Blair's shame
Sir-- What 'shock and awe' it was to see Tony Blair at his press conference last week. In place of the bouncing, boyish, buoyant Tony of previous weeks was a haggard, harassed and haunted British Prime Minister. The sad fact is that Saddam Hussein comes out of this a hero, and even his bitterest enemies have to admit that with 'stones' he gave the mighty war machine of the US a run for its money.
Shame on you Tony Blair for having the nerve to talk about the legitimacy of the UN when you allowed yourself to be persuaded to deny it so recently. Perhaps now you see how you have been hoodwinked and what the real intentions of the US are. What was really hard to swallow was Blair's indignation at coalition prisoners being shown on Iraqi TV, but he obviously doesn't consider Iraqi prisoners as human beings because he had no objection to showing them handcuffed and made to lie or kneel on the ground. It is obvious he considers that the Geneva Convention applies only to God's chosen few.
I would also like to comment on how utterly ridiculous 'real' native speakers like CNN's Becky Anderson sound when they talk about being 'embedded' and 'decapitated'. I 'anticipate' Blair will join not only the massacre of the Iraqi people, but the massacre of the English language in the near future.
Edith Howard
Dublin
Ireland
Showanda appeal
Sir-- As an African Caribbean American, I beg Saddam to release Showanda Johnson. She is not a threat to anyone and has no information that can help Saddam in fighting the Americans. Her position is a low level technical one. The US is not concerned about getting her freed; she's African American and the US couldn't care less for her safe return.
I must stress that African Americans who are in US services are not against the Arab world. Most of them join the American services to obtain a free education, health benefits and a good retirement plan. I beg you to release her and show the world how little the government cares about people of colour in the US.
E Howard
Santa Clara, CA
USA
Modernising missiles
Sir-- Since the Arab world is either unable or unwilling to modernise itself and give true power to its people in a democratic way, then that change will come from the outside. If you had spent the past 60 years building responsive institutions, accepting responsibility for the degraded situations of your own populations and working to alleviate them in an honest and open way instead of blaming the West and Israel, playing client state to whoever would hand out the most toys and cash to prop up your failing despotic regimes, and doing whatever you could to maintain the status quo, none of this would be necessary.
It's time for the entire region to move from the 14th century (and at best the 19th century) and join the rest of the world.
Unfortunately, for some of you the hallmark of that modernisation, at least in the beginning, is going to be a US precision-guided weapon. You have no one but yourselves to blame.
William Carter
Saint Pauls, NC
USA
Anti-American bias
Sir-- I find 'Flicker in the fog' (Al-Ahram Weekly, 27 March - 2 April) to be rather biased and anti-American.
I'm curious to know whether you feel Saddam Hussein is justified in the application of torture as part of his effort to maintain dictatorial control.
George Williams
Miami, FL
USA
Turning to neutron?
Sir-- 'Can the war turn nuclear?' (Al-Ahram Weekly, 13-19 March) is very interesting, but why does Mohamed Sid-Ahmed skip directly to thermonuclear weapons, passing by neutron bombs.
Israel and the US have an agreement in place as to when that weapon can be used. Why was there no question of the use of neutron bombs on those Iraqi vehicles leaving Kuwait City in 1991? They were undamaged, filled with loot, all bodies were buried and gone by the time correspondents got there and pictures of the loot in the trucks -- undamaged -- were printed.
For example, Peter Turnley's photos of one of the two convoys, showed vehicles with windows intact, tires still inflated and no damage to the roofs of the vehicles. The vehicles were intact and just pushed to the side of the highway.
Roy Yerex
Manitoba
Canada
Japan's shame
Sir-- I would like to tell you how sorry and angry the Japanese people are about the shameful attitude of the Japanese government towards the ongoing invasion of Iraq.
We feel that if we allow this criminal war to continue, we will no longer have a right to talk about the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Yoshiko Kurita
Tokyo
Japan
Dangerous protectors
Sir-- When Southern Africa was colonised, the British, in particular. said it was to pacify it, put an end to the slave trade and follow this up with a civilising mission.
