2002 Letters To The Editor

October 18, 2002

Suspects

From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Melbourne, Australia.

In the aftermath of the Bali blasts, the dubiously controlled American and British mass media were quick to announce the "possible" responsibility of one "Islamic" group or another.

Instead, could we contemplate the possibility of CIA or Mossad responsibility? After all, they are the only party to benefit from the post-carnage propaganda.

Historically, similar occurrences were the responsibility of Zionist groups. The bombing of occupied Jerusalem's King David hotel in 1946 was the work of the Irgun gang headed by Menachem Begin.

Letters To The Editor - October 25, 2002

Global control

From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Melbourne, Australia.

Once again, another massacre, this time in Bali. Yet again we were quickly told that the likely perpetrators were "Islamist" groups. But what do "Islamists" stand to gain here?

Killing Western tourists, mostly from Australia, is damaging to relations between Australia and Indonesia. This is exactly what is needed to give a false boost to the dwindling support in Australia for the subservient foreign policy of its unpopular prime minister.

Killing tourism to Bali is a secondary aim. Further tarnishing the image of Muslims and Islam is another overriding – hidden – factor.

Australian public opinion is strongly opposed to U.S. aggression against Iraq. The Bali bombing was designed to reverse this trend. Will it be successful? We will have to wait and see, while Australia mourns the victims of hegemony and lust for global control.

Letters To The Editor - October 29, 2002

Moderation
From Mr. C.T. Mastroianni, Milford, Massachusetts, USA.

Regarding the atrocities in Bali, Mr. Hegazi ("Global control" Gulf News Online, October 25) asks: "What do "Islamists" stand to gain here?" and answers: "The Bali bombing was designed to reverse" the lack of public support in Australia for "U.S. aggression against Iraq."

Mr. Hegazi intimates that those who want Saddam Hussain removed from power orchestrated the attacks in Bali to gain Australian support. This is yet another example of the penchant for conspiracy theories which seems so prevalent.

I would urge Mr. Hegazi and others to read the statements of the various Muslim groups; they all speak of worldwide Jihad to impose their rule. Following the attack in Bali, Abu Bakar Bashir, leader of Jemaah Islamiah, states: "My message to the families (of the victims) is please convert to Islam as soon as possible."

Contrary to what Mr. Hegazi suggests, America does not seek "hegemony and lust for global control." These are the stated goals of Islamic terrorists.

To combat them, America needs the continued support of peaceful and moderate Muslims worldwide.

Letters To The Editor - November 1, 2002

Out of range
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Melbourne, Australia.

Mr. Mastroianni ("Moderation" Gulf News Online, October 29) says America is not after the construction of an oil pipeline through Afghanistan or grabbing Iraq's oil reserves. He wants us to believe in the American red herrings of "fighting terrorism" and eliminating "weapons of mass destruction" aimed at America. I am afraid such goods cannot be sold to an Arab readership.

America cannot possibly be within range of any missiles that Iraq could develop. European countries, which presumably would be within reach, are not worried. We will never equate freedom fighters in Palestine, Chechnya or Afghanistan as terrorists. This is the kind of fallacy the Jewish-controlled mass media in the U.S. produces.

Mr. Mastroianni mentioned "Islamic terrorists". Yet I did not say anything about the extremist Judaeo-Christians in America, who believe in the creation of a Zionist state on Arab land. Bush turns a blind eye to Israel, which is headed by a war criminal. Why is Israel allowed to stockpile weapons of mass destruction?

Letters To The Editor - November 5, 2002

Unsought role
From Mr. C.T. Mastroianni, Milford, Massachusetts, USA.

Mr. Hegazi's original letter ("Global control" Gulf News Online, October 25) spoke of responsibility for the Bali bombings. He did not mention oil, weapons of mass destruction or a pipeline in Afghanistan. Nor did I, contrary to his assertion.

He now states: "We will never equate freedom fighters in Palestine, Chechnya or Afghanistan with terrorists" ("Out of range" Gulf News, November 1).

Afghanistan is again becoming a civil society thanks to troops from America, its allies and Afghanistan, which defeated Al Qaida and the Taliban. If a pipeline is built, Afghans will benefit.

Oil was not an issue when America and Nato rescued Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo. If oil was its objective, America has the capacity to "grab" oil fields and could have done so in Kuwait and Iraq in 1991.

Most Palestinians now recognise that suicide bombings have damaged their cause. Similarly, threatening to blow up people in a theatre will achieve nothing for Chechens. The futility of these actions was well expressed in Arab Perspective (Gulf News, November 1).

