A tyrant, assailed by tyranny


When words run out it is time for resignation - for being reconciled to the inevitable - or for worse. With Iraq it's the worst now happening - a tyrant at home being assailed by tyranny from abroad.

Only this time there is nothing the Tyrant of Baghdad could have done to avert war. The inspections were a sham, or at least a sham from America's point of view. Hans Blix's team could have discovered an El Dorado of forbidden weaponry and America would still have gone to war.

The US, or rather the war caucus now at the steering wheel of US policy, has its own agenda, something that goes beyond Iraq and predates September 11. The war caucus wanted a war in the Middle East for a host of reasons all inter-connected. Oil, Israel, the entrenchment of US power (as if any more entrenchment were needed) and Christian evangelism have all been at work in priming the US for this war.

Islamic fundamentalism is not the problem here. A form of Christian fundamentalism is. If he lived and ruled in our part of the world Bush's view of religion would brand him a bigot. An ayatollah in the White House - supported by a corps of ayatollahs around him. If Shias take offence at this metaphor, then a mullah in the White House.

Reading about the war caucus and their inter-connecting threads - the ones that bind Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Perle, Rove, Abrams, and their fellow-cohorts - will give anyone the creeps. And to imagine that they have a sophisticated country, the most powerful on earth to boot, in their grip.

Bush rules the US. These people, Bush's minders, their moment having come, rule Bush.

In a fundamental respect this is worse than Hitler. No one pushed Hitler into any war. He was war's leading advocate and indeed in 'Mein Kampf' sketched a grand theoretical basis for conflict, Germany's need for living space, a good 15 years before the Second World War.

Bush was an isolationist before September 11. Many in the war caucus had laid out their blueprints for redrawing the Mideast map and ensuring Israel's unchallenged dominance much before. Not Bush. He was not even interested in foreign policy. Now he is war leader, the triumph of the war caucus complete.

Nothing could have deflected Hitler from going to war. No appeasement, no Munich. He wanted war at any cost. Nothing could have prevented the onslaught on Iraq. The Bushites (another name for the war caucus) wanted war at any cost. Saddam just happened to be the perfect excuse, with just the right credentials as a domestic tyrant to invoke justifying clauses about morality and human rights. If Saddam hadn't been around, he would have had to be invented. The Bushites wanted war and they've got it.

From their point of view the perfect war. A weak country, or at least a country no match for the US. An Iraqi army in no position to put up a fight. Between Kuwait where the US armored columns were massed and Baghdad, the ultimate prize, the only serious obstacle is the vast desert.

China, even though without air power, taught the US a lesson in Korea. But that was on a different scale, the Chinese analogy not fitting Iraq. Vietnam taught the US a lesson. Even tiny Cuba, dauntless Cuba, taught the US a lesson during the Bay of Pigs invasion. Alas, Iraq is neither the one, nor the other. Nor is its foolish leader a patch on Ho Chi Minh or Castro. Iraq thus is the perfect victim and Saddam with his megalomania, for which his people have paid such a heavy price, the perfect excuse.

Will the annihilation of Iraq satisfy the war caucus? Or will its appetite be whetted for more? What are the limits of American arrogance? Or, in other words, after Iraq, who? No one can say for sure.

Excerpted from "When words run out" by Ayaz Amir of Dawn


  Category: Life & Society, Middle East
  Topics: Conflicts And War, History, Iraq, Legislative Branch, War
Views: 2903

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Older Comments:
AKBAR FROM CANADA said:
Watching propagated Western news, complete lies or half-truths, cannot tell you if the USA will attack North Korea next!!! that is Absurd.....firstly, North Korea test fires a missile into the Sea of Japan, and America's head of state says he is seeking diplomatic relations with North Korea. IRAN, THEN PAKISTAN ARE NEXT!!! It must be true when tehy say common sense is not very common...SO Let's name countries chronologically, who have been attacked by the US and it's Friends, Allies...

