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EDITORIAL
Bush's foreign policy blunder in Iraq
Built upon many centuries of wisdom, education and intellectual achievements, the great edifice of Man's glorious civilisation is now on the brink of collapse as the world has been witnessing pitiable erosion in ethical and moral standards over the years. Global politics is now governed by capricious politicians devoid of conscience, unlike statesmen who leave their indelible mark on their country and beyond. Giving a damn to all norms fascist dictator Hitler let loose an inferno worldwide in the wake of which millions died, and many more millions were maimed.
While US military casualties are mounting, President George W. Bush announced that he plans to increase the number of troops in Iraq. Addressing his nation early last month that about 21,500 extra US troops will be dispatched to Iraq -- where about 130,000 are already there, and among whom 3,111 have been killed -- Bush admitted that it was a mistake not to have more forces fighting the unpopular war in the past. Bush's admission of error was a rare acknowledgment of a mistake by him. Defying Democrats and polls showing public opposition to a fresh infusion of American troops in the nearly four-year-old war, Bush sought to justify the increase by saying if the government in Baghdad collapsed, the United States would have to stay longer in Iraq.
Chuck Hagel, the Republican senator from Nebraska, in the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, scathingly described the strategy outlined by Bush in his address to the nation as "the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam, if it's carried out." Poor Secretary of State Condi Rice sat wordlessly across from him.
The Iraq imbroglio persists amidst deaths and destruction. Rice's recent visit to the Middle East had one goal: hoping to find a better audience among traditional allies and gain their backing for the Bush plan. But hardly anyone seemed to be impressed by Bush's new way forward, pointing out that it contains many flaws, ignores the depth of sectarian grievances only made worse by bad policies approved by Bush, and disregards key recommendations tabled by the Iraq Study Group.
George Bush's critics say that he has committed war crimes in violation of the UN Charter and the Nuremberg Charter. He attacked Iraq, against the decisions of the United Nations, and thus violated the UN Charter. Planning and committing a war of aggression is a violation of the Nuremberg Charter. According to the US Constitution, say critics, these international treaties are part of the "supreme Law of the Land" that has been violated. President Bush contravened the UN Charter, which explicitly asks all Members to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations. Bush concealed facts to the UN and to Congress about the seriousness of the threat from Iraq, and invaded Iraq in defiance of a vote from the UN Security Council. His actions inflamed the Arab world and set a dangerous precedent for any other country that wants to defy the UN and start their own war.
Why cannot America maintain friendly ties with countries in the Southern Hemisphere? The reason is known to its inner sanctum Neo-con policy makers -- the US has been hell bent on 'exporting' democracy selectively. Vietnam was turned into a slaughterhouse; and now it is in Iraq; Iran is under threat. The irony is that the US is a democracy, the basis of which are the finest of liberal values and stringent norms of liberalism. They say, if the US is your friend, you will need no enemy because sooner or later US will become your sworn enemy. Both al Qaida's patriarch bin Laden and Iraqi President Saddam were close friends of US government; what happened later is incredibly true -- the brotherly ties fatally reversed subsequently!
Bush is quite likely to be the worst president in the 200-year history of the United States, said academic Huck Gutman, a professor at the University of Vermont. This has enormous implications for the international community, since US is not a small republic like the Maldives or Andorra, but a global behemoth. "Many of us in the United States do not like the way in which George W. Bush runs the American nation and attempts to run the world."
Giving a list of the top 10 reasons why President Bush "can be considered the most disastrous president in US history", he notes that the invasion of Iraq was on false pretences; he lied to his people and on the basis of those lies he has undermined world security and committed his nation to the destruction of much of Iraq and tens of thousands of Iraqis have died. Until the forties of the past century America was respected as the home of freedom and the hope of the downtrodden and oppressed among the nations of the world. Can the world expect the lone superpower to play a respectable role in world affairs anytime soon?
Politics of cash in Cairo and MB leaders
Jailan Halawi
Late last month the Cairo Criminal Court postponed hearing of the appeal against Prosecutor-General Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud's decision to freeze the assets of 29 Muslim Brotherhood or MB leaders, including the Deputy Supreme Guide Khairat El-Shater. The appeal will now be heard on 24 February. The families of the 29 men have also been barred from making currency or property transactions in a move that Muslim Brotherhood members see as a settling of political scores.
Mahmoud's decision, issued recently, is the latest escalation in the ongoing conflict between the group and the state. It was taken, explained Mahmoud's office, following investigations alleging that the suspects were guilty of money laundering, and channeling funds into reviving the group's paramilitary wing.
