Jordan: Secretary General Irene Khan discusses Iraq with King Abdullah

"The human rights and humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people must be at the forefront of the debate on Iraq," said Amnesty International Secretary General, Irene Khan at the end of her visit to Jordan. Speaking after an audience with His Majesty King Abdullah bin Hussein, Ms Khan welcomed his call for greater attention to be given to the humanitarian situation inside Iraq in case of war.

King Abdullah gave assurances that Jordan would provide protection for refugees in the event of hostilities, and give access to international organizations."Jordan has a long tradition of receiving refugees," said Irene Khan. "The international community must support Jordan and other neighbouring countries and make sure that there are adequate funds to protect and assist those who flee."As tensions grow with the threat of war, and as freedom of expression and assembly come under increased pressure, Amnesty International's Secretary General emphasised the need for human rights to be protected in Jordan. She welcomed King Abdullah's commitment that "people must be able to express their views" and his readiness to look into existing legislation, including law 54 of 2001, which has been used to restrict freedom of expression and arrest and detain people.

The visit to Jordan is part of Amnesty International's campaign to lobby UN member states, including governments in the Middle East region, to ensure that the human rights and humanitarian implications of the Iraq crisis are fully taken into account. Amnesty International has been seeking permission to visit Iraq since 1983 and has recently received a positive response from the government of Iraq."We are seeking serious dialogue. We are aware that in this highly charged political situation human rights can be a tool for manipulation by any side. But we must seek an answer to the serious human rights concerns we have had in Iraq for decades,"said Irene Khan.

IRAQ: Security Council Today Continues Debate On Possible Military Action

After a weekend of frenzied diplomacy following U.N. weapons inspectors' latest report on Iraq to the Security Council Friday, the council is scheduled to resume closed-door talks today at 4 p.m. on an amended draft U.S.-U.K.-Spanish resolution that would have the council decide that Iraq has not fulfilled its disarmament obligations, therefore paving the way for a U.S.-led attack on Iraq. Diplomats going into a council meeting this morning on East Timor gave no indication that any positions have changed.

On Friday, the sponsors of the draft introduced an amendment that gives Iraq a deadline of March 17 to disarm. U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said Friday night, "From Tuesday onwards, we are advising delegations to be prepared for a vote on this resolution." He added, "We've always maintained that as far as the United States is concerned, there is already ample legal authorities for us to act. We didn't think this resolution is necessary but out of deference [for] friends on the council, we felt such a resolution is desirable."

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan today appealed for council unity on Iraq and cautioned that military action without council backing would lack legitimacy. "If [council members] fail to agree on a common position, and action is taken without the authority of the Security Council, the legitimacy and support for any such action will be seriously impaired," said Annan, speaking in The Hague. "If, on the other hand, they can come together, even at this late hour, to address this threat in a united manner and ensure compliance with their previous resolutions, then the council's authority will be enhanced, and the world will be a safer place."

"Iraq does not exist in a vacuum," Annan added. "What happens there will have profound implications -- for better or worse -- for other issues of great importance to the surrounding region, and to the world. The broader the consensus on Iraq, the better the chance that we can come together again and deal effectively with other burning conflicts in the world, starting with the one between Israelis and Palestinians" (Jim Wurst, UN Wire, March 10).

Yesterday on "Fox News Sunday," U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the United States was within "striking distance" of securing the nine votes it needs to pass the resolution. Besides the resolution's sponsors, Bulgaria backs the measure, but it faces clear opposition from France, Russia, China, Germany and Syria. Six of the council's members -- Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea, Mexico and Pakistan -- have said they are undecided and are being intensely courted by both sides (CNN.com, March 10).

A source close to the negotiations told the London Guardian that six or seven may vote in favor of the resolution, "but we [are] not sure about getting nine." The newspaper reports that Angola, Cameroon and Mexico are showing signs of cooperation but that Chile, Guinea and Pakistan are harder to win over. Though Washington previously wanted the resolution to go to a vote tomorrow, it will probably be delayed to give the United Kingdom and the United States time to rally support.

Lobbying by Chile reportedly resulted in a concession by the United States and the United Kingdom yesterday to lay out in detail the disarmament steps Iraqi President Saddam Hussein must take to avert an attack (Wintour/MacAskill, London Guardian, March 10). Chilean President Ricardo Lagos told a radio audience over the weekend that on Friday he told U.S. President George W. Bush the inspectors should be given more time.

"The destruction of those weapons could take two, three or four months, and [chief U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission inspector Hans] Blix should continue working until he achieves the complete destruction of those arms," Lagos said Saturday. "Is it possible to achieve that by March 17? No, that would be very difficult."

Lagos denied that Chile would approve the resolution out of concern for a bilateral trade agreement it reached with the United States in December. The agreement has yet to be ratified by Congress (Reuters/MSNBC.com, March 8). The London Telegraph reports that Angola will side with Washington and London, according to diplomats. The newspaper quotes an unnamed diplomat in Luanda as saying, "The consensus is that the U.S. and U.K. have already won the Angolan vote" (Fred Bridgland, London Telegraph, March 10).