Palestine (occupied/raped/violated from 1948 - Present)

Lebanon, Palestine (1982, 30k+ muslims murdered)

Libya (1984-86, hundreds murdered, Kadafi's baby daughter murdered)

Iran (1980's - US Puppet Saddam Hussain invades)

Iraq (US Puppet Saddam Hussain massacres Kurds and Shiites while US Govt. sits back and says nothing, does nothing)

Chechnya (Fighting Russian's for Independence being murdered by Russian army to Present)

Balkans (Former Yugoslavia) (US Air raids displace millions of muslims in the region)

Iraq (1991, President watches while Saddam massacres shiite population rebelling against him, and in the process has bombed shelters, hospitals, homes, water supplies, sewage, etc., then slapping them with 12 years of unnecessary Food for Oil Sanctions and carpet air bombings on an average of every 2 days since the end of Gulf War in Northern Iraq by USA and Britain, that have only centralized the power of Saddam Hussain even further than ever before!)

Iraq (2003, President Jr. wants to be like daddy because, "This man tried to kill my father", and because he wants to create a "domino effect" for democracy in the region)

Ignorace is Bliss....
Out of which Arrogance is Born.



WE WILL NEVER FORGET.....................PLEASE ADD MORE ATROCITIES AGAINST MUSLIMS

NO BLOOD FOR OIL
WAGE PEACE, NOT WAR
HOMES, NOT BOMBS
2003-03-28

AKBAR FROM CANADA said:
Mishael, yes you should not curse the dark if you can shed light...how do you shed light by dropping bombs and missiles? On civilians?? Kill a young boy's mother and think he can be bought off by giving him humanitarian aid afterwards?? You cannot fight fire with fire...First America tolerates Saddam while he massacred and US stayed silent....now America speaks out against him for his crimes....it took twelve years to reach a conclusion, why now, why not tell Saddam to stop in 1988 when he was a US puppet?? I say to Western media and it's governments to take their Gung Ho circus act somewhere else, maybe North Korea would like to play nuclear ping pong with the US if it is itching so badly for war, you should go rally behind a cause like that, Mishael. How about taking on Israel, in posession of Jericho-2 Missiles with 1,500 kilomoter range, weighing in at 1000 kilograms with nuclear capability? Israel posesses in excess of over 400 nuclear weapons...and using a lame excuse of invading Iraq as a threat to it's bordering Arab breathren, and to the United States, is laughable. Insh-Allah, Never will I, and the vast majority of muslims around the globe accept the West's mountain of meat and it's mountain of gold. I would rather die fighting than be forced to bow down to the ruling's of King George. You talk about peace, but all you want is a piece of the loot, a piece of the pie, a piece of flesh!!!??? Nothing more than a hopeless attempt to weaken the faith of the Muslim Ummah, by waging war on muslims. At least I remember that those Iraqi's being murdered are my brothers and sisters, and if you hurt them, it hurts me...not a smart move to enrage the Muslims of the world even further towards the edge...I thank God every day for giving me the ability to speak the truth against blatant lies and to see the truth, Alhamdulilah.
2003-03-28

ROBERT21191 FROM U.S.A said:
Nuru Mohammed, my friend, you haven't been watching the news. North Korea is next and everyone knows ;) how many Muslims live in North Korea.

Relations between the U.S and Iran have been better in the past few years, according to the U.S gov't, than at any time during the past 30 years.

If the U.S is really out to destroy Muslims, then why did we sent thousands of troops to Bosnia to stop Milosevic from killing thousands of innocent Muslims? All Arabs seem to conveniently forget that conflict, although they supposed remember the British occupation of Iraq 1915-1922.
2003-03-27

TEXAN FROM USA said:
Bush wants to now pay to rebuild what he destroyed in millions, with our tax money. I guess since he's so concerned about their freedom. He's going to invite more Iraqi's to the US. After all, he destroyed their electricity, tv, etc. You know the luxuries we here take for granted. I suppose he'll also take a little oil, so we can enjoy our SUV's. That's why he awarded Texas based, Cheney, part-share holder, Kelly Brown and Root the first contract in Iraq, hurray!!! 9/11 was after all well orchestrated by a bunch of bedoins half way accross the world. So what if we lose our finest young people, and create more parentless kids here. That's how God blesses the USA.
2003-03-27