Sources close to investigation say, the freeze, which applies to bank accounts, cash and businesses owned by the 29, involves more than LE500 million, though Muslim Brotherhood sources put the figure far higher.
Mohamed Habib, the group's second Deputy Supreme Guide, told Al-Ahram Weekly the decision was "unjustified and extremely harsh," saying that the detainees are "respected and patriotic citizens, successful businessmen who have not committed any crime and are being tried only because of their political affiliations".
The companies involved in the freeze, Habib continued, while being owned by Brotherhood members, are "completely independent and have no connection to Brotherhood activities".
Denying all charges, El-Shater-attending the latest hearing-expressed dismay at the postponement of the hearing which he had expected to "immediately rescind" the prosecutor- general's order to freeze the assets. The prosecutor's charges, El-Shater claimed, were "politically motivated".
El-Shater's co-defendants include Medhat El-Haddad, a director of Arabiya for Construction, Osama Abdel-Mohsen Sharaby, director of Egilica Tourism, and Abdel-Rahman Seoudi, the director of Urban Development.
Economic and legal experts are divided over the repercussions of Mahmoud's decision. Some suggest that it could frighten away investors and lead to money being moved abroad, a possibility lawyer Ghada Qobtan discounts.
"The government," says Qobtan, "puts great effort into encouraging and attracting investment to Egypt. The MB is a special case, one that threatens national security and investors are quite familiar with what that means."
Senior Brotherhood figures have repeatedly complained that the state is engaged in a smear campaign, which the group is now attempting to combat via their web site that currently carries quotations from political and economic experts on the repercussions of the freeze.
The detentions, stock exchange expert Ayman Ragab is quoted as saying, will "paralyse the Egyptian economy and may lead to a collapse in share prices". Ragab also notes that parallel to the clampdown more than $3.6 billion have been smuggled outside Egypt.
Other financial experts believe that "for policy- makers, when economic welfare is pitched against political welfare, the latter will always take the lead," in the words of one veteran economic expert who requested anonymity.
"When national security is at stake," he said, "policy-makers act to prevent damage that could be irreparable. Economic loses can be calculated and those harmed by any politically-motivated decision compensated but never the other way round."
One official source close to the stock exchange sees the detentions and asset freeze as not only "a positive move on the economic and political front" but also "an assertion of [our] stand towards fundamentalism".
Rating agencies, she points out, examine the way the country handles fundamentalists in their assessments "in order to obtain guarantees that investments won't be at risk". Nor does she expect negative repercussions on share prices: "Technically, it will not affect the market... and it would be naive to base any evaluation on day-to-day events. If anything, the stock exchange market is bouncing back and making gains."
The prosecutor's decision followed statements by Minister of Interior Habib El-Adli accusing the Brotherhood of "working towards infiltrating the political arena and establishing an Islamic Caliphate". In an eight-page interview published by the weekly Rose El-Youssef, El-Adli noted that the Interior Ministry's policy when faced with "outlawed groups" is "confrontation rather than dialogue". Earlier in January, President Hosni Mubarak described the Muslim Brotherhood as "dangerous to Egypt's security".
The last week of January 2006 held other surprises for the Muslim Brotherhood. The Cairo Criminal Court ordered the release of 42 Brotherhood- linked students. Despite a similar court ruling earlier in that week ordering the release of El-Shater and 15 other businessmen, the Interior Ministry simultaneously issued a second arrest warrant, a move the group described as "the regime's attempt to maintain its policy of intimidation and terrorism".
Brotherhood lawyer Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maqsoud described the warrant as "oppressive and unjust", arguing that it confirmed "the dictatorial regime does not respect the law or freedoms."
El-Shater alleges the regime is trying to hinder attempts made by the group to spread awareness among the public over upcoming constitutional amendments and obstruct group members from participating in Shura Council elections this spring.
Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Mahdi Akef issued a statement in the same week denouncing the latest crackdown and questioning the sincerity of the regime's calls for political reform. It is the state, he said, that is creating a climate of corruption and unfairness and this will inevitably lead to "grave repercussions".
For reform to be achieved, Akef argued, "Egypt needs cooperation not conflict, reconciliation not strife, love not hate." He emphasised the MB's commitment to reform "whatever the sacrifices... for people and regimes.
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VIEW POINT
Dead Saddam: He is more powerful now than he was alive
Muhammad Afsar Ali Farajee
By becoming 'Shahid' or martyr for the cause of Muslims, Islam and the Iraqi people Saddam Hossain has virtually turned into one of the greatest Arab and Mulsim heroes of the 21st century; killing of Saddam is nothing but a Jewish-Christian-Shia conspiracy. It is also alleged that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait played a treacherous role in the killing of Saddam Hossain.