America now confronts global terrorism. It is not a role we sought. But a world rid of dictators and terrorists will help ensure energy supplies and benefit economies worldwide.

Letters To The Editor - November 9, 2002

U.S. misinformation campaigns
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.

It is not my problem that Mr. Mastroianni ("Unsought Role" Gulf News Online, November 5) could not see a link between America's hegemony, aggression against Iraq, plans to control Gulf oil reserves and CIA staged bombings here and there, for the sake of giving Americans and the world a false impression that "Islamic terror" is rife and on the loose.

American extremists in the government and the media try to justify the bombing of Afghanistan, killing many civilians. They tried to justify the unwarranted madness and war-mongering about Iraq, a country far from the U.S.

Contrary to Mr. Mastroianni's notion about Afghanistan, America and its allies are suffering the slow depletion of undeclared casualties. Otherwise, the job would have been done "in a few days" as initially declared by Bush.

Nothing has changed in Afghanistan except a return to opium production and increasing hostility towards the invaders.

Americans will be stuck in this quagmire for many years to come before getting kicked out, like the Russians and the British before them, by the tenacious Afghan resistance that is building up.

Suicide bombing remains the only tactic against Israeli squatters in Palestine. It might take 50 or more years before the racist Zionist entity is dismantled, but it will be, as long as there are Palestinians willing to sacrifice their lives for their stolen country.

As to America's role in creating "a world rid of dictators", I would inform Mr. Mastroianni that I come from Egypt, where corrupt dictators were propped up and physically guarded by the CIA.

Letters To The Editor - November 12, 2002

Disservice
From Ms P. Coviello, Massachusetts, USA.

Mr. Hegazi offers a great deal of information but quotes no sources ("U.S. misinformation campaigns" Gulf News Online, November 9). I know a number of the American servicemen in Afghanistan and have had no word of any "mysterious depletion" in their number.

I suppose it could always be the CIA answering their wives' letters. As we only have about 1,500-2,000 special forces remaining in Afghanistan it will be quite some time before the U.S. armed services are "depleted".

It may also have escaped Mr. Hegazi's notice that Germany and Turkey have taken over peacekeeping duties in Afghanistan.

I would be interested to know how Mr. Hegazi came about the information on the CIA staging bombings. If this information was something other than the product of his imagination it would be worthwhile to investigate.

If American hegemony was the true cause of Muslim extremism, and not a smokescreen for an ideological battle, why would anyone attack Australian tourists?

Statements referring to the dismantling of the Zionist entity only reinforce the Western perception that the Palestinian struggle for justice has no merit. Mr. Hegazi does a disservice to those he claims to defend.
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Letters To The Editor - November 17, 2002

Mythical
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Greenaborough, Victoria, Australia.

Ms Coviello ("Disservice" Gulf News Online, November 12) indulges in flimsy semantics that twist what I said.

I never claimed I was privy to CIA planning or their role in September 11 and other pretexts for the scare campaigns undertaken by the U.S. administration.

My opinions are based on deduction, not on U.S. propaganda or misinformation. I never claimed I counted American body bags leaving Afghanistan, but Americans continue to lie about their casualties and attribute their losses to accidents and "friendly fire".

Palestine is Palestinian from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea. If the Zionist squatters do not leave soon, a day will come when they would find themselves as dead as the Dead Sea itself, no matter how distant that day might be.

We Arabs do not believe in the Biblical myth that Palestine should be transformed into the "land of Israel".

Letters To The Editor - November 18, 2002

Good for nothing
From Ms D. Menon, Dubai.

The American media, particularly Fox News, are quick to give the Bush administration credit for nothing. They are quick to gloat and make a big deal of nothing.

The Security Council had their way. Credit should go to Russia and France for getting all 15 members to vote unanimously and support "their version" of the resolution, "the two-step process" is certainly not what the Bush administration originally wanted.

Despite empty threats of acting unilaterally, America has ultimately agreed to disarmament through the UN and will have to revert to the UN if military action is to be taken along with the Security Council members on board, which will take months and the U.S. will find themselves in a quagmire. It is obvious nobody is yearning for a war.

Letters To The Editor - November 22, 2002

Not credible
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Greensborough, Victoria, Australia.

Ms Menon has indeed hit the nail on the head ("Good for nothing" Gulf News Online, November 18). Biased reporting is a familiar feature of U.S. media, but Fox News stands out as the main source of unfounded propaganda. I cannot stand the empty 24 hours of barking by their presenters and reporters. Retired generals and low calibre political ghosts like Henry Kissinger haunt their viewers with gibberish dressed as serious "analysis".

