Submitted by Lily Frances S. (United States), Jun 10, 2002 at 22:54
To take a small excerpt of one of your sentences and give an educated guess that this is/was the main (or at least one of the very Main) points or thesis of your article:
"But Israel's real interest lies in undoing distorted perceptions of the U.S.-Israeli relationship"
I must say I am in agreement. However, there is a LOT more that needs to be done regarding the problems over/about/with the surrounding countries of Israel and Israel itself.
The author is totally and completely on the mark as far as accuracy of what many, the majority for sure, if not all Muslims, believe about Israel especially and the U.S. as well.
I recently read an article in England's Guardian newspaper in which Ehud Barak was quoted as saying that, basically, as a people(s), the Arabs are pathological liars. In the article he was severly criticized and his opinion berated. However, if something-anything-is TRUE even if it is unpleasant, well, then, you may not like it but it certainly can't genuinely be criticized.
I happen to share Mr. Barak's opinion, and I do so based on a more "neutral" experience than many more "directly" involved in the current crises. I used to be an ESL teacher and dealt personally daily with many "Arabs" and many Muslims. I can tell you this: from Turkey, Kuwait, The United Arab Emirates, etc.---my students were ALL without exception indeed liars, cheaters, and under the impression that money could buy everything and anything.
Every one was also EXTREMELY intolerant of ANY religion except "Islam" particulary of Jewish peoples and the Jewish religion and Christians. I believe that if a murder occured right in front of a Muslim person by another Muslim person against someone of Jewish or Christian beliefs and that the Muslim person you were with could conjure up some unthinkable genuine belief that the Muslim person who did the murder was really innocent. It wouldn't surprise me if the Muslim witness were to say that the Muslim murderer were brainwashed by "American drugs" to serve a "Jewish" goal!
We DO in fact have murderers in the world, we do in fact have liars and thieves and Hello!?! Just take a look at almost every interview with any Muslim person. Many ask for proof that Bin Laden actually bombed the World Trade Centers--are you kidding? What- do you live under a ROCK?
Give me a break- you could show them a miracle from God if you had the power and they still would have their stubborn, ignorant views. Further, it doesn't matter if Bin Laden were absolutely proved guilty--many-thousands support the very evil causes he stands for!!
You might be interested to know that one of the writers you mention in this article along with Salman Rushdie--her name is Rana Kabbani, has a current article in the Tuesday June 11, 2002 edition of the Guardian (English) newspaper (something titled "Bible haters against Islam" or some such). I'd like to meet her face to face so that I could see her reaction when I go making up words adding things like "--phobic" or "--ophobic" on the ends of them. I'm sure she'd NOT appreciate being called Christianphobic for example. She is a typical example of what money and ignorance combined can get you--the adoration of the world.
Anyway, Hope you enjoyed my comments. They are true and I mean them sincerely.
LFScout
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