DAN BERGLUND FROM USA said:
An atricle written by a bigot.
2003-03-27

NURU MUHAMMAD FROM NIGERIA said:
Q: ...after Iraq, who?
A: Iran.
Q: Then who?
A: Arabia - by then the SAUDI might have been removed.
"THEY PLAN AND ALLAH PLANS. AND ALLAH IS THE BEST PLANER"
2003-03-27

ROBERT FROM USA said:
The following article link that I'm going to provide probably slants a little more toward the opinion that the U.S shouldn't be in Iraq, but the author tries to give a fair account for both the antiwar movement and the pro-Iraqi freedom side. The article reveals a wealth of information that you won't typically get from the main stream media. The article is found in Newsweek and the title is "12 Year Itch". I don't recall the author's name, but I'm providing a link to the article which is found at msnbc.com

copy and paste it into your browser window

http://www.msnbc.com/news/889490.asp?cp1=1#BODY

2003-03-27

F.E. HALL FROM USA said:
GOOD MORNING BAGHDAD..IF AND I SAY IF....THE IRAQI LEADER DOES USE W.M.D. AGINST INVADING ARMYS..DOES THIS MAKE HIM A HERO ?? TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE..OR PROVE TO THEM AND THE WORLD THAT HE IS THE LIAR THAT THE FREE WORLD THOUGHT AND SAID HE WAS ALL ALONG..I DON'T THINK YOU CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS..IF THE USA AND ALLIES WERE THE VILLIAN AS PORTRAYED..IN THE EYES OF THE ABIB WORLD..AND OTHERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD..HOW IS IT THAT THE USA HAS NOT LEFT ARMYS OF OCCUPATION..IN GERMANY..JAPAN..ITALY..TO NAME A VERY FEW..INSTEAD AFTER ELIMNATING THE OPRESSIVE LEADERS AND HELPING REBUILD THESE COURTRIES..THE AMERICANS WENT HOME DA..IF AMERICA IS SO BAD..
HOW..
IS IT THAT WHEN A ILLEGAL ALIEN GIVES BIRTH TO A CHILD IN AMERICA..THAT CHILD IS CONSIDERED TO BE A U.S. CITIZEN...AND ENTITLED TO FINICAL AID AND HEALTH CARE...AND BOTH MOTHER AND CHILD CAN STAY IN AMERICA...I AS A TAX PAYER DON'T AGREE WITH THIS BUT THAT IS ANOTHER STORY. WOULD THIS
CASE (MOTHER AND BABY)BE TRUE IN IRAQ OR IN MANY
OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD..I DON'T THINK SO. YOU MAY ASUME YOUR POSITION TO BE MORAL....BUT
THEN MOST DICTATERS AND KINGDOMS ARE NOT PUTTING
THIS TO A VOTE BY THE PEOPLE....I HOPE YOU UNDER STAND THAT.
FIVE OR TEN YEARS FROM NOW WILL THE
USA STILL BE IN IRAQ....I HOPE NOT...BUT WILL IT
TAKE AMERICAN FORCES TO KEEP OUT...IRAQI NEIBOUR
FROM HELPING THEMSELVES TO IRAQI OIL FIELDS....
I HOPE NOT AFTER ALL THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE BACKBONE
TO OPPOSE SUDDAM IN THE FIRST PLACE....HE WILL SOON BE GONE ...HISTORY WILL TELL THE BIG STORY OF
THIS REGION OF THE WORLD...WILL OIL RICH ARIB NATIONS HELP IRAQI PEOPLE...OR TRY TO HELP THEMSELVES TO THE OIL FIELDS INSTEAD...IF YOU ASSUME THE WORST...MAYBE TO ASK GERMANS..ITALIANS
AND JAPANESE DO THEY PROSPER UNDER DEMOCERCY OR WOULD THEY RATHER BE UNDER DICTORIAL RULE AS THEY WERE BEFORE AMERICA SET THEM FREE..TO ASSUME...
MAKES ...ASS of U and ME. GOD BLESS YOU ALL...GOOD DAY ....FRANK E. HALL 2232501 USMC RET
2003-03-26

