Wanted.. Dead or Alive! [Archives:2001/40/Focus]
Jalal Al-Sharaabi
America has changed its policy towards the current situation in its land. Thus, the coming phase will be the phase of declaring the war against terrorism. However, what does the US intend to do? Could America regain what it has lost, or regain its fading dominance? America has remained the master of the world, imposing its force on administrating international affairs. Some think that America is totally secure, and it is the only state that is insurmountable in front of these global changes. Political analysts have confessed that America has fallen prey due to its arrogance, superciliousness and haughtiness. Perhaps, the US does not realize its mistakes in relation to its policies in the world, specifically with Third World countries. The recent terrorist acts against New York and Washington culminated in the killing of the innocent civilians from all over the world. It also rings alarm bells to remind America of its foreign policies towards nations of the world. Terrorists acts in the US are not the first of its kind at the international level. It is proceeded by other harmful acts, represented by its setback in Chinese policy aftermath, the detainment to its spy plane in Chinese territories, the emergence of opponents at the Durban Conference because of its policies, the Anti-racism Conference policy, and globalization. At the international level, the economic recession, the multi-racist structure that reaches 60 percent of the population, represents a big challenge to the US. The US has directly pointed the finger at Arabs and Muslims without any convincing proof. It recklessly relates terrorism to Islam, unmindful of what is going to happen. It is known to all that Islam opposes any kind of terrorist acts.
The state of hostility between Arab and Muslims is obvious and becoming very clear these days. It is America that gives the green flag to Ariel Sharon and all the Israeli War Generals to kill innocent civilians in Palestine using American weapons. It is not enough that America itself has imposed sanctions on Iraq, Libya, and Sudan. It is America that makes Muslims throughout the world victims to terrorist acts in streets, houses, cars and mosques, only because the victim is Muslim or Arab.
America has to carefully reconsider what is going to happen. America has to realize that terrorism is the opponent of all of humanity and terminating it is the responsibility of all, and not America itself.
The American decision to arrest Osama Bin Laden dead or alive and the its declaration of a new Crusade against the terrorists will not exterminate terrorism, it will of course add fuel to the flames. Justice, considerations of others, disseminating equality and peace is the only solution to overcome terrorism. Exterminating bin Laden alone will not solve the problem; it will create thousands of Ladens. I think, and others will agree with me, what there is in Afghanistan does not deserve attention. We have to wait for a while and we will see what will happen. Perhaps America will take severe actions, but the consequences will be catastrophic at best. The American people and its leadership realize this aspect completely. It is certain that the majority of the people are dissatisfied.
Yemen and the USA
At the local level, Yemeni-American relations are strongly established via economical reforms under the supervision of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). There is also the security file, in which cooperation between Yemen and America is conducted by both sides. There is also the file concerning the human rights and Islamists in Yemen. All the parties, organizations, and movements have strongly condemned the terrorists operations in the US, and at the same time they have condemned the aggressive actions in Palestine. American support for Israel weakens its role, particularly with foreign policy.
Concerning the Islamists in Yemen, there are few people in different remote places. They live like other normal citizens. The American skepticism has increased too much after the USS Cole bombing incident in Aden. They consider Yemen as one of the countries which harbors terrorism. Yemen is far from any military attack, but the US accuses Yemen of being involved in the New York attack without clear testimony.
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