Featured Article: It’s time Americans asked, ‘Why us?’
by Raid Qusti
It is interesting to hear what Americans say about the events in Afghanistan. One American reader observed that of the 900 people allegedly killed in bombing raids, none would have died if the Taleban had handed over Bin Laden. Well, first of all, the Taleban have told the US repeatedly that they would hand over Bin Laden if they were shown evidence that he is guilty. But the US government continues to refuse to do this. Whatever happened to the cornerstone of American law — innocent until proven guilty? Is the US judge, jury and executioner all in one? Or has that role been given to the American mass media? If it is true that Bin Laden is indeed responsible, why not present evidence? By doing so, the US would not only gain more respect but also more support from Arab and Muslim countries.
The US specifically said that it would hit military targets. If that is the case, how can the continuous dropping of bombs on houses be explained? And what about the 2,000-pound bomb that mistakenly hit a civilian area and killed dozens?
According to CNN, the military claims that terrorists could have been hiding in those houses. Do they plan to bomb every house in Afghanistan, killing the innocent and those presumed guilty? What about the sophisticated intelligence and satellite images? Or is all that nothing but newspaper rubbish and hype?
If the US really had a genuine altruistic motive in eliminating terrorists, why hasn’t it removed Saddam Hussein long before now? And why in the past has it propped up other dictators? What about the tanks that recently entered the Palestinian territories killing innocent people? Is that not terrorism? Just what is the US definition of terrorism? Does it define the word according to its own “national interests”?
The US — the so called “defender of human rights” — has not been re-elected to the UN human rights body. It has also refused to sign the UN treaty banning land mines. Can any sane person explain where is the humanity in that? And then George Bush tells reporters in the White House that he does not understand — is even “amazed” — that so many people all over the world hate the US!
No thinking person objects to freedom or real democracy; all thinking people, however, object to hypocrisy, double standards and inconsistencies. And American foreign policy is perceived to be riddled with all three.
Many Americans say that it is easy to criticize the United States for its foreign policy because it is a superpower. The UK, on the other hand, has not been criticized for its foreign policy but it was nonetheless the first country to join the US in its anti-terrorist campaign. Exactly my point. Demonstrators in Jakarta, Islamabad, Manama and other cities and towns in the world have been seen burning the American flag, not the British one. Effigies of George W. Bush are seen burning and being stamped upon but there have been no effigies of Tony Blair. Americans need to ask themselves why the Sept. 11 tragedies happened in the US. Why not the UK, Russia, France, Germany and China?
How many Americans have asked themselves those questions? And of the number who have asked, how many have had the courage to answer truthfully? How many have even listened to a dissenting view?
There was a time in American history when a statesman said to his opponents, “I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Where is that kind of honesty and straightforwardness which is what the world has come to admire and expect of America? Its unfortunate absence from most of the current discussions is itself one of the problems. We should note that British foreign policy has not been criticized because the UK does not veto every single resolution in the UN Security Council that calls for an end to Israeli aggression and that Israel should be punished for its actions.
The UK did not withdraw from the Durban conference because Israel was accused of being a “racist nation”. How can Israeli policies be viewed as anything but racist? Its Arab citizens are treated as second-class and lack the same rights as its Jewish ones. It demolishes people’s houses and destroys their agricultural lands simply because those people are Arabs. It builds settlements on land whose Arab owners have been expelled at gunpoint. What is this but racism? No court in America would uphold such actions in the US. Why do the Americans support them in Israel?
to continue....
arabnews.com
*
*
*
Views On Featured Article: It’s time Americans asked, ‘Why us?’
Comments : In response to Raid Qusti's "It's time..." article.
I'm 41 years old, Catholic, 2 kids and grew up comfortable outside Wash,
DC. ALL my day is spent debating dopes who are duped by our mainstream
media (I can't get any work done). This article is perfect and am now
sending it to many. Many U.S. citizens are finally waking, and that scares
our "media". Please know that there are those fighting the "flag wavers".