MICHAEL FROM UNITED STATES said:
I think this war is not about oil, but about the U.S. resisting the Islamic invasion. On 9/11 Islamists started a war with us. And now someone is finnally doing something to resist this invasion upon our country. Similar to when Spain kicked drove the Muslims out, and when they were driven out of Europe. History is repeating itself. We will battle like we always have and things will settle into a lull eventually like they always have, with you guys on one side and us on the other. We will not stay in Iraq long, and I seriously doubt we will attack any other country after Iraq, the American people hate war and won't stand for any more wars after this is over.
2003-03-26

MIKE HALE FROM USA said:
Rob - Don't expect a great deal of dialogue or logic when reading a great deal of the postings. Max is fixated on revisionist history just like Patricia. If not for US intervention in all of these scenario's there would be 100's of thousands of deaths that were caused by evil regimes and religious bigots. WWI and WWII were ended by the US participation and liberation (yes, that included France). The French military shouldn't be issued guns, just white flags to surrender with.
Anyone trying to defend the Taliban or Saddam absolutely doesn't have a clue to human misery.
Saddam has a perfect record of brutality, death and starvation while building such beautiful palaces. That makes perfect sense.
Bosnia and Kosovo, would there be any Muslim's alive in those countries today had there been no US intervention?
To read some of these postings a person would believe the US has started carpet bombing the world and nukes will be used while the Imperialist US government turns the Middle East into US territories. And the next thing you can expect is Burger King, McDonald's and a Kroger in every neighborhood.
2003-03-26

ZAIG said:
The comments posted so far by those who support the war are truly very American and filled with pride and arrogance. Just like the US govt.
It's time to reflect upon ourselves and view things from different angles.
2003-03-26

ELI MUHAMED FROM KUWAIT said:
USA USA USA USA USA USA
2003-03-26

MADMAX FROM MAROC said:
Rob and the likes really believe it was John Wayne (yes I mean the 3rd class actor) who saved France and kicked the Nazi army out. The reality is that it is not to the interest of the American government and American businesses to see democracy in the middle east or in any Muslim country, they would seal their own fate if they let that happen and they would have to say goodbye to cheap oil and other cheap stuff and of course also goodbye to their master Israel. Gone are the days where you could easily fool people around the world, America today you are as transparent as you can be .

But keep talking Rob you are interesting us, we can't get enough of your posts.
2003-03-26

RAFI FROM USA said:
I would like to adress this propoganda being put out by the Media/Govt that the people would welcome US forces in Baghdad because Iraq would be "Liberated" as they did in Afghanistan.First of all, all the media shows is a clip of people dancing on streets and claim the whole country is rejoicing , they are happy to see the US forces in their country , they are welcoming them etc and people over here take it as a fact. Nobody is claiming that those people (shown in the clip) were not happy ,nobody is claiming that they are not rejoicing but how do you know that this is the "General feeling" and not islolated incidents. If a clip of TV footage is going to be intrepreted as generic feeling of an entire nation , then one could show a clip of Rodney King being beated up by the cops in LA on say AlJazeera TV and claim this is how minorities are treated in America.Or one could show a clip of 300,000 odd strong anti war rally and claim all of America is against the war. Rob I hope you see the point the media can spin things to create a perception. All you may have seen is a clip of people dancing on the streets in BAghdad or Afghanistan and concluded that this is the mood of the entire country .Its just not the case.Nobody likes a foreign country meddle in its internal matters leave alone countries who have been thier former colonial occupiers. Afghanistan today is worse than what it was when it was under Taliban control. The (puppet)president of Afghanistan cannnot go out without American commands as his body guards . The situvation is so bad that he cannot even trust his own countrymen to protect his life. Its just that the Govt does not want you to know certain things .Afghanistan is not liberated but its back in the hands of Thugs and anarchy is all over.The taliban brought some order to this nation and peace. Their main sucess was that they stopped trade of Drugs , burnt the poppy fields and unarmed the otherwise armed civilians.
2003-03-26