The US is promising Iraq democracy and prosperity but there is never any excuse for foreign rule, and I fear the poor Iraqis will soon be feeling very colonised.
It is precisely when your colony is a protectorate that you need protection from your protector. Without the UN's involvement, some terrible things are about to happen to the people of Iraq. Who is going to protect them?
Owen Ben Sichone
Cape Town
South Africa
African perspective
Sir-- In 'Tug of war' (Al-Ahram Weekly, 27 February - 5 March) Gamal Nkrumah has given a clear picture of how the Iraq issue has to some extent polarised Europe. Now that President George Bush has decided to go to war without United Nations approval, we also need to look at the looming crisis from an African perspective.
Egypt is the most important Arab country with immense influence in both the Middle East and Africa. Perhaps you could share with us your perspectives on how this will affect Africa.
Mark Ouma
Johannesburg
South Africa
Beware of Bush
Sir-- I must commend Al-Ahram Weekly for organising the roundtable and for inviting Edward Said and other political analysts to debate the challenges faced by the Arab world today.
Special thanks to senior political analyst Salama Ahmed Salama for posing the right question concerning Mr Said's views regarding the nature of the current American administration.
People around the world and Democrats in the US in particular should note that indeed President Bush will try to negate the 2004 elections as he is a putschist, conspiratorial, paranoid and anti-democratic.
Well done Professor Said and I can assure you that the world at large is thankful for your comments.
Moktar El-Ayari
Cairo
Egypt
Better the Statue of Liberty
Sir-- I was amazed at the US congressman who was concerned about changing the name of French fries to freedom fries, as punishment for France's opposition to the war.
If punishing France is the issue, then he should urge his superior administration to send back the Statue of Liberty, since it was a gift from France and sculpted by a Frenchman.
Or is it that the US is playing at double standards again?
Azza Hassan
Alexandria
Egypt
Joint prayer
Sir-- Bush's lack of diplomacy and tact should be an embarrassment to all Americans. Please know that not all of us are ignorant to the plight of the Palestinians nor to the brutality of Israel.
My brother is in the 3rd Infantry Division inside Iraq at this moment. Please pray for his safety, as I am praying for the safety of the innocent Iraqi men, women, children and innocent babies who will suffer because of this despicable action.
Renee Sidwell
St Louis, MI
USA
Food and freedom
Sir-- Quoting the statistic in 'Crusaders and Mongols' (Al-Ahram Weekly, 13-19 March) of 1,000,000 dead, is gravely overestimated and is merely propaganda to fuel the fire of the anti- war machine. Following the conclusion of this war and the ease of sanctions, there will be more food and medicine in Iraq than ever before, thus solving an immense humanitarian problem that has existed for years due to Saddam's reluctance to comply with the United Nations.
Freedom is near. War, whether you like it or not, in this case will liberate a country from an evil dictator. The saddest part about this is that the Arab world sits back and does nothing, knowing full well the atrocities taking place in Iraq for decades.
The same thing can be said about the Palestinian situation. When will you stop using them as scapegoats for every political situation and wake up to realise that it is the US and UN who are keeping these people alive day to day, not the Arab world, while a billionaire Arafat sits back and makes war over a country that was never his nor ever existed.
The sooner you realise that Israel is not going anywhere and will survive on the miniature piece of land in the Arab world, the quicker peace will be achieved.
Evan Cohen
California
USA
Silent governments
Sir-- Isn't it a shame that none of the Arab governments (except Lebanon) have spoken out and condemned the US/British war against Iraq? At the time that France, Russia and Germany have done so we hear the sound of silence from Arab regimes.
I would like to remind them that according to the UN Charter and international law this is an illegal war and that the US and Britain are aggressor states. The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX) of 1974 (the UN definition of aggression) states that "Aggression is the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations as set out in this definition"
But then again, now that the UN is dead and buried, maybe there is no need to be citing that definition and there is no need to condemn this war.