The great patriot of Iraq is dead but President Saddam Hossain will live long. The whole world is fully aware of hanging of President Saddam Hossain. But I don't find any appropriate language to condemn the death of Saddam Hossain. By all canons of international law it was a great crime against the humanity. To me dead Saddam Hossain is more powerful than living Saddam Hossain, Saddam became a great 'Shahid' or martyr for the cause of Muslims, Islam and the Iraqi people. As per the Holy Quran, Shahids are not dead but they are living.
President Saddam Hossain was a great patriot and he fought a heroic war against the infidels (Kafirs) and he fought for the sovereignty and integrity and prestige of the people of Iraq.
Saddam Hossain captured political power of Iraq in 1979. In 1980 Saddam Hossain started a total war against Iran. The throne of Reza Shah Pahlavi was toppled in 1979 in Iran and Shia regime captured power in Iran under the leadership of late Ayatullah Ruhullah Khomeni (a Shia spritual leader of Iran). At the instigation Anglo-US-Israeli-Saudi Axis he started this war which continued till 1988. By this war Iraqi economy was totally ruined. During that period he turned to be a great friend of Anglo-US-Saudi Axis. USA, Britain and Saudi Arabia gave full military help to Saddam regime of Iraq in this war. That war was a great blunder on the part of Saddam Hossain.
We should recollect our memory that Saddam Hossain was a great friend of Bangladesh. After the great flood of 1988 Iraq provided many helicopters and good quantity of relief in aid to our flood victims. Even Iraqi pilots helped Bangladesh in ferrying relief materials by helicopters. We should remain garteful to Saddam Hossain of Iraq for this help.
Another great blunder by Saddam Hossain was the attack and capture of Kuwait in 1990. In the first gulf war of 1991 Iraqi forces were driven from Kuwait by US-led allied forces, this time it had the approval of UN Security Council. It was uttered by Saddam Hossain that the mother of all battles started. After the end of the first gulf war total economic and military blockade was imposed as per UN Security Council resolution. But programme food for oil continued. So long Saddam was a stooge of US-Anglo-Saudi Axies he was regarded as a great friend of USA and her allies now, he turned into an enemy of world peace.
So long Saddam Hossain acted, as per wishes of USA he was a very good friend of USA but subsequently he turned into a great enemy of USA and even of Middle East allies, all the oil-rich Arab states proved to be great enemy of Saddam Hossain and acted behind the screen to dethrone Saddam Hossain.
Due to long total economic blockade against Iraq her economy totally collapsed. Lakhs of Iraqi people died due to lack of medical care as per Western media report. This situation continued till 2001. After the attack on Twin Tower of USA it was alleged by USA and her allies that Saddam Hossain had stockpiled woepon of mass destruction or WMD. But actually no WMD or atomic weapon was found in Iraq by the I.A.E.A. It was also alleged that Saddam Hossain was helping the Al-Qaeda terrorists but it was proved to be totally false.
US intelligence agency CIA prepared bogus and fictitious report about arms build up of Iraq. In 2001 USA and NATO-led forces attacked Afghanistan and the Talibans were driven from state power of Kabul. But Mollah Mohammad Omar and Osma bin Laden is said to be alive. Nowadays US-led government of Hamid Karzai only controls Kabul and the Talibans are fighting. All the rural areas of Afghanistan is fully controlled by Talibans.
In December, 2003 Saddam Hossain was captured by the puppet Iraqi government started trial of Saddam in Kangaroo court. The manner and process in which Saddam was tried and awarded death sentence was quite illegal. And at last President Saddam Hossain was hanged on the holy night of Eid-uz-Zoha. Saddam Hossain was a prisoner of war. He could be tried in an international war crime tribunal or court. So, till the hanging Saddam Hossain was the president of Iraq and this Kangaroo court had no authority to try him. The entire trial was quite illegal.
After death of Saddam Hossain the Mulsim world has lost a great patriot. A day may come when all Iraqis will mourn his death. We pray to Allah for patriot Saddam Hossain. There can never be any peace so long the US-led allied forces remain in Iraq.
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LETTERS
Parley on polls with whom?
Dear Editor:
We are extremely shocked and alarmed at the decision of the CG to invite the two large "political alliances" for dialogue in finding a solution to the current political problems. But it was these political elements who were solely responsible for all kinds of disorders in the country. So how can one go to the same elements again for solutions as they were responsible for creating the problems? The idea is ridiculous and totally illogical. These political alliances were formed to grab power and share the booties by plundering national wealth.
