تويت
Muslims unhappy with U.S. control
By Nick Maheras, STAFF WRITER April 11, 2003
The Muslim and Arab world may be pleased to see Saddam Hussein deposed, but don't look for expressions of gratitude for the U.S. role in bringing the Iraqi dictator down.
Opponents of the Iraq war are waiting to see how the U.S.-led coalition will handle the aftermath of the conflict."I can speak for myself and the people I talk to," said Jameel Khalifa, a member of the board of trustees of the Islamic Center of Greensboro.
"Most people, Muslims or non-Muslims, anybody in their right mind, would be glad to see him (Saddam) go. The bigger challenge is what comes next."
While television cameras recorded the exultant reaction of segments of the population of Baghdad Wednesday when the regime virtually collapsed, Khalifa said plenty of apprehension remains in the Muslim world.
"No one really argued that this man needs to be stopped," he said. "It's the process and how we do that.
"This doctrine of a pre-emptive strike is setting a dangerous precedent. I'm not sure that this, as a principle, is a good thing to do. Others might use this to go into other countries."
Khalifa, a native Pakistani, said much still depends on what the future holds for Iraq.
"I think time will tell as to how the Iraqis find their future," he said.
"If things improve for most of them, everybody will say it was a good thing to do."
Badi Ali, a native Palestinian and imam of the Islamic Center of the Triad in Greensboro, has opposed the war from the outset and helped organize a trip to Baghdad by a group of "human shields."
Ali himself had planned to go act as a "human shield," but he waited too long and decided not to go after all.
Ali dismissed the television scenes of jubilant Iraqis welcoming coalition forces in Baghdad Wednesday.
"I will say this is another Hollywood movie designed by the American military to win the hearts and minds of the American people," he said.
"These people (celebrating Iraqis) are about 70 or 80 people. They do not represent the Iraqi people. They will never come out and support this armed robbery of their country."
Ali condemned a coalition victory in Iraq as an occupation.
"Bush and his administration won the battle, but they will never win the war," he said.
"A few of the Kurds and some American agents are welcoming the invaders because they're hungry for power. They might throw rice for a couple of months, but that will change."
Ali sees no justification for the war in the toppling of Saddam Hussein.
"I'm not (glad to see Saddam Hussein gone), because I think this is a job for the Iraqi people," he said.
"I wanted the Iraqi people to get rid of Saddam, not a foreign power or an invading force."
Ali's anti-war efforts and what he calls the "peace movement" have become more challenging, he said, since the first signs of a coalition victory in Iraq.
"In order for us to survive," he said, "now, we are not fighting against the war. We are fighting against the American occupation of Iraq."
Nick Maheras can be contacted
at 888-3534 or nmaheras@hpe.com
By Nick Maheras, STAFF WRITER April 11, 2003
The Muslim and Arab world may be pleased to see Saddam Hussein deposed, but don't look for expressions of gratitude for the U.S. role in bringing the Iraqi dictator down.
Opponents of the Iraq war are waiting to see how the U.S.-led coalition will handle the aftermath of the conflict."I can speak for myself and the people I talk to," said Jameel Khalifa, a member of the board of trustees of the Islamic Center of Greensboro.
"Most people, Muslims or non-Muslims, anybody in their right mind, would be glad to see him (Saddam) go. The bigger challenge is what comes next."
While television cameras recorded the exultant reaction of segments of the population of Baghdad Wednesday when the regime virtually collapsed, Khalifa said plenty of apprehension remains in the Muslim world.
"No one really argued that this man needs to be stopped," he said. "It's the process and how we do that.
"This doctrine of a pre-emptive strike is setting a dangerous precedent. I'm not sure that this, as a principle, is a good thing to do. Others might use this to go into other countries."
Khalifa, a native Pakistani, said much still depends on what the future holds for Iraq.
"I think time will tell as to how the Iraqis find their future," he said.
"If things improve for most of them, everybody will say it was a good thing to do."
Badi Ali, a native Palestinian and imam of the Islamic Center of the Triad in Greensboro, has opposed the war from the outset and helped organize a trip to Baghdad by a group of "human shields."
Ali himself had planned to go act as a "human shield," but he waited too long and decided not to go after all.
Ali dismissed the television scenes of jubilant Iraqis welcoming coalition forces in Baghdad Wednesday.
"I will say this is another Hollywood movie designed by the American military to win the hearts and minds of the American people," he said.
"These people (celebrating Iraqis) are about 70 or 80 people. They do not represent the Iraqi people. They will never come out and support this armed robbery of their country."
Ali condemned a coalition victory in Iraq as an occupation.
"Bush and his administration won the battle, but they will never win the war," he said.
"A few of the Kurds and some American agents are welcoming the invaders because they're hungry for power. They might throw rice for a couple of months, but that will change."
Ali sees no justification for the war in the toppling of Saddam Hussein.
"I'm not (glad to see Saddam Hussein gone), because I think this is a job for the Iraqi people," he said.
"I wanted the Iraqi people to get rid of Saddam, not a foreign power or an invading force."
Ali's anti-war efforts and what he calls the "peace movement" have become more challenging, he said, since the first signs of a coalition victory in Iraq.
"In order for us to survive," he said, "now, we are not fighting against the war. We are fighting against the American occupation of Iraq."
Nick Maheras can be contacted
at 888-3534 or nmaheras@hpe.com
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