Mona Abdel-Baky
Cairo
Egypt
The reason
Sir-- Bush, you must know that all Egyptians and Arabs are against your mad war and we will not allow you to kill more. We all love Iraq.
American people, we don't hate you but I'm sorry that the Bush administration's policies in Palestine and Iraq makes us resentful.
Abdallah Elshewy
Gharbia,
Egypt
Cash on the table
Sir-- Regarding 'Testing the waters' (Al-Ahram Weekly, 13-19 March), I wouldn't believe a darn word about the money offered by the military of the US for use of Turkey's ground space. Maybe they should put the money "up front" instead of the "promise" for afterwards.
This war has made me sick to my stomach. No country has a right under the UN charter to invade another sovereign nation. Bush and the hawks have done just that without sanction from the United Nations, and has done it under extremely flimsy excuses, none of which have been substantiated. Iraq was in the process of eliminating the WMDs under the auspices of Hans Blix, but obviously they did not do it fast enough for the hawks around Bush. Giving the Iraqis such a short time frame was a deliberate ploy.
By forcing as much destruction as possible on weapons of defence, he made it easier to do so much collateral damage that winning is pretty obvious. Judging from the pamphlets dropped on the Iraqis urging them not to destroy oil wells, me thinks that the whole objective of this war is to get their hands on the oil wells intact.
I doubt very much the Iraqis will see much of their oil wealth for a long time to come.
Frances Greenfield
Ottawa
Canada
Killing can't be undone
Sir-- As yet, we haven't seen any sign of the famous weapons of mass destruction that the US administration alleges that Iraq possesses. Obviously any state that possesses WMDs and that comes under attack would not fail to use them. So far, Iraq hasn't.
What if there are no weapons of mass destruction? What if the US occupies Iraq and discovers that all the accusations were groundless and that Saddam was in fact telling the truth? Would they reconstruct what they have destroyed and undo the damage done? Would they unkill the people killed? Unstarve the people starved? Give back the Iraqi people the many years of their lives which were lost?
And most important of all, how would they justify this war?
Gihan Amin
Cairo
Egypt
A, B, C
Sir-- I am a mother and I know how to solve this whole war.
One, pull out all the troops and send them home to their families; two, put in a UN referee; three, put the leaders of the USA and Iraq in a deep pit in the ground and let them fight it out, one-on-one. Whoever wins gets spanked and sent to his room without dinner and without TV.
And after a good night's sleep, we will talk in the morning.
Josie Armstead
San Diego, CA
USA
Hidden agenda
Sir-- As an American citizen, it appears to me that the US administrations step in and 'liberate' other countries only when there is money to be made.
If the justification is to promote 'democracy' then why did our government not step in and 'liberate' Libya from Gaddafi, Uganda from Idi Amin or the Phlippines from Ferdinand Marcos?
I do not see any hope that the US administration will send troops into Tibet to 'liberate' those who still endure torture and humans rights violations under the Chinese communist government.
Myra Sun
Los Angeles, CA
USA
A waste
Sir-- I find it truly amazing that our government can come up with billions of dollars to fund a war, but they can't seem to feed the poor or put these funds to better use such as helping our environment.
It is sad that our tax dollars are used for destruction.
Shane Beck
California
USA
Catch 22
Sir-- Iraq made a big mistake by agreeing to destroy its weapons, and now cannot defend itself well. If they do manage to put up a good defence, then they will indict themselves because the US will claim they violated the arms ban.
The Arabs should never have compromised their own security and agreed to a third class military in the face of future hostilities by the Zionists -- the US and Israel.
Demtis Harmbolus
Athens
Greece
Jamming signals
Sir-- In the US, we can no longer access Al- Jazeera's website or watch its broadcasts on television. It is blocked by the US government and its corporations.
It seems that in America we are not allowed to read or think for yourself; we must only listen to the government's side.
George Bush seems to be a tyrant, a man who allows his people no freedom.
