Author: Dr. S. Ausaf Saied Vasfi
Publication: The Organiser
Date: October 7, 2001
Following the unfortunate, September
11 terrorist assaults on he imposing, 110-storey twin towers of World Trade
Centre (WTC) as well as equally prestigious Pentagon, housing massive defence
establishment, the American leadership seems to have lost its poise and
equilibrium.
That was the least expected by the
"superpower", which has no second in the present day unipolar world. And,
perhaps, therein lies the justification of its less-than-balanced reaction.
Its ego has been badly bruised. Chinks in its armour have become visible
to all and sundry. Fortress America is pregnable, this is the general impression.
Now a frantic search, bordering on a virtual witch-hunting is on to find
a goat. Simultaneously. another mischievous essay by a large section of
media to equate terrorism with Islam is in full swing.
No effort at all is being made to
delve deep into the "why" and "what" of terrorism that happens to be a
border-less phenomenon. The terrorists have, in the past also, targeted
America, its missions abroad and its citizens living in foreign countries.
Bombing of two US embassies in Africa in 1998, explosion at die World Trade
Centre itself in 1993 and assaults on American interests in Saudi Arabia
and after the Gulf war are the cases in point. A point to be especially
pondered over by the American think-tanks is: why even the recipients of
the US patronage hate the United States? If an extensive survey of the
Muslim world is undertaken today. It would be found a sizeable section
of the one-fifth of mankind thinks that the tragedy that has so sadly struck
America, is the result of its own wrong doings.
The question is why this enormity
of hate? The reason of the victims' ecstasy is: "Let the Americans have
a taste of what we have been tasting since long of their government's unjust,
unfair and biased policies." The victims are not insensate freaks. USA's
prejudicial policies have hurt them.
The day the US leadership finds
an appropriate answer to the said common sense question and makes suitable
amends in its foreign policy, the periodic outburst of anger and vengeance
against it would stop.
Soon after the reprehensible bombings,
the needle of suspicion immediately turned towards Osama bin Laden, who
denied his hand, but mid it was God's punishment to America.
Now round-the-clock pressure is
being exerted on Pakistan to help America in either catching hold of the
man suspect or bombardment of Afghanistan as a punishment.
Now predicament of Pakistan seems
to have sadistically provided Indian government its finest hour because
New Delhi is of the concerted view that Islamabad is exporting terrorism
to India via Kashmir. Then Dawood Ibrahim who is wanted in the serial bomb
blasts case of Mumbai, is allegedly to he enjoying Pakistan hospitality.
New Delhi would, naturally be happy if America punishes not only Afghanistan
but Pakistan also. Alter achieving its dubious ends the US would go away.
What would happen to our neighbourly relations in future? Israel, which,
for its own ulterior motives, is egging New Delhi to say good-bye to good
sense, would, in fact, be happy at the further worsening of the Indo-Pak
relations.
Terrorism is not the monopoly of
those who misuse the name of Islam, which is the ideology, religion, raises
desire of the world Muslims. Equating Islam with terrorism is neither a
leadership quality nor a statesmanship trait. It is, perhaps, petty politics
rather politicking, behoving small-leaders, not George Bush or Tony Blair.
Islam is not their ultimate enemy.
Their ultimate enemy is their exploitative foreign policy, which is biased
against the Arab-Islamic world in the contest of the US rather western
indefensible support to Israel. Tel Aviv is the chief culprit. It's the
Zionist influence on the western capitals that is playing havoc. Sooner
or later, and sooner the better, at lean now the needle of suspicion should
turn towards Israel. Demonising Islam and its peace-loving adherents won't
help.
Another noteworthy point is that
the Arab-Muslims support had a major say in the election of Shri George
Bush. It was naturally disliked by Israel. Can't this incident be seem
as an essay in lengthening shadows between Shri Bush and Muslims?
The latest from Israel is that Shri
Yasser Arafat is Israel's bin Laden. In the background is the Oslo Accord
which of Tel Aviv's dishonesty, obduracy and hypocrisy lies in tatters.
But it still enjoys protection of America and can count on the NATO or
European countries in its hour of need. This unfair policy creates unimaginable
consequences.
How disquieting is the irony that
Turkey, which happens to be a NATO member, is on full alert for invasion
on Afghanistan. It is waiting for orders from the NATO headquarters. On
the other hand, Pakistan is being threatened with dire consequences if
it does not dot the Is and cross the Ts on the dotted lines, drawn by America,
which sees determined to invade Afghanistan, which says Osama has no link
whatsoever with the outside world and that pilots cannot be trained in
Afghanistan to decimate landmark towers of die United States. But it appears
nobody is receptive enough to reason.
Till today no organisation from
Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya or Syria or Sudan has owned responsibility
for the suicide attacks. The US intelligence agencies have 70 suspects.
On of them happens to be Osama bin Laden, against whom there are not sufficient
grounds for arrest or liquidation. And overt or covert action against Afghanistan
would be not only outrageous to the Islamic world but counter-productive
to America as well. Because Afghanistan, like any other country, is entitled
to life and life with dignity. The case of America, which deserves sympathy
in this hour of grief, is weak. It would not, and does not stand to scrutiny.
On mere suspicion no innocent person or country should be punished in the
civilized world.
As Indian Muslims, we legitimately
expect our Government to rise to the occasion and say No to American-Israeli
designs. Their mercantile and ethnic interests are their permanent friends.
The Indian Muslims have however
noted with satisfaction that the Prime Minister, in his to the nation,
on September 14, has made it clear that "Islam should not be equated with
terrorism". But what disturbs an average Indian is his uncalled for readiness
to provide assistance for the US and its motivated allies in the event
of bombardment on Afghanistan. We do not want to see Bharat tied to the
apron strings of the United States and its protege Israel. We are for upholding
non-alignment that is more dignified and more profitable. Our avoidable
support may accelerate instability in our region. And how far the US would
help New Delhi in pulling its chestnuts out of the Pakistan fire is not
clear. Then, it would carry a price tag.
In the given scenario, Russia and
China are the only countries that have expressed reservation about a joint
attack on tiny landlocked Afghanistan. Others' silence is positively contributing
to the punishment of Afghanistan for a crime, it says, it has not committed.
Allowing America to fight its dubious
wars on the South Asian soil or extending cooperation to the West in this
regard is stupidity of first order. Let us not bleak our future ties with
our neighbours, just to please distant friends or acquaintances. We say
so out of utter patriotic feelings and nationalist zeal.
(Courtesy: Radiance Flews Weekly,
23-29 September 2001)
