----- Original Message -----

From: "Rodolfo J. Stusser, M.D." <[email protected]>

To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>

Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 8:50 PM

Subject: RE: [end-terrorism] Re: Research Initiative on Terrorism Causes & Prevention

 

> Dear Fellows of the End-Terrorism Network,
>
> I thank Dr. Osher Doctorow, Ph.D. from
USA for his honest reply. There is
> nothing more edifying that the dialogue between and among the persons,
> although through a psychological "virtual debriefing" like this, and more
> than ever when the Cuban people are of the closest neighbors of the American
> people, and many of us are still in a post-traumatic extreme stress
> situation.
>
> In the southern countries there are very few people closer to the American
> people than the Cuban people, even if we include the Mexicans. Our relations
> of cooperation and friendship began before the achievement of the
>
Independence of the 13 Colonies from Great Britain. They were reinforced as
> ever since the end of the Independence of Cuba colony from
Spain with the
> help of the Americans. At last, they were at the highest level since the
> fifties when began a high proportion of Cubans to go to live in
Florida,
>
California, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, etc, and still continue doing so.
>
> Since September 11, my heart and many Cuban hearts have been with all the
> Americans in these 20 very dark and sad days of national mourning and
> recovering in the
USA. We hope you have not had any victim in your family,
> friends, and well-known, but if so, please receive our most felt condolence,
> and receive it anyway for the victims of your fellow citizens.
>
> I have followed the details of this criminal act of terrorism against the
> American people, homeland and symbols; the organization of a very strong and
> implacable response with the united US Congress, NATO treaty with more than
> 19 nations, including Russia and others, and the condemn and support of the
> majority of the countries of the world; the solemn religious services in the
> Cathedral of Washington, D.C., and most of the US and international news.
>
> In the one hand, I am sure that the promotion of hate, fanaticism, and a
> certain type of discrimination, against the very successful American
> Anglo-Saxon Western Civilization in the last 56 years has in some way to
> disappear from the political discourses and actions of all the less
> developed countries of the world. In the other hand, there is a reality in
> our world of today that cannot be hidden, where some countries and regions
> are still living practically not even in the Middle Age or Ancient Age, but
> even some are leaving the man's prehistory, and this have to change as well
> in some way...
>
> Unfortunately, this point was not in the discussion agenda in Durban, South
> Africa hardly two weeks before the attack, and the debates were centered in
> the 50-year Jewish Zionism and in the almost 500 years anti-Black racism,
> but I believe that it will be included in some way in the next UN Meetings
> against all type of discriminations in the world.
>
> I have to apologize for sent you all my research initiative out of context,
> because probably most of the fellows of these exchanges are not physicians.
> As peaceful person, not official of the Cuban government, I want to learn
> and contribute in the exchange about how to end-terrorism, not to criticize
> what has been done or could be done or should be done now by
USA,
>
Afghanistan or any other particular government in the world including mine.
> This is my position.
>
> As a single scientist of a clinical research center, with that personal
> global health research initiative,  I have never intended to represent a
> governmental official position in regard with this world violent conflict
> begun on September 11, or even in health research matters, although this
> could be inferred erroneously because my Cuban citizenship.
>
> However, I understand very well all the American people that want only a
> strong response and nothing else. For all of them, I should put clear that
> my initiative is a complement, not an alternative in opposition with any of
> the political and/or violent measures that are being taken by USA and the
> rest of the civilized countries to stop already these particular terrorist
> attacks, and to disarticulate these particular terrorist network or other
> terrorist networks in the world. Perhaps it sounds very daunting, but my
> intention was and is all the contrary. It is to begin now to do something
> else for the future!
>
> My scientific concern is that in addition to the use of the force, the
> changes in
> the policies, and even the dialogue, it could be done for the future more
> scientific research on the causes and on the methods to prevent the very
> probably future more virulent renaissance of that same terrorism network
> momentarily conquered but not defeated. Here I am using the known biomedical
> models of the interaction of antibiotics and infections, chemotherapy and
> cancer, etc. That future pool of scientific results, then could help the
> governments and the UN Security Council and General Assembly to take
> decisions about terrorism prevention on a more scientific basis when the new