PATRICIA FROM USA said:
Rob: If blowing people to bits is caring about them and liberating them, I guess we are liberating Iraq. If we would leave those people alone they would have eliminated Saddam long ago, but our CIA has been protecting him from one attempted coup after another. If we had allowed the Bosnian and Kosovar Muslims to arm themselves, instead of enforcing an arms embargo on the area, they could have defended themselves against the already-armed Serbs. In fact, it wasn't until the Muslims had captured arms and were beginning to fight back that we intervened, and probably killed as many Kosovars as Serbs. And which Afghans were dancing in the streets? The Taliban were their sons, neighbors and relatives. Afghans will get rid of their own tyrants; they don't need us to do it. After all they brought down the Soviet Union! If the Taliban were as horrible as all that, they wouldn't have put up with them either. Lastly, I wouldn't expect to see many Iraqis dancing in the streets. As bad as Saddam was, he never slaughtered them the way we did in the first Gulf War and are doing again. Liberation? That's what the Chinese said when they destroyed Tibet. That's what the Russians were doing in Afghanistan. Don't expect the Iraqis to love us. Their memories are longer than ours. I'm sure if they could vote, they'd vote for whoever would get rid of us.
2003-03-26

JAMIL SHAIKH FROM USA said:
AFTER IRAQ IT WILL BE IRAN AND THAN SYRIA AND THAN PAKISTAN EVERY MUSLIM COUNTRY ACTUALLY.
2003-03-26

FAISAL FROM USA said:
I am tired of everyone always trying to stir up religious reasons for hating the USA and it's policies. This is NOT the Muslim way... are we a people of peace or are we just looking for an excuse to justify in the name of God our own hatred and bigotry?
2003-03-25

ESTHER FROM USA said:
Ezra brings up a good point in the fact Russia and France have oil contracts with Iraq. Not to mention Iraq owes France money. Russia and France's concern is over money. I am not for this war. Hopefuly it will end quickly, and the good thing that comes out of it is a more peaceful Iraq, and a big blow to Islamic militants. Also, we should make sure America does not become a colonizer.
2003-03-25

ROB FROM U.S. said:
I find it very interesting that so many in Arab communities view this war as an affront to Muslims when in fact, as stated several times by my own government, we (Americans) only want to help the Iraqi people rid themselves of a murderous tyrant who has demonstrated his compulsion to spray chemicals on his own people, among other things. My question is this: Why haven't any Arab nations stepped in to rid the region of this tumor? In the first Gulf War, why did we have to liberate the Kuwaitis? And when the Serbs were attempting to ethnically exterminate the Kosovars (Muslim people) again why were we the ones stepping up to prevent that attrocity? It seems that we (Americans) seem to care more about Arab and Muslim nations than do Arab and Muslim nations care for each other. Our actions are just and will be proven so when the world sees the Iraqi people dancing in the streets (just as Afghani people did when we exterminated the Taliban) to finally be rid of Sadaam Hussein and his murderous regime.
2003-03-25

TEXAN FROM USA said:
Every country can deal with its own problems. Why does the US have to play superman. Castro is a tyrant, Sharon is a tyrant, and now Bush is a tyrant that decided to condemn to death by bomb and war thousands of innocent victims, without international support, but coercing the aussies and brits, despite major reservations by their own citizens. Saddam may be a tyrant but he was a non-aggressor, and no immediate threat to the US. He even let the inspectors come, but that wasn't good enough. The had to get in his palaces, which he allowed. But that wasn't good enough. Why? Because Iraqi freedom is not the issue. Weapons of mass destruction is not the issue. Global imperialism is the issue. Making it possible for us to drive SUV's is the issue. While the rest of the world starves and gets bombed by depleted nuclear weapons, so that that future generations will have birth defects. The biggest and most deadliest weapons belong to the US. Remember Hiroshima, and Nagasaki? Who's the real threat to the world. Remember is 2000 in an interview with CNN Bush Jr. himself said, "It would be great to have a dictatorship. If I were the dictator."Hmmmm. To Mr. Lauder, if you really care about the Iraqi's well being, why not open the doors to Iraqi refugees in the US. Your thoughts are grossly biased! Yeh Ezra, You too!
2003-03-25

K2 FROM USA said:
It is Muslims who are full of arrogance, pride and tyranny. It is Muslims who are being punished the world over.