M Badr Iqbal
Detroit
USA
Finishing the job
Sir-- Against global opposition, international legitimacy, the UN charter and the UN Security Council, Bush, and his protégé Blair, have chosen to launch a war of aggression against a sovereign country. Bush says that Saddam has killed his own people, so, what is Bush doing now? Completing the job? Bush says that he is going to liberate the Iraqi people, but I doubt that he is going to find anyone to liberate if he continues his ferocious bombings of civilians.
Bush expected Iraq to abide by the Geneva Convention in treating POWs at a time when he has ignored international legitimacy by attacking Iraq against the will of the UN. What kind of a logic is that? Has Bush forgotten that he is detaining hundreds of prisoners in Guantanamo and denying them any rights?
The hogwash that we hear everyday from Bush and Blair trying to justify their actions does not convince anybody. How in the world could they expect the Iraqis to receive their troops with dances and roses? Are they lunatics, as one of the demonstrations in the US depicted them? I read an article in the New York Times stating that Bush asked Sharon during their first meeting at the White House: "What are you going to do with the Intifada?" Sharon replied: "the Intifada is a mere flu, but the migraine is Iraq" So, is it a war by proxy?
I end my letter quoting director Michael Moore, who won an Oscar for best documentary at the 75th Academy Awards Festival on 21 March: "We live in a fictitious time, with a fictitious president who came by fictitious elections, who takes us to a fictitious war for fictitious reasons. Shame on you Mr Bush, your time is over".
Amr Badran
Cairo
Egypt
Tools of freedom
Sir-- I read with interest the assertion by Mr Salama A Salama in 'Tragic farce' (Al-Ahram Weekly, 20-26 March) that "no one believes [Mr. Bush's] promises or pledges if only because there has never been an occupying army in history that turned into a tool for liberation."
I daresay that your German, Japanese and Afghani readers have personal experience to the contrary. While he may reasonably question Mr Bush's assertions regarding American intentions in Iraq, it is impossible to ignore the fact that occupying American armies did indeed help liberate the people of these countries and helped install democratic and representative governments.
Indeed, they were the prime tool of liberation.
Michael Fitzpatrick
Soquel, CA
USA
Building blocks
Sir-- "Contributions" to the road map to peace are welcome from both the Israeli and the Palestinian sides, according to the statement released by President Bush. Why, therefore, must your writers be so skeptical that everything is slanted in favour of Israel?
Both sides have grounds for mistrust, so both sides should be able to contribute to a final peace agreement. First, however, violence must end; corruption must end; and hopefully trust must be created.
Steven Kane
Los Angeles, CA
USA
Refreshing newsprint
Sir-- I am presently a student from Scotland studying Arabic in Cairo. While I am an avid reader of Al-Ahram Weekly on-line, it's so refreshing to hold the hard copy here in Cairo. I must thank you all for such informative articles -- especially those that maintain the Palestinian issue within the international arena. My thanks of course go to Edward Said, Graham Usher and Azmi Bishara.
Being a member of a Palestinian solidarity organisation (www.scottishpsc.org.uk) within Scotland, we ensure that the Scottish public are constantly aware of your publication and the solid analysis that it provides -- especially in the current climate.
Many thanks for the fantastic and committed work.
Roy Paterson
Edinburgh
UK
Seeking knowledge
Sir-- It is very refreshing to read decent articles that show debate and analysis. American newspapers say absolutely nothing about what is really happening in terms of political and strategic global trends.
Filipe Fernandes
Madeira
Portugal
Poles in control
Sir-- 'Capital names' (Al-Ahram Weekly, 13-19 March) by your brilliant heritage editor Jill Kamil is an interesting story about the Russian excavations in Memphis. She describes, among other things, a "territorial conflict" between the Russian and Portuguese missions working in the capital of ancient Egypt.
On the accompanying map, however, it is a "Polish mission" that is allotted the place next to the Russians. I can assure you that Polish archaeologists were never engaged in excavating Memphis, although seven Polish missions do excavate various sites in Egypt.
Michal Gawlikowski
Director, Polish Centre of Archaeology
Cairo
Egypt
