My world view has changed after reading John Perkin's 'Confession of An Economic Hitman' and articles on indigenous people.

I am beginning to think Osama Bin Laden is necessary as long as there are Imperialist governments which exploit the people and natural resources of other nations. We may hate Osama for 'we' have suffered because of his actions. But what about 'those' people who have suffered because of imperialism and unfair trade policies by US and European governments?

Thousands of people in Latin America, Iraq, Iran, Indonesia, and Africa have ALSO DIED because of the US/Europe Imperialism. What makes their lives less valuable than ours? Don't citizens share the guilt of their governments by putting these people in power and not protesting against their governments' actions? Are we guilty for not caring enough and by allowing things to go on?

US and European citizens complain because they have lost their low-skilled manufacturing jobs but many citizens in developing countries have gone without food because of agricultural trade policies the US/European governments have enforced against governments of less developed countries. These were enforced because of the huge debts the latter incurred through the US- led economic development programs which just placed these countries in deeper poverty, while further enriching the pockets of few wealthy Americans and Europeans.

From John Perkins, an American self-confessed Economic Hitman-

1. CIA assassinated intelligent Latin American Presidents (Panama President- Torrijos and Ecuador's President Roldos- who refused to play the game of the US government and were protecting their countries from exploitation. They would have led their country to the type of economic development that would have benefitted its citizens and not just a wealthy few.

Only by reading Perkins' book was I acquainted of Latin American leaders who were national heroes. I had previously thought that Latin America was suffering because of lack of civic leadership and by elitist public officials who were not concerned about the welfare of the general public and the indigenous people in their countries.

2. John Perkins also confirmed that his job was to get these countries in huge debt which they will be unable to pay from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, IMF so that the government will have the bargaining power to exploit these countries natural resources or OIL deposits. Millions of people suffered because of this policy. Lands of the indigenous people in Latin America were flooded, so US engineering firms can earn huge profits by building powerplants and dams that only benefit the elite of these countries.

3. How about Africa? Why does a race of people who possess possibly the richest land in the world suffer so greatly? Another author presented me with a history that I never learned in school.

Akomalfe of the New African Magazine in 2002 stated that the French and Belgian governments, to the detriment of the public have covertly sided with the elite public officials they have placed in power.The US have also made it their business to overthrow leaders that showed progressive ideas, that were in conflict with US economic interests.

"I can mention the immortal Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba among African leaders that were overthrown at the instigation of the CIA. Africa's destiny would certainly have been more positive had Nkrumah been allowed to pursue his ideas and ideals."

"British Intelligence have also helped Idi Amin into power. Kotoka & Co were helped by the CIA to overthrow Nkrumah."

"Bokassa was a puppet of the French for whom he had fought in Africa, Europe, Indochina and Algeria; that Mobutu was brought into power to thwart Lumumba and safeguard the neo-colonial interests of the US, France and Belgium."

The problems of Africa, especially the failure of government leadership is linked to the imperialism of the US and European governments.

Do US and European citizens even know of these African leaders whom their governments have overthrown?

Exploitation have gone on for centuries. If developed nations will not stop their exploitation out of awareness of their unethical actions and empathy for the suffering they have caused millions of people; then there would be people like Osama who would make the 'insulated citizens' of these wealthy nations 'feel' the pain and suffering other nations have felt for centuries. We call them terrorists. But for them, we are the terrorists because of our excessive culture of consumption (e.g. gas, oil, food and etc.) which leads our govt. to violate their sovereignity to ensure the acquisition of resources necessary to supply our demands.

It is not a religious war of Christians against Muslims, but an economic war of the exploiter and the exploited. Should we not wonder that if a large population of our citizens protested against our governments actions, and directed our government to change its policies, would extremists/terrorists still exist? Did our decades of apathy create terrorists?

Especially in today's information age, citizens of developed countries have to continue to make their governments accountable to them and to the world. If not, others will.