User Name : Dave
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments : Dear Raid Qusti
I have been reading the Arab News online now for a couple of years. I
am from the U.S. and usually read your site to get the information not
available to me from my press. After reading your article I decided to
take a few minutes to write to you and educate you on your enemy the United States.
The people of my country our being educated on who our real enemy is.
If you don't believe me just watch NBC, ABC, & Fox News. Every night they
broadcast the comments of a couple of Muslims much like your self that
blame the U.S. for the loss of almost 6000 lives. (The headline should of
read in your paper, "Foreign Policy kills 6000 people") We watch in
amazement when the same people tell us that Islam is a peaceful religion
and had nothing do with the loss of life. Islam does not condone such
madness. (I know Islam condemns the act of murder) But the American people
are also not seeing/hearing anything from the Imam Clerics in Saudi Arabia
to condemn those who would show such disrespect for Islam by killing in
the name of Allah. Also we see every night people burning flags and
chanting death to all Americans and Jihad during violent protests in
Muslim countries. So how do you expect the American people to act when
they see this on the news every night?
As for why you don't see us burning your flag or anyone else's for
that matter. We prefer not to protest in that way. We write letters much
like the one I am writing you to protest our governments actions. We don't
run out in the streets and riot burning effigy's of other nations
leaders. Nor do we praise the name of a suspected mass murderer because we
may agree with his ideology.
As per Israel. My wife is Jewish and agrees with me that this
conflict must end. We have both written letters to our congressmen (public
servants) on this subject but have not seen a change in policy until Bush
was elected. There are many American's that our tired of the Middle East
Peace process. If you want peace so badly why don't you try and work it
out. Bush stepped back earlier this year. I don't remember reading about
your country stepping up and trying to promote peace.
As for Iraq and our being forced to protect your country from said
state. I agree with you. I would like to see us pull out. We shouldn't
have to risk our lives for people who hate us.
Finally you and many more like you have been pointing out our
bombing of Afghanistan is creating another generation of terrorists. This
maybe true. But maybe you should think a little broader than just your own
part of the world. By your countrymen's actions you have created a
generation or two of Americans with a very distinct impression of Muslims.
The only way to stop the cycle of hate is to talk rationally about the
problem at hand. The more inflammatory the rhetoric between the West and
the Muslim World the worse it will be for OUR children.
You have a right to your opinion. I look forward to your reply.
User Name : Don
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments : Dear Arab News:
After reading the commentary: "Americans Need To Ask 'Why Us'?" I felt
compelled to respond. I am an American woman of 24 years. After the
attacks on September 11, like most I was horrified and saddened, but I saw
it coming. I have been aware of the atrocities in Iraq, our support both
morally and militarily for Israel, our snubbing of the rest of the world
and our evil conquests for access to oil. Before the attacks I wondered
how long the world would put up with this-then I got my answer.
While it may seem that most Americans are clueless when it comes to
American Foreign Policy-there are some that are not. There have been many
anti-war protests in our cities with more than 10,000 people, but you will
never hear of this because of our one sided media. There are many
journalists who have openly questioned our role in the world and the Bush
agenda only to lose their jobs. People who don't let the media form their
opinions and who have the intelligence to acknowledge the horrendous
history of our nation abroad feel the hypocrisy wriggling under the veil
of freedom. We boast freedom, yet we have the highest prison population,
we say innocent until proven gaily, yet we accuse, try and sentence
through media, we are the "superpower", but we got there by trampling on
the backs of others, we snub the world community yet demand their
cooperation when we need them. While I appreciate my life in my country,
I also feel that the truth shall set you free. While our government tries
with great passion to keep the U.S. population ignorant through the media
and lies there are those who search for truth inside and outside of the
U.S. I believe that a worldwide effort to enlighten people to the truth
is the only way to end this vicious cycle. It is not anti-US., it is
pro-humanity. I just wanted to point out that it is a battle to get the
truth
amid all the propaganda here in the states, but there are people here who
are up for the challenge.
User Name : Christine Leone
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
arabnews.com |
