Letters to the Editor, May 28, 2004

Sir, Thank you for your reply. Would you enlighten me on an important matter of much current debate that may be causing some of racism?

By wearing a headscarf are Islamic women making a political statement or a religious symbol.

I have seen a young woman with babe Islamic faith and appearance original nationality Middle East - wearing a pink headscarf in our town shopping centre - she looks delightful - a pretty, dignified girl. Is proper name for headscarf a 'burka'?

Editor: It's absolutely a religious requirement for women, not a political statement. It's exactly the same as the case with Christian nuns or with Jewish women when they go to Synagogues. The headscarf is a head cover, not a face cover, burka, which is not required. Read my replies to readers about the same topic, in the Editorials section.

Mr. Hamod's commentary is both well intentioned as well as wishful thinking. It's hard to accept that there is serious thought being given to getting out of Iraq. From listening and viewing the Sunday talk shows one gets the impression that we are building between 14 and 17 military bases in Iraq. The billions already spent as well as the billions requested to maintain and increase military personnel in Iraq suggests that we will maintain our control over Iraq for the next decade or two. The cost so far, aside from the loss of all human lives, is close to $200 billion. Unfortunately too we along with others feel that we are smarter and better than the Pharaohs, the Greeks, the Romans, and the British in the empire-making business. America's only way out of Iraq will occur when Americans decide to tell their representatives in no uncertain terms to get out of Iraq.

"War on Terrorism".

I am writing today because I am greatly troubled by this so called "War on Terrorism". The uncompassionate, inhumane acts committed by all parties involved is heartbreaking. Violence has become the only means to settle differences, and it seems that understanding and diplomacy have been lost. It seems that our administration does not want many in this country to know the core conflict which is the oppression of the Palestinian people.

Instead of helping these beautiful people, our government is more concerned with oil, and the almighty dollar that Israeli leadership is putting in many of our officials' pockets. Thousands of innocent lives are being lost there everyday, lives that can never be replaced.

Why must these people have to die because someone else refuses to look to understanding, and compassion. Many such as myself are deeply impacted by struggle of the Palestinian people, and pray that God will bless them with freedom and peace.

I know this will never happen until someone is brave enough to say enough is enough, and stop the endless killings. For true freedom can never come without peace.

Melissa Williams

A Copy of this letter was also sent to Atlanta Journal Const.

Summer of terror? We're losing the war on terror? What?

What is with this new "Summer of Terror" nonsense?

Our George PROMISED to save us from terror. And we have the receipts to prove it too! "Give me two trillion dollars," Bush told us, "and I will make you safe."

Then that foo' announces that us and our family and our dog are all about to get bombed and biodegraded in our beds? On the incompetence meter, that's 10 on a scale of 10. I want my money back!

Appoint ME President. Give ME two trillion dollars and I will give you so much peace that you will think you are in Heaven! And cheaper gas prices too.

Jane Stillwater http://jpstillwater.blogspot.com/

Three types of people living in America

There seems to be three types of people living in America. The apathetic and the fanatical. Both are equally dangerous. The apathetic allow criminals to assume power, just so long as they can preserve their precious complacency and the fanatical elements wholeheartedly support those criminals while in power. The former are consumed with mind numbing, sensational entertainment and the latter masquerades as humanitarians and liberators, but underneath their facade they advocate war and repression. Most know no better. They think they are advancing American interests but in actuality they are hindering those interests by their actions abroad. There is a third type. Reasonable, rational, truth seeking people are a rarity in this country, but they do exist, away from all of the chaos and ignorance that the American media spews out. They express themselves occasionally when the need arises. They are shunned and labeled. The solution is that the fanatics must go, the apathetic must wake up, and the rational, truth seekers must rise to the occasion.

Joseph Hunter

GWB & Iraq

GWB thinks Iraq is safer without Saddam Hussein.

Well before the invasion, Iraqis had homes with electricity, running water etc women could safely leave their homes alone to go to work to the movies, library shopping take children to school etc. Children could go to bed and know they would be okay the next day.

After the invasion Iraqis are in many cases without homes. Women are afraid to go outside alone and are (if they have no male relatives ) virtual prisoners or they go out and risk their lives. Children never know when US soldiers will arrest their fathers in the middle of the night.

Maybe Mr Bush feels safe because Iraqis certainly are not. Now sovereignty will be given to Iraq on June 30. Well, Iraq had sovereignty before the war and GWB stole it. He said he would tear down Abu Ghraib prison as if that will change what will happen to an Iraqi who is captured. The physical building was not the problem; rather, it was the soldiers inside.

Janice Keenan

Abu Ghraib, Rafah, and Amnety Report

The pictures of the Abu Ghraib torture and abuse and consequent loss of moral credibility, the Cannes film award to Fahrenheit 9/11, the Strategic Institute's statement that Iraq has bolstered Al Queda's recruitment, made the world a more dangerous place only providing 'iconic targets' for the resistance, Amnesty International's description of the Bush policies as "bankrupt of vision" and "bereft of principle", worldwide revulsion at the slaughter in Rafah, the threat of further yet more devastating attacks on homeland soil - what more for goodness sake do Americans (and Brits) need to realise that Bush has alienated even former allies and given succour to his enemies. Are they completely supine / comatose? Sympathy for 9/11 has long been replaced by sheer stupifaction at ! American antics. Surely the warmongers and their appalling policies must go!

