The Islamists & America [Archives:2001/31/Focus]

Jalal Al-Shara’abi
The islamists remain within all the Arab World including Yemen a force standing by the rulers supporting them in times of need and opposing them when their interests come into conflict with those in power or when the political allotment starts.
Yemen could present the best example for the islamists regarding the rational political participation, if compared with the islamists in the rest of the world. It is a unique experience extracted from conflicts and confrontations with the Islamic groups in different parts of the world. However, the question that rises is: why did the USA turn to become the main enemy of the islamists just now?
The matter is so apparent as the US which used to always be in line with the islamists and their chief leaders with the aim of using them as a card to exercise pressure on the different regimes and to create troubles and conflicts amongst the different countries. But now, the White House has realized that this policy has backfired and Ben Laden, who used to be its friend has become a terrorist after opposing its projects and strategies in the region.
The merciless policy adopted by the American administration against the islamists has unveiled its weakness. It also discloses that the US does not have that power it claims. Thus the C.I.A has failed to curb the islamists and could do nothing but supervise acts of killings and massacres against them in Cashmere, Russia, India, Indonesia, and in different other parts of the world. What the C.I.A can do is simply accuse the Islamic groups of any bombing or acts of sabotage against its interests without even investigating them.
The current stand between the islamists and the US makes us feel sympathetic towards the US, which seems to be totally helpless. Terrorism has actually become USA’s top priority, eating up much of its time in discussions and meetings with different countries.
The fear and panic living within the American administration is so manifested and deep-rooted. During the last meeting of the world G7 plus Russia held in Genua – Italy, the US administration tried to make terrorism and Ben laden the main issue of the meeting. Yes, it may be true that Bin Laden has become a nightmare for the Americans and their Pentagon and now it is trying to blame others for its own problems, but putting terrorism as the main issue is a selfish act while hundreds of other issues need to be discussed, including the peace process.
The US always claims to be the advocate of human rights but it is always the first to violate human rights when things start to contradict with its interests. The US has failed to rise to the occasion and become a true defender of peace and human rights by applying double standards when dealing with the Palestinian cause and its biased support for the Zionists in their war of extermination against the defenseless Palestinians.

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