In a single day this week, the Washington Post carried two news stories, one under the title of “Biden makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan”, and the other “Clinton makes unannounced visit to Yemen”. Of course, there is the security concern. However, I belong to a generation that saw American politicians and average citizens being welcomed all around the world, including Arab and Muslim countries. The United States used to epitomize the ambitions of every people and its yearning for freedom, equality and human rights. Then, the U.S. full bias in favor of Israel came into force, supporting it with money, weapons and its veto power at the Security Council, even as the latter committed war crimes, along with its occupation, murders and destruction. The United States thus lost its halo, which we had seen in the past, and its collapse was completed with the wars of George W. Bush in the past decade. Now, the U.S. administration has turned instead into the prototype of a malicious new form of colonialism that is hostile to every Arab and Islamic interest. President Barack Obama tries, and I do not doubt his intentions. However, he faces a Congress – with both its houses – that is more pro-Israel, more extreme and more hostile than the Knesset itself. I fear that the U.S. President will fail in the end, and U.S. officials will continue travelling under cover of darkness, as if they are wanted fugitives, and as if no one loves them or their country. I shall continue with some other stories from or about America: - Following the terror in Tucson, Arizona, where Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head and six other people were killed with scores injured, the name of Clarence Dupnik, the county sheriff, came to the limelight. Dupnik made some sharp statements that sparked controversy. However, what caught my attention most during his first press conference after the incident was his remark that the state of Arizona has “become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.” Dupnik definitely did not intend any offence against Muslims. The word ‘Mecca' entered the English language lexicon centuries ago. In my copy of Webster's Dictionary – which falls in three parts, each consisting of about two thousand pages -, there are two definitions of ‘Mecca': The first that it is the birthplace of Mohammed and the Holiest city in Islam, and the second, ‘a place regarded as a center for a specified group, activity, or interest'. The second definition was followed by excerpts from English language books, in which the word ‘Mecca' was used in the second sense. The origin of the use of the word is understandable. However, it does not suit Muslims to imply that Mecca is the center for anything improper or unscrupulous. To this day, there is a British gambling company in London, registered in the London Stock Exchange, which operates casinos and other venues, and also the Mecca Bingo company. I remember when I first moved to London in the mid-seventies that many Muslims protested against the name of the company, which was displayed above their offices. Although this was changed aftewards, the company's name remained the same. - Next month, former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's memoirs will be released. In the book, to be titled ‘Known and Unknown', Rumsfeld will attempt to justify himself, as George W. Bush recently did in his memoirs titled ‘Decision Points'. Most probably, he will be as arrogant as the former President, and will deny the killing of hundreds of thousands of Arabs and Muslims in wars that were waged on falsified premises. The title of the memoirs itself is arrogant. It is in reference to an absurd statement made by the Secretary, which made him an object of ridicule at the time. At a NATO press conference in 2002, Rumsfeld said, “Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know”. - In last week's news, a study conducted by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health has shown that a dramatic spike in birth defects is taking place in Falluja, with the genetic damage having been caused by weaponry used in the US assault against the city six years ago. In another story, Israeli peace groups gave the U.S. Ambassador in Tel Aviv empty tear gas canisters that killed Jawaher Abu Rahmah in Bil'in, all marked “made in USA”. What shall I say? ‘Thank you' Administration; ‘Thank you' Congress. - I conclude with something less serious. The friend Fatina Saleheddin, a young Lebanese American who publishes the newspaper Al-Sahafa in Ohio, sent me an e-mail message asking me to support bees, because millions of them are dying, and are even on the verge of extinction, although they play a key role in the human food chain, such as in pollination. Me support bees? I belong to a nation that has yet to support other humans. Fatina is aptly named, and I advise her to return to Lebanon, because if she takes a long time to do so, she may not be able to recognize the country anymore. [email protected]
