Knowing how Americans think is essential [Archives:2003/631/Letters to the Editor]
Lorrie Celotto
[email protected]
I am an Italian American, who have written to the Yemen Times on numerous occasions in support of the creation and/or the return of a Palestine State to the Palestinians.
Need I say that this is a most unpopular view point in my Country, but I have always believed in my soul that this is the right and moral thing to do.
I firmly believe that if Israel and Palestine would have settled their differences, we in America would not have experienced the wrath of two bombings of the World Trade Center in 1993 and on 9/11/01.
I very much hear and agree with the Arab people when they say why does America support, and/or condone the killing of Palestinians, and continue to protect the Jews. If I was Arab, I would also feel that way.
What is true is that Arafat is by far no Angel; what is also true is that the Jews have also been extremely unfair and tough in these settlement negotiations, but I do believe that it is time that America resolves these issues, and create a Palestine State period!
Now America and Britain are in Iraq – Saddam Hussein Country. Again the Arabs see Americans killing Arabs. But here is what I believe the Arabs truly fail to see or acknowledge about the people of America:
1. In August of 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded a Muslim/Arab country called Kuwait. I do not recall one Muslim/Arab Country doing anything to help and/or rescue their “fellow Muslim brothers and sisters” For seven long months Hussein and his killers terrorized the men, women and children of Kuwait. It took the United States on January 16, 1991 to aid, assist and rescue the innocent people of Kuwait from the brutal hands of Hussein and his killers.
As an American I look at that specific time in history and I will always wonder why the Arab countries never acknowledged America for risking our own lives to help the Arabs of Kuwait.
2. There is a book called “Saddam's Bombmaker” published in 2000 and written by an Iraqi Scientist, Dr. Khidhir Hamza who was the architect of Iraq's atom bomb project in which Dr. Hamza sets forth the facts of “how Saddam terrorized his own scientists, played on the greed of nuclear suppliers, and bamboozled the International Atomic Energy Agency.” Please note that Dr. Hamza's dedication in this book reads: “I dedicate this book to the suffering Iraqi people, who have not had a decent break for eight hundred years.” And I hope everyone in our world reads this book.
It is frightening to think that we have allowed Saddam Hussein and his band of torturers to actually live in the 20th century – and control a country. If the Arabs really cared about their brothers and sisters, then help the USA rid your brothers and sisters of such a horrible and cruel man ) Was Saddam any different than any other monster in the 20th century, namely Hitler or Mussolini?
Just because I am an American doesn't mean I agree with everything Americans do and say. God or Allah has given me a voice, a heart and a soul to speak from, and I am grateful for this gift. Just because you are Arab does not mean you have to support Saddam Hussein because he is Arab.
Plain and simple, Hussein is a diabolical and greedy human being who kills, tortures and maims the men, women and children of Iraq. Is that what Muslims do? Is that what an Arab represents? Of course not ) so why would the Arab World support a killer such as him?
If your support of Hussein is about money and oil as I believe it is with France, Germany and Russia ) shame on you that money is more important than the honor and treatment of the Iraqi people.
Do you really believe that Saddam Hussein is honoring himself and Allah when he continues to torture and terrorize the Iraqi people for his own monetary and egotistical benefit?
I am requesting that the Yemen Times has the courage to print my letter. I honor you, as I hope you honor me.
We need to be kind to one another and embrace each others differences, not punish one another for them.
Dear Lorrie,
Thank you for your feedback. We should like to remind you however, that the entire Arab World condoned Saddam's flagrant invasion of Kuwait, and many supported and some even participated in the liberation of Kuwait in Operation Desert Storm. When something is right, no one in his right mind would allow himself to be blind, if not reactive positively.
The editor
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