The Editor:
The Guardian Weekly
Dear Editor:
In his speech, announcing the bombing of Afghanistan,
President Bush spoke of his abhorence of the killing of innocent victims, as in
the killing of 6000 innocent victims in the terrorist attack on Sep. 11,
and that the U.S and its allies will punish the perpetrators and those
who aid them. He also said: " The U.S.A is a friend of the Afghan
people, and we are the friends of almost a billion worldwide who practice the
Islamic faith."
Such statements by George Bush and Tony Blair exemplify
the height of hypocricy. The killing of 6000 innocent victims in New York is
clearly a horrible crime, but equally horrible crimes are being
committed today by the US and British governments, killing 6000
Iraqi children every month, as a result of the economic
sanctions imposed on Iraq since 1990. What kind of friendship is this?
Similarly, Israeli terrorism against the Palestinian
people, killing hundreds of men,women and children and demolishing thousands of
their homes, besides the extrajudicial execution of Palestinians, including the
use of chemical weapons, continues fully aided by the
US.
We are told that no bombing of the Afghani people took
place on Friday, as it is a holy day for Muslims. Are we, then, to understand
that it is perfectly gracious to kill Muslims six days a week,
but not seven days?!
I think the Muslim world would prefer better friends than
George Bush and Tony Blair. They would be satisfied with consistent
application of stated universal standarsds of international law and
punishment of ALL those who perpetrate the killing of innocent
victims, be they Americans, Iraqis, Palestinians or other innocent human beings.
The bombing of Afghanistan will bring about more killing and punishment on the
Afghani people, to whom President Bush claims friendship.
Selective war on terrorism
is immoral and unacceptable.
Yours sincerely
Ismail Zayid, MD.