Letters to the Editor, March 1, 2004

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What is the difference between Sharon and Hitler or Sharon and Saddam? Today Israel is largely controlled not only by this evil and corrupt man but according to what I read in the Israeli papers, by the Israeli mafia which is currently branching out into the USA.

We've got trouble my friends, here in River City. I think Dennis is a sweetheart and agree with his sentiments but getting the situation under control will require a lot more that talk. How extreme will things get before America wakes up??? The greatest task we all face is to take what we learn and spread the word. It is up to us, my friends to speak out in every way possible to as many people as possible.... particularly to our friends and neighbors within the Jewish community.

I elect we the people to resolve this problem, because without strong public support, there is no hope for Palestine or peace in the Middle East. With broad public support, the politicians will listen. In a democracy, we are in charge... unless we chose to give up control of our lives and the well-being of our nation to those who only serve themselves.

I would like to know if the Islamic violence going on against Indians in Kashmir, against Christians in the Philippines, then violence in Chechnya, Russia, Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and elsewhere is all because the Palestinians want a homeland. It seams all we hear after suicide bombings around the world and propaganda coming from Islamic leaders that if the Palestinians had their own state, suddenly the Islamic world in all these places would put down their guns and bombs and be peace full citizens

Editor: To a great extent, it's true. The Muslim World perceives Israel in control of the World System through its influence over the US government, the world superpower. Whether this true or not, you can debate it but its their perception. From small groups in the Middle East to heads of states, like Mahathir Muhammed, they share some form of this perception.

However, Muslims also see that they are denied their sovereignty and their universal right for self-determination. While your country, Australia, and other Western powers supported the right of East Timor for self-rule and independence, they ignore the same right for Muslims in Southern Philippines, Kashmir, Chechnya, and Palestine. Muslims see that they are being invaded by NATO, one country after another. They are not fighting against Christians, Jews, or Hindus. Rather, they are fighting to gain their freedom and their right for self-rule. Having answered your question, I have to say that there are peaceful solutions for all these conflicts but the parties involved are not seeking them.

I found your propaganda not only misleading at best but downright offensive to those of us that helped liberate those people from a government the likes of which the world has not seen since Stalin.

You seek "Peaceful solutions to international conflicts"? I guess we should have tried this approach, my bad........

We find your treatment of the Iraqi people deplorable. I would very much appreciate it if you and your sons would leave the country so the Iraqi people can leave in peace.

Sounds pretty damn stupid, doesn't it? It would have about as much of a chance for success as a similar letter to Bin Laden asking him to stop international terrorism!

Although your words sound sarcastic at best, I’d like to tell you that there are peaceful solutions to international conflicts and these are followed by the United States right now with North Korea. The negotiations have been successful because they are multilateral. Six nations are involved: The US, Russia, China, Japan, North Korea, and South Korea. Results are positive so far. The US can achieve its objectives without a bullet shot, without Americans or Koreans dead or injured. What’s wrong with that?

Another example of peaceful solutions for international conflicts has been the US-UK negotiations with Libya, which lasted for more than two years and the results are also positive. Libya took responsibility for the Lockerby explosion, compensated the victims’ families, and gave up its weapons of mass destructions. In return, sanctions were lifted. American oil companies are returning to Libya right now and no Libyans or Americans are being killed or injured. Is this wrong? These has been achieved by long negotiations that lasted for two years.

In the case of Iraq, the Bush administration had the intention of invading Iraq since day one, as Secretary Paul O’Neil said. There were no negotiations between the US and Iraq. Period. The UN was ignored, and the declared reasons for the war, WMD, turned to be non-existent. What are the results of this unnecessary war on Iraq? Thousands of Americans and Iraqis are dead and injured and a whole country is destroyed and still living in chaos for more than a year.

Yes, there are always peaceful solutions to international conflicts. You just need the will to choose them over war. And once there is will, there will always be a way.

With peaceful solutions, you create friends and trade partners and this is the Al-Jazeerah Mission. It's not propaganda and it's not stupid. War is stupid. It's a failure of reasoning, and it creates enemies.