Have we ever stopped to ask why Allah keeps punishing us? Could it be because we are not the angelic victims we attempt to portray ourselves as?

As any non-Arab Muslim who has travelled to the middle east would testify, the arabs are as arrogant as a people can be. No Non-arab Muslim would ever be considered an equal to an Arab Muslim. And never would they have the right to live in an Arab country with the same rights of an Arab. The arabs have forgotton the last sermon of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The greatest tyrants in the world over are Muslims. Saddam, King Fahd, Hosni Mubarak, etc. Muslims are responsible for the deaths of more Muslims than any other people combined.

Until we face up to what we are and that we are on the wrong path, how can we ever correct ourselves?

It is possible for us to show some humility? To show some gratefullness to Allah for his blessings?

All I see are Muslims grumbling, complaining, cursing and seething in hatred.

Where is the peity, mercy, kindness, and humbleness?
2003-03-25

YAZID FROM USA said:
good article!
2003-03-25

RAFI FROM USA said:
Your article is a correct reflection of the current US policy. Its not about WMD , if that were so why didnt the US start this war when Saddam was gassing the kurds, infact then he was considered a "good guy".Why dont the proponents of war ask themselves this question "who supplied Iraq with these WMD" , the answer is USA and UK.Infact Rumsfeld met with Saddam then.US does not care if he has gassed his own people or killed Iraqi civilians, what US cares about is a pretext to control the Oil.If WMD are the issue why does the US not attack Isreal which has a huge stock pile of them and they have the nuclear weapons too why doesnt the US disarm Isreal which is in voilation of more UN resolution than any country in the world , is this blatant double standard not sufficient for one to conclude that its not about WMD or UN resolutions.Yes I agree that Saddam is a tyrant but there are so many tyrants in this world , its upto the local people to decide if thay want to change their leaders, its not like there was a struggle for independence that was going on in Iraq to call the US agression on Iraq "Operation Iraqi freedom" is an out right insult to the people of Iraq.The current US policy should be condemmed by all patrotic Americans, its their duty ....
2003-03-25

DAVIDC FROM USA said:
Bush was too stupid to find a better way out of this war,
but the Americans are the only people willing to fight for
the freedom of others. Maybe deluded or manipulated by
evil politicians, but American soldiers will still happily go
to their deaths if they think they are advancing freedom.
2003-03-25

MARK LAUDER FROM USA said:
Your excerpt is grossly biased. Not once did you mentioned that Saddam has murdered tens of thousands of people. If it were possible he should be tried for those murders in a court of law. For you to assume that the Iraqi people would rather live under a murderous dictactor, is to argue with a fool. By all means you have the right to voice your opinion but the muslim world should not believe the words of evil dictators.
2003-03-25

EZRA FROM USA said:
I have one question that I would like to ask. First, If we agree that Saddam is a tyrant then why have the surrounding islamic nations not dealt with this threat? My comment is brief. It is my belief that America is not alone in having motives for removing Saddam. Evidence is now coming forward that France and Russia have gained a lot by having Saddam in power. What is the greater evil? To knowingly support a murderer, oppressor, and deceiver or to fight against this evil being and establish a form of peace at the expense of isolating a few dishonest nations.

I think that this article is an attempt to shift the focus of the debate from the real issue of Saddam's sins against humanity to a personal attack upon the personality of our nations leader.
You may dislike the messenger but you can not disagree with the message.
2003-03-25

D. FERNANDEZ FROM USA said:
I'm completely appalled by your comments. Have you forgotten what an animal Hussein is. Did you forget that chemical attack to his own people (only about 5000 people). Or did you forget the countless tortures he's done on his rule. Everyone should stand up and applaud the courage Spain, England, and the USA have shown on this issue. This man has shown to be deceitful, even to this day. "Iraq has no scud missles" well the AP has shown otherwise, and soon the coalition forces will uncover his hidden WMD. I read your forum because I'm interested on your opinions. But I thought your column would be happy to finally see an end to years of repression in Iraq. The US has always proven to be liberators. We go to war, but we feed the people, give them medicine, and soon will give them their country to run with dignity. Remember who's paying for all of this with money and most important with their lives. But history will show how a great nation stood up against a bunch of cowards and succeded in disarming and bringing down one of the worst regimes in history!
2003-03-25

PARVEZ FROM ENGLAND said:
My heart saddens to see this constant bombardment of Iraq, as you say a weekend country due to the unnessary Un sanctions since the last conflict. I do agree this War was inevitable due to USA's desire to become less dependable on Suadia Oil and to maintain a pstrong pressence in the Middleeast over the next century.