Bush once had the audacity to say, "The UN must do its job or we will do it." The more Bush wears that serious look on his face, the more he loses credibility. The gist of what North Korea declared lately was, "Unlike Iraq, which is accused of the possibility of having weapons of mass destruction, we admit to possessing them." I ask Bush: What are you going to do about it? Bush will be able to do nothing. He was left empty muttering statements about Iraq until the world got sick of listening.

Blair is now keeping quiet. Instead, he is satisfied with the theatricals performed in London about the eminent threat of "Islamic terrorism" and the gassing of the underground railway system.
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Letters To The Editor - November 24, 2002
U.S. propaganda
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Greensborough, Victoria, Australia.

Mr. Mastroianni illustrates American arrogance ("Contradictory" Gulf News Online, November 19). The Afghan and Iraqi people should be left alone. They can sort out their internal affairs without America poking its fingers into their affairs.

Countries might suffer years of turmoil before reaching their own solutions. It is much better for them than the interference of foreign aggressors bent on no good.

People like George W. Bush survive and thrive on blood and destruction. A long war against terrorism worldwide is the Trojan horse created by U.S. propaganda and CIA/Mossad staged terror. Subservient governments are contributing to the intensified scare campaign.

The U.S. propaganda spin machine is already propagating the theory that Iraq should be attacked regardless, the argument being that even if Iraq does not possess weapons of mass destruction, it would soon acquire them if the sanctions were lifted.

As to my stand against the racist Zionist entity in Palestine, this is the opinion of the overwhelming majority of Arabs.
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Letters To The Editor - November 27, 2002

Meddlesome
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Greensborough, Victoria, Australia.

Ms Al Mehairbi ("Dangerous man" Gulf News Online, November 23) misses the point. America has no right, whatever the pretext, to interfere with the internal affairs of Iraq or any other nation.

This international law principle overrides any other argument. Whether Iraq's president is a devil or an angel is irrelevant.

There is no love lost between America and any Arab country. Americans are after Iraq's oil reserves. They are not concerned about the welfare of Iraqis or Kuwaitis.

Had the Americans been concerned about the well being of any oppressed people, we would have seen a solution to the problems of Palestinians. Instead Bush has branded them terrorists.
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Letters To The Editor - December 1, 2002

Tit-for-tat
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Greensborough, Victoria, Australia.

Western corporate media invented the cliché "Israel's right to exist". Who gave such right to a parasitic racist entity that was carved by force in 1948?

It is no coincidence that Arabs surround Israel on all sides. The land on which Israel was concocted belonged to the Palestinian Arabs, who lived there for the past 2,000 years.

The claim by Israeli Jews to the land of Palestine, based on a fictional divine promise or the premise that their ancestors lived there 2,000 years ago, is absurd.

The fact that Palestinians lived in Palestine for the past 2,000 years is more relevant and much more meaningful.

Young Palestinians are willing to die for their country, using the only weapon available to them, suicide strikes. It is the noblest form of self-sacrifice.

The conflict is a tit-for-tat exchange; you kill our civilians, we kill yours. Palestinians will persist and will eventually prevail.

Palestine lies in the region between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, not on the disjointed bits offered in phony perpetual peace talks.

Historical precedent dictates that Palestinians will free their land. Until then, there will be no respite in the letting of blood on both sides.

Letters To The Editor - December 4, 2002
Rebutter
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Greensborough, Victoria, Australia.

I am coming to the conclusion that the Letters column of Gulf News has an active CIA press officer chasing his tail under several pen-names in a desperate attempt to impart some logic on the illogical imperialist stand of America and its satellites.

I will stop responding to his comments because of the futility of an exchange with a person with such an agenda who stubbornly refuses to understand that readers of this newspaper are either Arabs or Western expatriates who have reached a high level of awareness in this era of flowing information.

Gulf News readers are not American simpletons willing to swallow regular morsels of U.S. government lies and distortions. Gone are the days when the BBC or CNN were the main sources of news and information.

Feed any Internet search engine simple words such as "U.S. hegemony" to get many articles explaining the devious aims of U.S. and UK governments.

The Internet is indeed the "weapon of mass instruction" in the 21st century. So, CIA press officers should try to do better in an uphill information battle. They are too conspicuous to have any credibility.
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Letters To The Editor - November 29, 2002

Biggest threat
From Mr. P.H. Nejimon, Abu Dhabi.

Mr. Leach and the American regime are living in a fool's paradise, thinking that their state-of-the-art weapons can provide safety to Americans ("Objec-tives" Gulf News, November 25). Although I do not support killing innocent Americans, Osama bin Laden clearly proved beyond any doubt that the U.S. government couldn't assure Americans safety.

