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Arbitrary justice
Sir -- On 20 June US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticised emergency law and "arbitrary justice" against peaceful demonstrators in Egypt. In a tough and accusatory policy speech at the American University in Cairo, she called on the Egyptian government to put its faith in the people and to meet objective standards for "fairness".
However, nowhere is there a better example of "arbitrary justice" than in the United States itself. Nowhere is there a greater lack of "fairness" when it comes to authorities vs the people than in the USA itself. For example, take the case of 281 officials from Washington and the federal governments who have committed crime upon crime against the populace (1.6 million to be precise) with total impunity. Not one has been investigated. It is not that the crimes were minor misdemeanours which may have been overlooked. No, they include felonies such as fraud, perjury, theft, rendering criminal assistance by police chiefs, tampering with court evidence by judges (to suite the outcome of their judgements), conspiracy against people's rights, obstruction of justice by politicians, and many more. Not one of these crimes committed by the 281 officials has been prosecuted. In juxtaposition, the famous Martha Stewart was jailed for five months for one lie, and an American singer was jailed for six months for pilfering a small parcel of cosmetics. The arbitrary nature of justice in the United States is unmistakable.
Anthony Keyter
Washington
USA
Fear of democracy
Sir -- Do you believe that Saddam was a decent man, a man who murdered thousands and kept his people in a constant state of terror, hunger and fear? Have the graves of thousands in Iraq not caused the tiniest bit of discomfort?
Democracy seems to frighten the ruling class in [some] unfortunate countries. Simply look to the "elections" in Iran, making a farce of the word itself.
JA Fredricks
Denver
USA
All together now
Sir -- I hope Michel Aoun has the political sense and will to work together with the other two or three major groups to build a democratic Lebanon. The students and other young civilians that demanded the removal of Syrian troops didn't do it separately. They were all together. Now Aoun, Hizbullah and Al-Hariri's representatives owe it to these young citizens to have more freedom, a civil society and the beginnings of a happy life.
I'm Christian but that doesn't justify batting the political wills out of those who are Muslim, Druze or non-religious.
Good luck to all of you. Get rid of the Syrian advisers.
They are causing or allowing too many assassinations. They aren't helping you Lebanese in any way, shape or form.
Patricia Wilson
San Jose
USA
Just wait
Sir -- Iraq and Iraqis will work hard to fix what the occupation did. The fake and imposed partitions will fall apart as soon as the occupation forces leave and the Hakim-Jaafar- Talabani government collapses.
Raed Jarrar
Amman
Jordan
Better to understand
Sir -- I thank you for publishing on the Internet. It is important, I believe, that we in the US have access to the opinions of the peoples of the countries that our administration is chastising for their form of government.
I think it is also important for us to be able to look at the Middle East as well as the rest of the world in a historical context to better understand how we can temper our approach with respect for differences.
Living in what is referred to as the "melting pot" of the world, I am disturbed by the notion that all nations should model themselves after our country politically and socially. As the French would say -- "Vive la difference".
Sharon Johnson
Wisconsin
USA
Only natural
Sir -- So, what's the big deal about the wrong name? (Sheikhdom flair, Al-Ahram Weekly, 5-11 February).
Remember, you're writing in English for non-Arabs.
Brian Shaw
Vancouver
Canada
Not a mob
Sir -- Referring to the profile on Samir Morcos ( Al-Ahram Weekly, 16-22 June) I think that people demonstrating for their aborted rights in their own country which was invaded by barbarians shouldn't be called a mob.
Hany Samir
Cairo
Egypt
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