> circumstances request it.
>
> Since Sep. 11, I exchanged emails of condolence with near 500 American
> family, colleagues and friends, according to the main principle of  the
> People to People Ambassadors Program:  "If the people get together, so
> eventually will nations." Dwight D. Eisenhower.
>
> On Sept 16, I wrote to the PTPAP colleagues and friends, and suggested them
> that after all this nightmare passed, in the future would be good to
> increase much more the destinies of PTPAP exchanges to
Iran, Libya, Sudan,
> and even someday to
Iraq and Afghanistan too, as had already happened after
> the
Viet Nam war. According with the mission of PTPAP in the future, China
> and
Cuba should lose the first and second place in more frequented destinies
> by these missions of understanding as happened with
Russia. The biggest
> disputes and dangers since the 90s, life has taught that were and still are
> in other countries.
>
> Then, I read an editorial of the UK BMJ: "A world heading for war?" About
> the role of doctors facing the war against terrorism, and decided to write a
> letter to the
UK Editor and to the UK Medact statements, suggesting another
> way of contribution of doctors.
"For a Global Health Research Initiative on
> Fanatic Terrorism Causes & Prevention",  RJ Stusser, MD,  BMJ, 24 Sep 2001
> http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/323/7314/0#EL4
>
> Finally, I thought that this letter to the UK Editor article could be
> interesting for the fellows of the End-Terrorism list, and committed the
> mistake to send it without the introduction to the Editor of the BMJ, and
> without this wider introduction to put you into the context.
>
> I think that the concepts handled in my initiative are according to the
> Encarta 2000 Microsoft Encyclopedia. Terrorism is not new, it is as old as
> humanity. Only in the 20-century in the 70s it began to receive scientific
> attention. Focusing the problem of the health research initiative, if it is
> justified or not, unfortunately, I have to express you that there is a
> vacuum on the causes and methods of prevention of terrorism and fanaticism
> together, and themes related with terror in the health scientific
> literature in the 11 millions of papers published and posted in the last 36
> years in the PubMed database of the US National Library of Medicine.
>
> Since 1976 began to be published scientific papers about terrorism in
> general and there are only 320 until last Saturday. Practically 196 of them
> were published in 1999, 2000, and most of them in 2001. The majority of them
> are about the health care of the effects of different kinds of terrorism
> with
> biological, chemical and conventional weapons. If there are 20 of these 320
> papers since 1976 to 1998 interested in the origins of this criminal
> behaviors and/or how to avoid them, there are too much.
>
> There are 10 very interesting titles of papers that I will enclose below at
> the end of my message, for the more interested in the health scientific
> approach to this lash and related matters. Unfortunately, I have not access
> to them, our libraries have not those Journals. If someone could photocopy
> and send me some ones, I will be very grateful.
>
> Finally, I should tell you that I have a loved daughter and a grandson in
>
Florida, which are US citizens. Also we have dozens of cousins in Miami, San
>
Diego, New York, etc., and more than 500 brothers and sisters from
> PTPAP in all the
USA.
>
> I hope to be able to say in the future "I have gotten more friends in
USA
> and other countries through this list on End-Terrorism"...
>
> I will be out of my work for the next two weeks, so forgive me if I cannot
> respond in that time.
>
> Now, I am sure that Dr. Osher Doctorow will not be at least in a complete
> disagreement with me. If some disagreement continues, it does not matter, it
> is something natural, and I respect your opinion.
>
>
> Good Bless the Americans and all the People of the World!
>
> =========================================
> List of interesting articles about terrorism in On-Line PubMed:
>
> Eissler KR. On hatred. With comments on the revolutionary, the saint, and
> the terrorist. Psychoanal Study Child 2000;55:27-44
>
> Poteliakhoff A, Weerts J, de Leeuw-Korthals Althes M. Terrorism: causes and
> prevention. Med War. 1988 Oct-Dec;4(4):227-31
>
> Vizioli R. [Psychology and politics. Attempt at a psychopathologic
> interpretation of terrorism]. [Article in Italian] Minerva Psichiatr 1985
> Apr-Jun;26(2):159-66
>
> Jarret R, Moutet HP, Junod A. [The psychiatrist and terrorism]. [Article in
> French] Ann Med Psychol (Paris) 1984 Feb;142(2):248-54
>
> Corrado RR. A critique of the mental disorder perspective of political
> terrorism.
Int J Law Psychiatry 1981;4(3-4):293-309
>
>
Daly LN. Terrorism--what can the psychiatrist do? J Forensic Sci 1981
> Jan;26(1):116-22
>
> Alonso Fernandez F. [Psychology of terrorism]. [Article in Spanish] An R
> Acad Nac Med (Madr) 1980;97(2):207-23
>
> Thorup OA Jr. Terrorism: prevention, negotiation, or capitulation?--a panel
> discussion. Pharos Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Med Soc 1980 Spring;43(2):20-6
>
> Kent I, Nicholls W. The psychodynamics of terrorism. Ment Health Soc 1978
> Jan;4(1-2):1-8
>
> Comay M. Political terrorism. Ment Health Soc 1976;3(5-6):249-61