What saddens me more is the the lack of coallition between Muslim states to codemn this illegal war.

As a chold I was told by my mother that a bully's may be bigger and stronger than you but you have faith and you take a stand together you can overcome any bully. WShe was not wrong the USA is a bully and the time has come to say NO, NO more, Enough is enough.

I pray for the innocent Iraqi's
2003-03-25

MIKE HALE FROM USA said:
The author assails President Bush with every scrap of imagination that he can summon. Bush doesn't wake up in the morning wondering whom he can bomb next and it's patently unfair to characterize him as an idiot and war monger. The intellect of the cabinet surrounding him should not be in question either. Are Americans to believe the Hollywood left that don't have two college degrees between 10 vocal protesters, ie. Sean Penn, Julia Roberts, Martin Sheen, Baldwin etc. Bush is a christain and his faith sustains him in this crisis. What in fact is wrong with a man or leader having the courage to believe in a higher power? Saddam Insane is a four letter word squared to the 10th power. His people have been butchered and killed and starved. He poses a very real threat to the Middle East and the rest of the world and his time is up. The only question left is whether he will use WMD when the coalition reaches Baghdad and if he does how many of his own people will die. Does anyone notice here that there have been no carpet bombs and the mass destruction that they deliver both in terms of property destruction and the loss of human life. Bush has no desire to "occupy" Iraq or anywhere else in the middle east. If middle eastern citizens would stop applauding suicide bombers and training them and hoping beyond hope that they can die for Allah that part of the world will be better off. And so will the rest of the world.
Does it really make sense to die for Jihad and do Muslims really believe they will hook up with all of these virgins in heaven? I really don't care what religion a person relies on as long as they don't try to infect me with it. The nuts on the religous right in America (Robertson, Falwell) are just as disgusting as Rabbi Meir Kahane or Sheik Omar. Of course I pray that Sheik Omar spends every glorious day of the rest of his life behind bars in an American jail. Because he is truly evil.
2003-03-25

FAROUGH FROM USA said:
WITH REGARDS:
I totally agree with your commentary. The important question remains is. Why is it that the governments of the region espesially in the Middle East are providing cooperation and facilities for such aggressions. One might go back to historical statement of "Divide and rule". What is needed today in the world in general is cooperation. What Middle East specifically the Arab speaking nations need is unification. So far as Arab leadership is concerned this is a task at distance. What the Arab nations need is true unified leadership. The ideology is there. Islam is most unifying force. What the arab world need is a leadership based on unifying force of Islam to move on. As long as there is division, and deception in the Arab nations the war mongers in Washington and London are apt to take advantage. For those of us who thought the era of colonilism was over were dead wrong. Today we face Imperilism as the economic power and neo-colonialism as the political power of Capitalism. The fall of Soviet Union and collapse of State Capitalist socio-economic power. We face greater aggression because the market division between powers on both side of the Atlantic has to take place. Non of them especially the "Sole Superpower" as eventually becoming a "Hyper power" cares to rule or govern with same old rules. Bacause old rules dose not apply any more. So open hand, more arrogant, and aggrasive.
The war cacus have been there. They have always been there. If up untill today we did not hear a louder voice. It was because the game was different. The rules were plyed with different headlines. Today the curtaines are drawn. the masks are removed. The true faces of Capitalism as we know it is more apparent. The war makers are gonna be busier than ever and that is no surprise. What remaines for the oppressed is unity to oppose. Otherwise, we are doomed to live in our own misery with no one to blame but ourselves.
2003-03-25