I ask Mr. Leach, who trained Saddam Hussain and bin Laden? Who is creating suicide bombers in Palestine? Who violates more UN resolutions? Can any American become a suicide bomber ever? Who loots the oilfields and natural resources globally? Who is supplying and holding more weapons of mass destruction? Why are the champions of "democracy and freedom" not safe everywhere? Who are Americans to change regime of a sovereign country? How is Saddam a threat to America? Did Iraq invade America? When someone attacks a country, which was sanctioned for 12 years and deprived of basic needs, is the culprit coward or brave? Who is more dangerous Sharon, Bush or Saddam?

America is the biggest danger to world peace. If Americans are mighty, they should free Iraq from sanctions – at least there will be some boldness in that.

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Letters To The Editor - December 6, 2002

Attitude
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Greensborough, Victoria, Australia.

Mr. Nejimon expresses prevailing Arab sentiment ("Biggest threat" Gulf News Online, November 29). The belligerent attitude of America will eventually make it unsafe for all Americans anywhere. Having a technological edge is not a licence to wage war and inflict death and destruction.

The declared pretexts for war against Iraq and Palestine can only convince American simpletons, driven by their abominable media of propaganda, hate and xenophobia. Long-term consequences of U.S. policy in the Middle East are really grim. Continued support for Israel is the source of all evil in the region. Israel is an alien body imposed on Arab soil. This racist entity will not last the test of time. Fifty years of shaky existence is no guarantee of continued survival. There will be no respite for them while there are Palestinians yearning for their country.

A war against Iraq will be met with anger and indignation. Gone are the days when warcrimes passed unchallenged. Many peaceful demonstrators could turn nasty. Governments subservient to America via threats or trade incentives might find themselves at unprecedented levels of confrontation with their own people. There is no telling what could happen then.
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Letters To The Editor - December 8, 2002

Discreditable
From A Reader, Abu Dhabi.

I have never laughed so hard in my life. The Gulf News Letters column had metamorphosed into the humour section. Mr. Hegazi's latest rant ("Rebutter" Gulf News, December 4) claiming the CIA is crafting propaganda for placement in Gulf News is incredible! Anybody taking it seriously certainly is a "simpleton".

Maybe he should do his next web search on "Arab conspiracy theories".

The reality is, America can't win. When America tried to stand aside, as we once did in Israel, cries for America to "do something" emerge.

When we tried to do the right thing like in Somalia or Kosovo, we get absolutely no credit at all. Now, by taking steps to do the obvious and remove a heinous tyrant like Saddam Hussain we only provoke uninformed outrage.

Is a man who tortures, starves and exterminates his own people really someone Arabs want to proudly defend?
* Name withheld by request.
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Letters To The Editor - December 13, 2002

Full backing
From Mr. R. Whatmore, Abu Dhabi.

The writer ("Discreditable" Gulf News, December 8) thinks the Letters column has metamorphosed into the humour section. I share his views for his own letter was laughably naïve. He states America tried to stand aside (be neutral) on Israel. When was that? America has always supported Israelis over the Palestinians; the present carte blanche for Ariel Sharon is only an extension of that policy.

The writer says America did the right thing in Somalia and Kosovo. In Somalia, Americans got in too late to stop the bloodletting and got out the moment American soldiers got killed. In Kosovo, America watched as thousands were killed and only when European pressure built up did Nato intervene.

The writer forgot to mention the countless corrupt leaders that America has sponsored from South Vietnam to Zaire. He also omitted a reference to the overt support for Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussain until they fell out of favour. America ignored the genocide in Rwanda and overthrew an elected government in Chile. By all means support America, which is a great country, but the writer shouldn't pull the wool over our eyes.

Letters To The Editor - December 14, 2002

Naïve

From Mr. D. Mullings, Dubai.

Far from Mr. Hegazi being a simpleton, it is the writer ("Discreditable" Gulf News, December 8), who is not only a simpleton but also naive and foolish to think the CIA, or any intelligence agency for that matter, does not have "favourable material" placed in the media.

I have absolutely no idea what he means by "do the right thing" in Somalia and Kosovo. Is this the same "right thing" America was doing in Iran 1953, Guatemala 1954, Philippines 1956, Congo 1960, Vietnam 1964, Laos 1967, Chile 1973, Grenada 1985 - shall I go on?

Does the writer have proof that Saddam Hussain "starves his own people"? Or did the CIA tell CNN to inform the writer that? And could I be as simple, naïve and foolish as he is and say perhaps he is writing from the CIA's public relations company offices? At least I have the guts to publish my name.

