First Things First
I would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere condolences to
those of you who have been injured, suffered, lost loved ones or have been
otherwise adversely impacted (as all Americans have) by the truly tragic
attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and through plane
hijackings on September 11, 2001 by a group of terrorists. One cannot help
but wonder what is really going on in the minds of these outlaws.
Based on the research I have conducted, and having read literature and
seen numerous programs on television, the directives, which encourage the
terrorists to kill mass numbers of innocent men, women and children in the
United States and elsewhere are clearly forbidden by the best of Islamic
traditions and writings. In fact, many Islamic clergymen have come forward
and clearly stated that these actions have nothing to do with Islam or the
Koran (the official book and teachings of Islam). No matter what your
religious denomination, race or beliefs, it defies logic to believe that
those who commit such attacks will end up in paradise and remain with God.
The teachings of the Old Testament tell us we are all (Muslims,
Christians, Jews) the children of Abraham, and as such, we are all equal
in the eyes of God.
Before I discuss the root cause of the problems in the Middle East, I
would like to take a moment to explain why many people in the world do not
deserve what America has done for the world. Having lived more than half
of my life in these United States, I have come to the realization that
there is no other country in the world that compares to America in any
way. Here are my thoughts and why:
1.) Human Rights Champion. The United States is one of the most
prominent champions of human rights, not only within the U.S., but also
throughout the world.
2.) Land Of Opportunity For All Religions, Races And Minorities,
Including Women. Few other countries in the world even come close when
it comes to providing equal opportunity for its citizens, regardless of
religion, race, gender, etc. It is a known fact that a major contributing
factor to the unsurpassed progress and economic power of the United States
is that America is a melting pot of virtually all nations. Indeed,
America's doors are open to those who seek to become a part of this great
society and let their ambitions take them as high as they can go. If
America had kept other nationalities, religions and races from entering
the U.S., America would not be such a phenomenal success story and,
indeed, the world's leading superpower, bar none. Indeed, America is so
fortunate because it has opened its arms to receive everyone.
3.) America Is Always A Trusted Ally. Those of you who have had
dealings with or have done business with other superpowers know full well
that while some superpowers may renege on their original promises, the
United States does not. A case in point is Desert Storm. This war was
started by America and its allies to protect the territorial integrity of
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia from Saddam Hussein's attacks. Indeed, America
spent billions of dollars and sacrificed the lives of some young men and
women in the line of duty only to protect its allies, namely Kuwait and
Saudi Arabia. In fact, had it not been for the strong and powerful
determination of the U.S. in defending these countries, you can bet your
bottom dollar that Saddam Hussein probably would have taken over all of
the Middle East by now, and under such dictatorship, no fanatics or anyone
else could express opinions without getting shot.
4.) America Is A Superpower With Empathy. It has been said that
actions speak louder than words. Our country shows its truly superior
leadership and empathy by actually sending millions of pounds of food,
medicine, blankets, etc. to the Afghan refugees. In short, because the
U.S. is an empathetic and civilized culture, where protection of human
rights is truly practiced, it showed its graciousness and nobility by
actually sending humanitarian aid provisions to the refugees of a country
with which it is at war.
5.) America Is The Educational Source For Many World Leaders.
Indeed, many world leaders, business leaders and technology leaders are
trained in the United States' universities and related institutions.
Practically every cabinet member of every country includes several people
trained in the United States. I ask, how could such a wonderful country
that has done so much for the world be considered evil?
6.) The United States Is A Global Leader In Technology And
Innovation. Every country in the world is currently using technology
developed in the U.S. to increase productivity, solve medical problems and
improve overall lifestyles. In every country, when you turn on a computer,
the first thing you are likely to see is Microsoft Windows, reminding
everyone in the world that this technology comes from the United States.
7.) The United States Is Also A World Leader In Foreign Aid. The
United States is among the top five countries in the world to provide
foreign aid annually to needy countries. This is another noble tradition
by America that has continued for years. The problem is that in many
countries, 95 to 98 percent of the foreign aid goes into the pockets of
the rulers and people close to the rulers...not to the needy. But that's
another problem. My question is, would an evil country consider the
selfless acts of providing aid to foreign nations, even those with which
it is at war?
8.) The United States Is A Leader In Finance For The Rest Of The
World. Through the establishment of the World Bank, the U.S. has also
championed the provision of trillions of dollars annually in financial
support and loans to needy countries. While such actions are well
intended, most countries that receive such loans never have any intention
of paying them back. I ask, if America is not a good country, what do you
call the other thieves who, for a variety of reasons, accept money from
America, put it in their own pockets and give nothing to their people who
need it?
When You Compare, There Is No Comparison
In summary, anyone who lives on this planet should know that it is foolish
to question and challenge the greatness of the United States. In fact, if
there are such things as sovereign countries in the Middle East today, it
is because of the power of the United States. If the U.S. should suddenly
drop its support of the Middle Eastern countries, other superpowers such
as Russia and China, without a doubt, would move in immediately, get rid
of the Middle Eastern leaders, divide up the oil fields among themselves
and stay in those countries forever. The Middle Eastern dissidents or
critics would be placed in front of a machine gun, which would be working
around the clock killing thousands, if not millions, of people until every
last one of the opposition forces was dead.