AZAHARY FROM FRANCE said:
O Micheal what different that it makes , human shields ??? this is a CNN stutip propaganda , no stupid leader want to kill his own ppl , I t is the army of US that delibrately killed and terrorise the civilians , before the war PPL were pre stock food !! safety is the top list of their head , get it mike !!! USA were killers ,, this war is a package ...package of lies upon lies and opening the truth of face how USA is brutal , undemocratic !!! , now despite you are winners , beware 99% of the world included European against USA .
2003-03-25

SALAHULDIN BIRYANI FROM FRANCE said:
Boycot U.S. products & services:
- Buy French or German products instead
- Fly European airlines
- Do not go to the U.S. on vacation, choose France or Germany instead
- If you have any assets in the U.S., convert them to Euro's in European banks
- IF you can choose between flying in a Boeing or an Airbus, choose Airbus
- Do not buy U.S. made cars, equipment etc.
- We cannot win a "convential" war, but we sure can make a difference: imagine 1 billion muslims adopting some or all of the above recommendations.
2003-03-25

WALID ARAKJI FROM LEBANON said:
Israel and it's zionist allies are the source of all evil.
2003-03-25

MISHAEL FROM PHILIPPINES said:
I thought rule no. 1 on this board says says,
"Do not make personal attacks on others. "

My answer to your questions is shed light is better!, but ask yourself, do you know how to shedlight in this situations Mr. AKBAR?
2003-03-25

YAHYA BERGUM FROM USA said:
If an Islamic state wanted to exercise prevailing influence over the Muslim world, my guess is that it would only need to establish the jizya in order to achieve such control. I am guessing, after that, it would be the will of Allah (SWT) that the tax would become meaningful.

Thereafter, I would expect that the armed forces of my country would be placed at the disposal of that state. In any event, it would surely be fool-hardy for us (Americans) to attack it.

Peace be upon you. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
2003-03-25

NAZARI FROM MALAYSIA said:
A very well-balanced and elightening article. Most Americans are at the moment sitting in front of their TV watching the drama unfolding in front of them. Action they take are limited only to pressing the buttons of their TV's remote control. Well, if that is their only response, they are going to regret the day when America is destroyed by an increasingly belligerent Bush.
2003-03-25

AKBAR FROM CANADA said:
Saddam doesn't love his own people, and George W. Bush doesn't love his either. If you are an American and speak out against this war, your are immediately targeted by all different direction as being unpatriotic, and un-American...you are immediately denounced of your position and pressured into apologizing for voicing your right to freedom of speech, as outlined in the American Constition!!!

As for your clearly uneducated comments on religion, Osama Bin Laden, and peace Mr. Mishael, it goes to show that you have no idea what you are talking about, just giving vague and unintelligent comments. When George W. Bush said in his speeches, that "either your with us, or against us", and "God is on OUR side", and this is between right and wrong", of "good versus evil", what sort of message is this lunatic sending to the peaceful, civilized world, and how is the US media using this to brainwash American people are the outcomes which are clear and apparent. Saddam can claim that God is on his side, and Bush can claim that God is on his side...but when it comes down to it, every shred of evidence that teh British Dossier of Tony Blair, and the arguments used by Colin Powell before the United Nations, were literally CUT AND PASTE from some completely out of date university student's essay...even teh spelling mistakes were copied! Let me say it to you like this.....if you are truly a religious individual, then what is better, to curse the dark, or to shed light?? America's complete and outright disrespect for history and other nations of the world, violating the Geneva Convention and International Law, by waging a war on a country, illegally invading it, and occupying a foreign land are what outrage the people who see the truth of the matter. Islam gave peace for more than ONE THOUSAND YEARS to Christians, jews, muslims, and Americas democracy for not even 75 years to be shoved down Iraqi's throats?? Get out of Iraq!!!
2003-03-25

MISHAEL FROM PHILIPPINES said:
All I can say that Suddam never love his own people :(, He use his own people for human shields. Suddam love using people for his own greed.

And I don't think there is a problem with religions either, no problem with christians or muslims. True christians only wants peace. and I believe that muslim also wants peace. right? :)

I believe that Suddam has more treat to the world, just like Bin laden (terrorist leader)

2003-03-25