I REFER to the article, “A Change in Priorities” (GDN, May 8), which said that people in the Arab countries consider the US an unreliable partner, and show more appreciation for Russia and China.
In the 1990s, I started expressing my views to the Arab governments and people that the Arabs need to be much closer to Russia and China, politically, economically, and culturally.
I also mentioned that the UN was also unreliable and that it was best for all the Arab and Muslim countries to abandon the UN.
Well, we are never too late to realise that the US and the UN are not reliable, and frankly, the US has become a nation of “gunship” diplomacy; reminds me of the Wild West where it is easier to “shoot it out”, than to have civilised discourse in solving problems.
In the same issue of the newspaper there are two other articles, “Gulf nations ‘must boost defence to deter Iran’,” which promotes the sale of weapons against a country that has not attacked another country for more than 200 years! And who promoted Iran to be the policeman of the Gulf, back in the days of the Shah? Yes, the US!
Then the other article, “Naval exercise to strengthen regional security”, again, why? Iran again? When I attended the Bahrain School, for the US Department of Defence, I ended up going to school in Switzerland for a year, 1973-1974 because of potential war, again, Iran will close the Straight of Hormuz, what an old story that is.
Yes, there was the October war against Jewish Israel, and thankfully the late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia realised that the Arabs were not paid a fair price for the oil, and the Arabs learned to cash in because of this October War.
It is easy to make war, but what about making peace? Russia and China have shown all signs of wanting to bring people together, to do business, trade, not a one-way street, but both ways.
So, yes, the Arabs should get very close with the Russians and Chinese.
America, well, it needs to realise that the Wild West is not a civilised way of living, cowboy and Indians are seen as a crude method of civilisation; and, the world needs to change, starting with Casino Economics that is the US dollar and the Euro.
The masters of Wall Street cash in from all this conflict, these wars, weapon sales.
The world is bountiful, and we should learn to focus on living in peace and harmony, that is what Islam is all about.
Karim Mansouri
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