Letters to the Editor, May 26, 2004

The Middle East Road Map states that: Palestinian "incitement must cease immediately and the Palestinian Authority will engage in genuine prevention of terror and violence".

But, the 1st paragraph of the Israeli Cabinet Statement on the Road Map - (may 25th '03) states that: "As in the other mutual frameworks, the Roadmap will not state that Israel must cease violence and incitement against the Palestinians".

In other words, you must stop hitting me, but I can keep on hitting you. Clearly the reaction of an administration enthusiastic for an even-handed & peaceful resolution to the conflict. Please note: "the other mutual frameworks". How long has that arrangement been going on?

Iraqi victims of the war

I read an article about the death toll on your website and thought this might help you see what the associated press and the department of defense is putting out.

THE TOLL As of Thursday 5/20/04 Estimated minimum number of Iraqi civilians reported killed since March 2003: 9,148 The Associated Press, Sources: Department of Defense, The Associated Press, www.iraqbodycount.net

Maureen Nelson

Editor: Thanks. The article published in the May 25 issue (5,000 killed) was about Iraqis killed after the end of the war and the start of the occupation while the figures here include all those who were killed from the beginning of the war.

Release of Brandon Mayfield and the US Media

While I was relieved to hear that Brandon Mayfield (the Attorney from Oregon falsely accused and detained by the US for participation in the Madrid train bombing) was released and cleared of all charges, my disappointment, anger and disgust with US news media, has not dissipated! When this story was first released, every news outlet (including NPR) went out of their way to include the fact that he was a convert to Islam. I have yet to understand why his religion was important in this story, especially since this was not one that had to do with religion.

In the current US led war where politicians, political pundits and talk show hosts all over America routinely make derogatory comments about Arabs or Muslims, it is shame to see that NPR has chosen to go along with the program and do its part in promoting the current Islamaphobic atmosphere which exists here in the U.S.

Is there any wonder why skepticism and mistrust of US media sources, remains so widespread among Muslims?

Timothy Stinson Miami, Florida

Abu Ghraib

I guess Bush may as well knock down Abu Ghraib, just as he has knocked down almost everything else in Iraq.

First the prison symbolized the oppression of Iraq under Saddam. Now it symbolizes oppression under Bush.

The US military got vast funds for destroying Iraqi infrastructure in the war. US contractors are now getting zillions to rebuild it. All this is very good business.

The prison will be no different. First, contractors will be paid to demolish this now very embarrassing structure. Then the US can get paid again to build a new 'noble' state of the art high security facility where torture and abuse will be much better hidden from public view. Perhaps it could even be named after GWB.

Still at least you can re-build the infrastructure. What Bush can never do is bring back the dead or repair shattered lives.

Maybe, of course, a few Iraqi buildings will remain unscathed - the US may later need them as pretend polling stations for its puppet regime!

Phil Hong

A response to the letter of Steve Omnigate

(in the Al-Jazeerah May 25th letters section)

Mr Omnigate says that

"It becomes more and more evident that it is important for certain people to neatly package everything into a black and white box - good vs evil ........"

This is true to some extent. The USA and most of Europe has labled all Muslim peoples as terrorists. Their places of worship are under government surveillance. Muslim people are questioned and picked up on a regular basis. The teachings of Muslim scholars and Imams are scrutinized for political correctness.

Of course that is not what you meant is it? As you are writing to Al Jazeerah, I am guessing your comments are directed at the articles in that publication that describe the actions of Israel and the USA as evil. Let's examine Mr Omnigates's implication. The implication is that the writings at Al Jazeerah that use the word evil have done so for reasons of personal need. The writers feel some personal gratification at lableing the USA and Israel as evil.

This is not true. Evil is a word in the dictionary. Concrete physical acts in the real world can be described by the dictionary defined word evil. Most of us will agree on what acts fit the definition of evil. Purposefully shooting small children is unequivocally evil. Bombing people at a wedding is unequivocally evil. The real justification we have for using the word evil are the declarations of the perpetrators of these actions. A man who stands up and says "We don't have to apologize for shooting small children or bombing a wedding" is judged an evil man in any culture, any race, any geographical location in the world.

If those men work for Israel or work for the USA, why is it incorrect to say the USA and Israel are evil? The man saying he does not have to apologize is an official government representative providing official government declarations to the world press.

"It is intellectually lazy to continue this approach, it serves no end except to excite directionless and more meaningless violence based on racism. The same racism you demote. A bit ironic isn't it?"

I can agree with what you say. Using the word evil, as George Bush did when he described the "Axis of Evil" or the "Evil Islamic Terrorists", does lead to racism. The Muslim peoples around the world have experienced racism since 9/11 as a direct result of these declarations.

"Every society has their transgressions against minorities and women and environment, etc. And to continually go back hundreds, even thousands of years and say that the present day government or people are guilty because of it is ridiculous"

I agree with you completely. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that the Israeli people continue to hound the Germans about WWII, 60 years after it was over. Yet what are the actions of the Israeli people? They have forced various European countries and corporations that exist in the present to pay for what happened 60 years ago. The Israelis have also forced various USA based corporations to pay for what happened 60 years ago.

The entire Israeli state is based on the idea that 2000 years ago, someone chased the Israelis out of their country. Again I agree that it is completely ridiculous for people in the year 2004 to even listen to the Israeli people say that, because of what happened 2000 years ago, they should be allowed to displace or kill thousands of people and steal their land in the year 2004.

Your point is that it is "ridiculous" for the writers contributing to Al Jazeerah to label certain countries as evil. Yet that is exactly what the USA and Israel do. Label. The Israelis and the USA have labeld Islam as an "evil" religion. The top politicians and most popular media do this in both Israel and the USA. People who are role models for an entire country. Based on that, these countries have then proceeded to kill people and steal property with abandon and glee.

I think your letter to Al Jazeerah, implying it's writers are intelluctually lazy for using the word evil, or that the writers are causing or supporting racism would be more applicable if it was addressed to the governments of Britain, the USA and Israel. The leaders of each of these countries have all used the word evil to describe the Muslim peoples. The leaders of each of these countries are directly responsible for a verifiable increase in acts of racism towards the Muslim people of the world.

Respectfully,

David Little