It was in the newspapers recently that, nominations were sold like cattle against cash without considering if the candidate was an honest and competent person to become a lawmaker of the country and its people. To secure support of a criminally convicted person and his party, both the women leaders of the two alliances, whom they once treated as their enemy, came out shamelessly with open bid to buy him at a cost of several crore Taka as high as 50 - 60 crore!! The question from where they would pay this amount and its source remained unanswered as ever.
After all what is one going to achieve by talking to theses politicians to whom only self and party interest matters before national interest. So going back to them once again will not yield any result as noticed in the series of parleys with them by the previous Advisers. Their intransigence led to the present state of affairs in the country. Moreover, discussions with these politicians may further complicate the process and will encourage them to unnecessarily meddle in the activities of the CG. Therefore, going back to them will be going back to square one.
The nation more or less is aware what should be done for holding a free and fair election under a neutral administration. Let us now proceed steadily to achieve that goal within a reasonable time frame, and if necessary a referendum could be held for endorsement of the measures adopted by the CG for the best interest of the country. Alternatively, by issuing a public questionnaire through various media, the public opinion on the issues also can be assessed. It is, after all, the people of the country who matter and not the trouble maker and selfish politicians who have brought the country to the brink of disaster.
Mohammad Ataul Hoque
How about all-night office hours?
Dear Editor:
Businessmen are clamouring for declaring one weekly holiday on Sunday on the ground that their bankers now don't communicate with their counterparts in the West on Friday when the world remains open.
Government offices including banks, having to keep in touch with offices and business houses in both the oriental and occidental parts of the world, have to wait at least 24 hours anyway to get response through telex, fax or internet from the offices overseas as the earth keeps moving making a huge time difference between Bangladesh and the rest of the world except the next-door neighbours. A letter of credit wired to USA today (meaning night in USA) will be read and acted upon in USA tonight (meaning day in USA) and on return the wire will not be acted upon by any office in Bangladesh before tomorrow at day time, thereby always making a minimum of 24-hour lag between us and the far-flung countries, even if offices in Bangladesh are made to remain open on all the seven days of the week.
No businessman, either in the occident or in the orient, complains as their bankers work when their counterparts on the other side of the world sleep. Of course, commercial offices in all countries, including Bangladesh, may have to burn midnight oil for urgent overseas communications with their counterparts.
Instead of declaring Sunday as weekly holiday shouldn't our businessmen ask the government employees and bankers to attend their offices at night time from dusk to dawn instead of from dawn to dusk to serve them?
Maswood Alam Khan
Banani, Dhaka.
Bangladesh's valuable 'Black Gold'
Dear Editor:
This is in reference to a news item entitled 'Ex-energy adviser's hasty deals" published on the front page of a Dhaka daily on January 25th, 2007.
In this connection it may be mentioned here that I found vast deposits of beach sand minerals Zircon, iron ore, rutile, elmenite, garnet, rnonazite, magnetite etc at Cox's Bazar in 1970 which I call 'Black-Gold'. Ever since I have left no stone unturned for the commercial use and export of the valuable minerals either in the public sector or in the private sector. In this regards many reports, article, comments and letters have been published in various national dailies and weeklies, but all in vain.
In 1975 Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission declared that they discovered heavy minerals and set up a pilot project with the help of the Australian Government.
But so far neither the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission nor the Prime Minister's Secretariat have taken any pragmatic and positive step for the commercial utilization of the valuable minerals. As a result millions of tons of minerals worth billions of dollars have been spoilt left uncared for and lost in the sea.
The valuable minerals Black Gold are not only found in Cox's Bazar but also in Kutubdia, Teknaf, Moheshkhli, Nijhumdip and Kuakata etc.
it is true that mining, separation, refining and purification of the minerals is a highly technical matter, a huge task and involves colossal capital investment for setting up industries and factories which a poor country like ours can hardly afford. But we may collect the minerals and export these in crude form and earn huge foreign exchange. Thus we may move step by step and utilize our national mineral wealth for the greatest benefit and welfare of our people.
My contention and claim is that if our poor people living in the coastal areas can earn their livelihood by producing salt from the sea water and fishing in the turbulent Bay of Bengal then why can't we earn money from the valuable minerals. Why don't we train the coastal people as to how and when to collect the valuable minerals from the beach sand and use it commercially?
I am opposed to any foreign aid, assistance and involvement of foreigners in our beach sand minerals because of loot and plunder of our wealth, sowing of corruptions, division and hatred by them among our people.
Would the Chief' Adviser to Caretaker Government kindly look into the matter in the greater economic interest and welfare of our people?
O. H. Kabir,
6, Hare Street.
Wari, Dhaka-1203.
How about all-night office hours?
Dea
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