A Great Source Of Problems In The Middle East Is Its Vast Oil
Reserves
As long as most countries of the Middle East have vast oil reservoirs,
there will always be a problem in those countries. Obviously, the
superpowers would like to protect the oil fields (at least in the case of
the United States) so that the economy would prosper, for the U.S. obtains
approximately a quarter of its oil imports from the Middle East.
On the other hand, if certain other superpowers were to take over the
Middle East, they would do so to take ownership of the oil fields from the
leaders of those countries and bring strict dictatorial rules. Thereafter,
they would forever control (and I really mean forever) the oil fields and
never release them.
Proof In The Pudding
1.) When the United States defended the territorial integrity of Saudi
Arabia and Kuwait, the U.S. government never claimed ownership of
anything, and, except for nominal policing by soldiers, the United States
left the countries alone.
2.) When the Russians captured Berlin in World War II, they never left
for 45 years and they actually put up the famous Berlin Wall. No German
was allowed to visit friends or relatives from East Germany to West
Germany.
I am sure the intelligent Muslim and Arabic nations as a whole realize
these facts of life.
Oil-Producing Nations Of The Middle East Need A Strong Ally
This is a crucial point for the Middle East leadership to understand.
A superpower like America is needed to protect the sovereignty of all
oil-producing nations to prevent foreign take-over attempts. If they don't
like the United States, they will have to take their chances with the
Chinese or the Russians.
In Summary
Having enumerated some of the greatest attributes of the United
States, any reasonable nation in the Middle East or around the world might
admit that if you are going to have an ally that can be trusted and
depended upon, it is the United States. As I pointed out, the United
States' presence in the Middle East is a major reason other superpowers
have not occupied oil-producing countries as yet. For this alone, I think
the world owes a great "thank you" to the U.S. for having
protected the sovereignty of their countries while not taking over those
countries and putting up walls of depression and suppression.
If you ask me, "Does the world deserve what America has done for
it?" my answer is a resounding "no." And...I am extremely
proud to be an American.
As usual, I welcome all of your comments.
Sincerely,
Nadji Tehrani
Executive Group Publisher
Editor-in-Chief
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| Terrorism
And Islam In Perspective BY ROBERT VAHID HASHEMIAN
The tragic events of the Sept 11, 2001 have no doubt left an indelible
mark on our hearts and minds. What has been especially painful is that the
attackers were so flagrantly indiscriminate with their targets. Many
innocent civilians were murdered, many others left with a sense of
confusion, loss, anger and resentment. These feelings are not only due to
physical casualties inflicted, but also due to those intangible casualties
that will be with us for some time to come. As the attacks unfolded, we
all had to face the reality that humanity had lost some ground, hope had
lost some light, freedom had lost some luster, and these realizations left
us justifiably angry and hateful toward those who committed such
atrocities. Unfortunately, the backlash has mostly shown itself as
resentment for a certain ethnic and faith group, in this case Moslems.
In times of severe shock and outrage, human feelings can succumb to
powerful dark forces, stifling the good in all of us, blinding us to the
fact that only a miniscule portion of people associated with a certain
race or religion take such extreme actions. We can sometimes forget that
the majority of the people of the world, regardless of their faith or
background, are inherently good individuals who value human qualities,
strive for a better life for themselves and their children and help their
fellow humans whenever they can. Laws and regulations are meaningless and
ineffective if we cannot rely on and trust the true goodness of human
nature. And today, while we have lost a part of our innocence, it is still
this inherent human goodness that brings us together to mourn our losses
and carry on with our lives.
In my life, I have seen different sides of seemingly different worlds.
I was born in Germany, raised in Iran and educated in America. My father
is a moderate Moslem and my mother a secular woman. My close relatives are
as diverse in nationality as Scandinavian to African-American and practice
a variety of religions. It is striking that our similarities as people so
much more outweigh our differences.
Most religions (including all major ones) preach peace and respect for
human life. The holy books associated with these religions have plenty of
passages confirming this attitude. Unfortunately, there are tiny groups of
evil-doers who have manipulated and subverted religion for their own evil
deeds. For as infallible as we would like to believe religions are, they
can be dangerous in the hands of a few and their cult-like followers. No
faith is immune to this subversion. Unfortunately, Islam has been used as
an excuse to drive a few men to commit horrific crimes. No doubt, these
men were blindly guided by the real evil powers to take their own lives
along with thousands of other lives with superficial promises of a
permanent address in heaven upon their deaths. Rest assured that their
bosses know better than to put their own lives or those of their immediate
families on the line. That sacrifice is reserved for a few naive and
gullible souls who are completely dominated by their masters.
It is up to us to come together as humans and prove that true humanity
transcends all religious and racial boundaries, and in the end it will
vanquish over all evil. In the immortal words of the late John Lennon, you
may say Im a dreamer, but Im not the only one.
The author may be contacted at rhashemian@tmcnet.com.
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