'Tough week, tragic day'

This week, the United States military occupation force in Iraq suffered its worst attack when a Chinook helicopter was gunned down by Iraqi resistance fighters on the outskirts of Fallujah. The attack resulted in the death of 15 US soldiers and the wounding of 21 others. L Paul Bremer, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority said that last week as a "tough week". Donald Rumsfeld, US defence secretary, said that 2 November was a "tragic day".

This is the fourth time Iraqi resistance fighters have shot down a US helicopter, and more attacks are to be expected in the future.

Tellingly, the attack was greeted with jubilation by the residents of Fallujah. Many around the Arab and Islamic worlds also celebrated, feeling that such strikes are legitimate resistance to foreign occupying forces.

The US should heed these grave warning signs. US policies towards Arab and Muslim nations are endangering international peace, spreading fanaticism and terror, debasing economies, threatening political stability and ripping apart the very fabric of society in these countries.

The foreign ministers of Egypt and the six countries bordering Iraq met in Damascus on the same day of the Fallujah incident. Ominously, they remained silent about attacks against US-led coalition troops.

The US must seriously re-examine its policy towards the Arab and Islamic worlds. The military occupation of Iraq must end. On the eve of the presidential elections campaign, George W Bush, under intense criticism from both friend and foe -- and even from congressional Republicans -- cannot afford this continuing tragedy that is ever more reminiscent of the disaster of Vietnam.

Washington must act now to allay Arab, Muslim and American fears.