for the U.S. Congressional seat in Illinois 7th House District made a trip to Sri Lanka paid by the LTTE, as published by the metropolitan daily Chicago Tribune.
As an independent voter, voting mostly for the Democrats, I find this very disturbing. You may access this article at Chicago Tribune Web site at this URL:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0608240213aug24,1,4768177,print.story

Here are a few details of this story:
"Republican Congressional candidate Charles Hutchinson has made Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers an election issue against the incumbent Democratic Congressman Danny Davies for his strange friendship with the terrorist group.
"
Since August Davis has been entangled in a serious political scandal after the prestigious metropolitan daily Chicago Tribune accused him of making a trip to Sri Lanka paid by the LTTE. The August 24 2006 issue of the Chicago Tribune said, " Chicago congressman Danny Davis and an aide took a trip to Sri Lanka last year that was paid for by the Tamil Tigers, a group that the U.S. government has designated as a terrorist organization for its use of suicide bombers and child soldiers, law-enforcement sources said.
"
"Davis' seven-day trip came under scrutiny this week following the arrests of 11 supporters of the organization on charges of participating in a broad conspiracy to aid the terrorist group through money laundering, arms procurement and bribery of U.S.
officials.
"
Congressional candidate Hutchinson accused in his web site saying, "Perhaps feeling empowered by a United States Congressmen's visit or perhaps it's true that tigers cannot change their stripes; the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) refused the offer of the Sri Lankan Government to come back to the table and talk peace. Instead the LTTE (A rebel group known for Terrorist acts, suicide bombers, and random violence that was visited by Congressmen Danny Davis
(D-IL) in 2005) chose to fire mortars into Northern Sri Lanka." " I would like to ask you:

* What makes you think that the Tamil Tiger terrorists will ever be interested in negotiations when they believe that they can continue their acts of terror without any hindrance?

* How can we ever expect to solve the problem of global terrorism, when the terrorists can garner this kind of support, in terms of financing, military hardware and political support?

* Consider this: what would happen to any US lawmaker found to take funds from Al Qaeda (or any organization associated with), visit Afghanistan on a "fact finding mission" and released statements supporting the terror group?

A copy of this letter will be sent to the top Democrats, hoping something will be done.

Topic 4:

According to the briefing published on
colombopage.com's Web site, I quote "Sri Lanka is among six nations featured in Counterterrorism
Strategies: Successes and Failures of Six Nations. The Chapter on Sri Lanka traces the rise in LTTE terrorism and all attempts made at negotiation with the terrorist group to little avail. Although the main thrust of the discussion at Hudson Institute seemed to focus on Islamic terrorist groups, the panelists made pointed reference at various stages to the LTTE. For instance, Dr Leitner in his address, said, "Sri Lanka has the unfortunate distinction of hosting the 1972 creation of the Tamil New Tigers (TNT), the 1976 formation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and the 1987 birth of the Black Tigers -who pioneered the use of suicide bombers. The intermingling of the aggressive and violent agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood and the savage tactics of the Black Tigers represent a significant portion of the terrorism threat facing us today."
(URL:
http://www.colombopage.com/archive/October22134857CH.html)

I have come to realize the following facts after many hours of reading about global terrorism:

* The Tamil Tiger terrorists, just like the Al Qaeda terrorists, are not interested in negotiations.

* They only know the path of violence and have the ability to continue to terrorize democratic governments indefinitely.

* This ability comes from our own failure, specifically, the failure of civilized nations, to combat terrorism in a meaningful manner for the last 50 years.

Finally, I would like to ask you: as a nation attacked by terrorists, are we genuinely committed to fighting terror and help others do the same?

Sincerely,

Wick Gankanda
A concerned citizen of the US
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

CC:

Congressman Hon. Frank Pallone Jr., Sixth Congressional District of New Jersey Congressman Hon. David Price, Fourth Congressional District of North Carolina Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives Hon.
Nancy Pelosi
Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Gov.
Howard Dean
Secretary of State Hon. Dr. Condoleezza Rice International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London Global Politician BBC Sinhala Editors of NY Times, Los Angeles Times, CNN & The Australian UK Metropolitan Police Service, Anti-Terrorist Branch SinhalaNet MI5, The UK Security Service British Prime Minister Hon. Tony Blair