America’s Carrot

The West, America in particular, cannot afford to end the Palestinian tragedy by, say, pressurizing Israel to give them a state within well-defined borders and assured security. It cannot though, because that will lose for America the carrot it has been using for over 40 years to get Arabs to do anything they want — from freezing out the Soviet Union to invading Iraq. The White House makes a public commitment pledging to start the stalled peace process rolling again and sends a high profile representative to Arab capitals. America knows that Israel will not make the concessions needed to give the initiative life and that it cannot persuade it to. “Road Map” would be in the air for 24 hours and there would be no end to the parade of the mighty promising peace until Arab capitals yield and give in.

Once that happens, all peace sirens will suddenly fall silent. You will hear nothing more of Palestinians or their tragedy — until the next time they need your support.

They are back in the region again. George Bush does not come looking for peanuts. Nor does his secretary of state. Rarely have they brought anything good to the region. Massive bloodshed and destruction follow them to the Middle East, as do thousands and thousands of widows, orphans and refugees. It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good.

Hamid Ansari, Riyadh published 17 May 2008

Harassment by Teachers

As a retired professor from a teachers’ college in India on a visit here, I found it painful to read the report “Women Students Have a Hard Time Dealing With Flirtatious Teachers” (May 9). However, I would like to assure young ladies that, disgusting though the habit is, it is a universal problem in universities and colleges where male teachers take classes for female students or where there is coeducation. That such things are happening is a reflection of the faulty “assessment” system where the “subjective element” is too prominent. The only way to check the type of harassments, as reported in the story, is that each grade given to every student must be based on a four-to-five-points scale where analysis is possible on rechecking when demanded by the examinee.

Just because a tutor or examiner allots a D grade to a particular student on his or her personal whims, the student should not suffer. I earnestly feel that the factor of “accountability” is missing here. The examiner or tutor must be made to account for his assessment procedure to the next senior member of the faculty and, where needed, there should be a provision for reassessment. This would certainly stop harassment of genuine students by “malicious tutors.”

Keshav Khandekar, Jubail published 17 May 2008

Harassment by Teachers [2]

Linda Heard’s article, “Lebanon’s Sleeping Giant” (May 13), was a fair assessment of the current state of Lebanon. But her final conclusion was far too conciliatory, given the harm perpetrated by such so-called leaders as Walid Jumblatt, Fuad Siniora and Saad Hariri who can’t have much love for Lebanon to readily hand the country to the US and their Western allies.

Armina Ebrahim, Jeddah published 17 May 2008

Homeless and Hungry

Badea Abu Al-Naja’s report, “Unable to Pay Rent, Makkah Family Live in Tent,” (May 11) conveyed sad news. But one thing must be noted: The gentleman is not using his taxi full time. In the Kingdom, if anyone uses his taxi as others do, he would not have had to live in hardship or poverty.

I must say that he is not applying himself fully to his job.

Syed Shafiqul Islam, Jeddah published 17 May 2008

Women in Hotels

I didn’t understand what Najah Alosaimi’s story, “Women Staying in Hotels Complain of Discrimination” (May 12), was all about. You want to leave your home and city, travel and rent accommodation alone — and expect no one to look at you? You ask for driving licenses and are prepared to drive, but what do you want men to do on the road? To switch off their headlights when you approach from the opposite direction or to turn right when you stop on the left? You must be ready to take the heat when you enter the kitchen.

Is offensive to be informed by a hotel official that you are not to allow any man, even a relative, into your room? Allowing women to stay in hotels alone is a new decision and such relaxations of regulations will have restrictions that a hotel guest will have to be informed about. Why don’t you ask that no cleaner can enter your room when you are in? Why don’t you ask for a separate arrangement for females, as in mosques? This is all about mindset, about what you think and how you think.

Abeed Khan, Jeddah published 17 May 2008

Arab Failure

Your editorial, “Political Paralysis” (May 12), was an impassioned appeal to the people of Lebanon to reclaim their country from foreign interests and to make it, once again, their own. I support that. However, I feel that failure is not that of the people of Lebanon, but of the leaders of Lebanon and the Arab world. At a time when both Sunnis and Shiites should be working together to solve the present crisis, some of them are advancing the Israeli and American agenda in the region.

It was a serious mistake on the part of the Siniora government and the Sunni bloc to make a series of moves against Hezbollah, which saw in the moves an attempt to weaken it, and prepare the ground for America and Israel to invade southern Lebanon. The paralysis in Lebanon at that moment was such that both sects of brothers — Sunni and Shiite — should have been assisting each other. Instead, they are fighting, and helping America and Israel to achieve their goals.

I wish Muslims — Sunnis and Shiites as well as their leaders in Iran and the Arab world — could understand that America has no love for Muslims, whether Sunni or Shiite. What they care about is oil — both Arab and Iranian — and the domination of the region.

Tunde Abiodun, Canada published 17 May 2008

Forgotten by Us

Lubna Hussain (May 12) was right: The Palestinians are the forgotten people — forgotten by their own. While Western leaders were trooping to Israel to congratulate it on building a state 60 years ago on the bones of murdered Palestinians and the debris of dynamited Palestinian homes, there was no one of importance to share the pain of those Palestinians. If the Nakba is that searing wound in Arab and Muslim hearts, as we loudly claim, why is it that there was no function to remember that horror? Why was there no call from the OIC to keep two minutes silence to remind us of our smiling enemies? They are clearly forgotten. What we can do to cut short the agony is for us to tell them, in plain language, “Don’t bother us. We don’t know you.” Then, disabused of the thought that they have friends, they will find a way to solve their problems. Or maybe, America will do an Iraq on them. We won’t bother, will we?

Kazim Peeran, Riyadh published 17 May 2008

Musharraf & Democracy

The West never misses a chance to sing songs in honor of democracy and human rights — and also in honor of dictators and usurpers. Ferdinand Marcos, Augusto Pinochet and Pervez Musharraf are just a few examples. In Algeria, Somalia, and Pakistan, democratic parties have to fight US manipulations. After the massive defeat of all pro-Musharraf forces in the recent elections, the US and its allies are trying hard to save him and pursue their killing of innocent people in Pakistan’s tribal areas. Musharraf-backed parties gained less than 50 seats in the elections. Now the US is trying hard to save his presidency. Musharraf is the only person who will implement US agenda in the tribal area bordering Afghanistan.

In the days following the formation of the new government, suicide attacks and other terror activities declined very rapidly. A return of pro-Musharraf forces can harm the country’s interests. After the PML-N’s tough stance against Musharraf over the issue of the deposed judges, the US and its allies are trying hard to form a new collation, which includes the PPP, the pro-Musharraf PML-Q and Altaf Hussain’s MQM, especially if the PML-N walks out of the coalition, as it very well might. That will make Musharraf absolutely safe.

The only problem is that Musharraf and democracy cannot survive in Pakistan at the same time.

Khawaja Umer Farooq, Jeddah published 17 May 2008