EDITORIAL
China spy case revisits McCarthyism
With its persecution of atomic scientist Wen Ho Lee, the
Justice Department has started--so far on a smaller scale--a
rerun of the infamous McCarthy period of the early 1950s. Then
the goal was to attack both China and the Soviet Union, as well
as to repress any progressive views within the United
States.
The FBI was unable to get evidence showing Lee committed an
act of espionage. So the Justice Department simply charged him
with transferring highly sensitive nuclear weapons information
from a "secure installation to an insecure one." Lee says he
moved data to his home computer to back it up.
The case looks even more unjust when you compare it to how
the Justice Department treated former CIA head John Deutsch. To
bring work home the easy way, Deutsch transferred classified
data to his home computer.
His punishment? His security clearance was removed. For
doing the same thing, Lee faces life imprisonment.
In addition, the court set no bail for Lee. He's been held
in jail. Yet he's been under surveillance by government agents
for over a year now and has made no move to bolt.
The authorities have already admitted that Lee was singled
out because he is Chinese, and that others with the same access
to classified data have escaped similar scrutiny.
The obvious discrimination has brought Lee support from the
Asian community as well as from fellow scientists. "He looks
like a scapegoat,'' said Henry Tang, chairperson of the
Committee of 100, an organization of prominent
Chinese-Americans.
The anti-Asian racism directed at Lee is part of the
right-wing assault on China that is really behind the charges
against Lee. The Clinton administration has adopted the tactic
of trading with the People's Republic of China and pressing for
increased openings for the penetration of U.S. capital. This is
a long-term strategy aimed at undermining the state sectors of
the Chinese economy and finally displacing socialism. In the
meantime, companies trading with or investing in China make
money.
The right wing is frustrated by this long-term
approach--especially if they are left out of the short-term
profits--and want a direct confrontation with People's China.
It is these forces that were overjoyed when a U.S. rocket hit
the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. And they were angry that U.S.
officials had to apologize and deny they did it on purpose.
The same forces that push the persecution of Lee are ready
to risk war with China. This is a threat not only to the
Chinese but also to the population here. They must be
stopped.
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