Phil Hong

Dirty Weaponry

Esteemed Editor and Readers,

Two points should be noted amidst the current fanfare of US efforts to "rid the world of 'dirty bombs'" and the fear being spread of their use.

One is that the United States is said to have used such technology routinely in Afghanistan and Iraq - the "depleted uranium" rounds designed for incinerating tanks and as "bunker busters."

Another is that on Tuesday, 25 May, the United States, on its Nevada test site near Las Vegas, tested yet another device in which plutonium was imploded by conventional explosives. This, according to the US Energy Department, was the 21st such test since 1997, under the previous Clinton administration of the United States.

One of the primary missions of the euphemistically named Department of Energy is and always has been the development of such weaponry.

It is clear that the United States wishes not to "rid the world of 'dirty bombs'" but to reserve them to itself and, perhaps, to a few of its allies.

Once again I think of a strong but unruly child in a family of nations and wonder how the family might best deal with this.

Regards,

Nelson Campbell (USA)

A Response to the "Bush Steps down" article by Mike Whitney

Regarding the Bush quote in the article written by Mr. Mike Whitney (Al-Jazeerah, May 26, 2004): "Bush Steps Down". ..."We did not seek this war on terror....but this is the world as we find it....".

Well, interesting words, they show a terrible fact. It's easy to blame the History, people like bin Ladin, Al Zarqawi, Saddam Hussein, or who knows will be tomorrow.

He never admitted US responsibility for what is happening in the whole world. Thanks to arrogance and unfair foreign policies. At the same time, with this simple and ignorant rhetoric of their thoughts, like "you are either with us or with the terrorists."

Of course decapitation of Mr. Berg was terrible, but........it is one among thousands dying, with the simple difference that Berg is in the spotlight, like a slogan. At least Berg chose to go to Iraq, taking the risk to die, but....what happen with the millons that they didn't choose to live with aggressive forces in their lands, profaning their sacred shrines, trying to change their way of life, and with no voice to say anything .

God save the world of this terrible injustice that we are living.

Bettina Sack, Buenos Aires- Argentina

Nick Possum's analysis of the Berg video

This is the best explanation of the Berg video I've seen. With the author's permission it is now up on Serendipity at http://www.serendipity.li/iraqwar/npossum_on_berg.htm

Regards,

Peter Meyer

British MPs invite Mordechai Vanunu to the UK

26^th May 2004

A group of British Members of Parliament has written to Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli nuclear scientist turned whistleblower, to invite him to visit the UK.

The letter signed by Christine Russell MP (L), Colin Breed MP (LD), Crispin Blunt MP (C) and Jeremy Corbyn MP (L), states that MPs are "keen to hear about the circumstances that surrounded (his) kidnapping and subsequent imprisonment as well as (his) views on the current situation in the Middle East".

The letter follows on from an Early Day Motion (EDM 1021) which calls for Vanunu to be invited to London and has been signed by over 70 MPs so far.

Following his release, Vanunu has been subjected to severe restrictions on his freedom of speech and movement by the Israeli administration and has been forced to seek refuge in St. George's cathedral in Jerusalem. Therefore the group of MPs have promised to do all they can to assert pressure for the trip to be allowed and have written to the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw.

CAABU Executive Committee member, Colin Breed MP, who was part of an international delegation who went to visit Vanunu in April, said "Having witnessed his release from prison in Israel last month, I welcome the opportunity to invite Mordechai Vanunu to speak to the House. I have been a supporter of the 'Free Vanunu' Campaign for many years and feel that at this critical time, to hear Vanunu in the House would be of great importance."

CAABU believes that the letter can play an important role raising the level of Parliamentary pressure on the Israeli government to lift the restrictions forced upon Vanunu.

Notes for Editors:

1. Mordechai Vanunu is the former nuclear technician who has been incarcerated in

prison for the last 18 years for revealing details about Israel's nuclear arms

programme. He had been working at the Dimona nuclear research centre in the

Negev desert for nine years when he decided to leave. He then published photographs

and details of Israel's nuclear capacity in the world's press which led to his

kidnapping by Israeli intelligence service Mossad and long jail sentence.
(See - http://www.caabu.org/campaigns/Breed-Vanunu.pdf)

2. Full Text and List of Signatories: EDM 1021 - Invitation to Vanunu
http://edm.ais.co.uk/cache/printable/edm1021.html

3. Further information:
Free Vanunu website

http://www.vanunu.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm

Council for Arab-British Understanding website

http://www.caabu.org/campaigns/campaigns_israel_palestine.html#vanunu

Chris Doyle

Director

CAABU (Council for Arab-British Understanding)