Dear Senator,

I had a visit to my home on 11/12/02 by two federal agents, who informed me that they were acting on information they received from the Gulf. They had a file with Internet copies of some “letters to the editor” which were published in my name in a Gulf newspaper (Gulf News, Dubai). The purpose of their visit was to ask me if I had any links to terrorist groups in the Gulf.

I must emphasise that the two agents acted in a very civilised manner and I do sympathise with the fact that they were acting under instructions. Therefore, this is in no way to be construed as a complaint against two officers on a mission they were asked to perform as part of their duties.

My objection is to the fact that they were under instructions from some higher authority. Such authority is absolutely ignorant and anti-Australian. We Australians do enjoy a high level of social harmony in our country. We should not follow the methodology of countries such as the US that divide people along the lines of their ethnic origin in a phoney “war on terror”.

Had these anti-American government letters been published under an Anglo name, I am sure they would have not attracted much attention.

I am aware that every Tom, Dick and Harry is monitoring my telephone and Internet access. I believe such monitoring would be sufficient in witch-hunt endeavours by the Australian Federal Police, without the need for counter-productive visual harassment of innocent citizens.

I am convinced that security organisations in Australia should rather be on guard against CIA and Mossad agents, who might instigate acts of terror in Australia similar to their criminal explosions in the US, Bali and Kenya, in order to promote their war mongering agenda. They have already prepared the ground by claiming that there are impending specific acts of terrorism that would soon hit Australia.

Yours sincerely,

Mohammed A. Hegazi

Greensborough, Vic 3088

E-mail: mhegazi@alphalink.com.au

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Opinion - Gulf News <opinion@gulfnews.com> wrote:

Dear Mr Hegazi,

Thank you for your e-mail. We are considering publishing your letter. We would just like to have a confirmation if you woul like us to publish your letter.

Regards,

Richard Villaroman

===========================================

Dear Mr. Villaroman,

You have my permission to do whatever you like. You may publish the letter as is, or you may make a news item of it. You are welcome to run a question and answer interview with me if you like. I will be on my way to a conference on Palestine, in Tehran via Dubai, in late January.

Best wishes,

Mohammed

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Letters To The Editor - December 23, 2002

Miscalculation

From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Greensborough, Victoria, Australia.

Mr. Ladkani gave a mouthing to the innocent National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) New Delhi ("Oddity" Gulf News Online, December 17). His premise was that it has on the cover of a mathematics textbook the equation 3x-4=4-(8+3X), which in his opinion reflected a "poor standard" of the NCERT.

As a teacher of mathematics, I would like to alleviate the apprehension of Mr. Ladkani. Allowing for a typo in the quoted information, the equation 3x-4=4-(8+3x) would be a simple first-degree equation in one unknown, whose solution is x=0.

However, if there is no misprint in his letter, the equation 3x-4=4-(8+3X) would still be a correct statement. It would be a first-degree equation in two unknowns that requires more information to solve. Usually, the extra information would be in the form of another equation involving x and X. The two equations would then be solved simultaneously to determine the values of x and X. Thus the NCERT is "as innocent as the wolf that was accused of spilling the blood of the son of Jacob".

Formula

From Mr. S. Saxena, Dubai.

I do not understand how Mr. Ladkani found the equation 3x-4=4-(8+3X) incorrect. Based on my analysis the above equation is absolutely correct. The value of x is zero which can be worked out as follows: 3x - 4 = 4 - (8 + 3x); 3x - 4 = 4 - 8 - 3x; 3x + 3x = 4 + 4 – 8; 6x = 8 – 8; 6x = 0; x = 0/6; x = 0.

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Letters To The Editor - December 30, 2002

In disguise
From Mr. M.A. Hegazi, Greensborough, Victoria, Australia.

Australia is part of the Asia-Pacific region. Its vital interests should be safeguarded by co-operation and good friendly relations with its Asian neighbours. However, Australia has been plagued by generations of prime ministers who are subservient to extremist Jewish supremacists in New York. Australia has witnessed a steady decline of its economy demonstrated by the deterioration of its health and social services and a fall in the standard of living of average Australians.

Every time there is a war to promote the interests of Wall Street usurers, Australian prime ministers offer unsolicited support. Australia sent troops to Vietnam, the Gulf, East Timor and Afghanistan. Its current prime minister cannot keep quiet on Iraq and North Korea. His latest stunt is a proposed Washington-style campaign of advertisements in Australian mass media requesting Australians to "report any suspicious behaviour".

It is an attempt to extend the U.S. scare-campaign to Australia. It is another service to world Jewish supremacists, in their endeavour to promote their phoney "war on terror". They do it by promoting a universal fear of terror, which, in itself, is a form of terrorism.