French Foreign Minister Lobbies African Nations To Oppose Resolution

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin arrives in Angola today on the first stop of a diplomatic mission to convince the Security Council's undecided African nations to vote against the resolution and instead press for continued weapons inspections. De Villepin will continue to Cameroon and Guinea before returning to Paris tomorrow. All three countries on de Villepin's itinerary signed a declaration opposing a strike against Iraq during a pan-African summit last month, but their votes against the second resolution are far from secure (Elizabeth Bryant, United Press International, March 9).

Associated Press reports that France is also lobbying for a summit at the Security Council to allow leaders of the 15 member nations to work through the Iraq debate. Powell shot down the idea, which de Villepin presented Friday, but French President Jacques Chirac continues to try to muster support for the proposal and has received a positive response, according to his office (AP/Ha'aretz, March 9).

Baghdad Demands End To Sanctions, Disarming Of Israel

On Saturday, Iraq sent a communique to the United Nations declaring itself sufficiently disarmed to warrant an end to U.N.-imposed sanctions. It demanded that Israel be stripped of its weapons of mass destruction and withdraw from the Palestinian territories and went on to call the United States and United Kingdom "liars" who were trying to use the fig leaf of the Security Council as cover for an attack against Iraq, regardless of Baghdad's cooperation (New York Times News Service/Times of India, March 9).

Missile Destruction Continues; U.S. Says Blix Glossed Over Weapon

Yesterday Iraq demolished six more al-Samoud 2 missiles and 11 additional warheads, bringing to 46 the number of banned missiles it has destroyed since March 1. The world body has supervised the demolition of 16 warheads, one launcher and five engines so far (U.N. release, March 9). The London Times reports today that the United States and United Kingdom will demand that Blix give details about a large undeclared, unmanned Iraqi aircraft whose existence was revealed in a document circulated by U.N. weapons inspectors after Friday's briefing. The drone, which has a wingspan of 7.45 meters, would be the first undeclared weapon found by inspectors. British and U.S. officials consider it a "smoking gun" (James Bone, London Times, March 10).

U.N. To Investigate American Spying

Sources inside U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's office confirmed that the United Nations will investigate allegations of U.S. spying on U.N. delegates, according to the London Observer. Last week the newspaper broke the story of a leaked memo sent by Frank Koza, defense chief of staff at the U.S. National Security Agency, ordering heightened surveillance of U.N. delegates from Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Bulgaria, Guinea and Pakistan. The revelation angered Chile and prompted three phone calls last week from Chilean President Lagos to British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

A 28-year-old woman who works at the United Kingdom's top-security Government Communication Headquarters has been arrested in connection with the leak. The newspaper quotes former NSA intelligence officer Wayne Madsen as speculating that there are "people in the U.S. and British intelligence community who are deeply concerned about their governments 'cooking' intelligence to link Iraq to al-Qaeda."

According to American intelligence experts, the espionage operation at the United Nations would have been authorized by U.S. national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and President Bush (London Observer, March 9).
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Calls War On Iraq "Not A Just War"

In a commentary in the New York Times yesterday, former U.S. President and 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter called the Bush administration's case linking Hussein to al-Qaeda "unconvincing" and said that taking military action in defiance of the United Nations would jeopardize America's future.

"As a Christian and as a president who was severely provoked by international crises, I became thoroughly familiar with the principles of a just war, and it is clear that a substantially unilateral attack on Iraq does not meet these standards," he wrote (New York Times, March 10).

Turkey To Consider Another Vote On Accommodating U.S. Troops

Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to resign Wednesday so governing party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan can take the post. Erdogan won decisively in by-elections yesterday. Erdogan has backed the deployment of U.S. troops in southern Turkey and said he would seek another vote after Parliament rejected a resolution accepting the troops last week. But after the elections, he said he could not give a date on a second Turkish vote."We have the U.N. Security Council before us, we have the process of forming a new government," he told Turkish television last night. "We need to assess all these very carefully, and then we will take a decision" (AP/MSNBC.com, March 10).

IRAN: U.N. Reportedly Finds Unexpected Nuclear Advances

Citing diplomatic sources, Time magazine is reporting that U.N. weapons inspectors have found Iran's nuclear program is more advanced than was previously thought, with the country nearly capable of enriching uranium at its Natanz nuclear power facility. The magazine reports that the site has hundreds of centrifuges capable of creating enriched uranium that could be used to build nuclear weapons.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday voiced concern at reports of Iranian efforts to create such materials."We have seen this week Iran has got a more aggressive nuclear program than the (International Atomic Energy Agency) thought it had," Powell said yesterday during an appearance on CNN. "It shows you how a determined nation that has the intent to develop a nuclear weapon can keep that development process secret from inspectors and outsiders if they really are determined to do it."

Powell said the apparent nuclear progress of Iran bolsters the U.S. case for war in Iraq, where he said President Saddam Hussein "has not lost his intent" to pursue nuclear weapons (Associated Press/Yahoo! News, March 10).Iranian President Mohammed Khatami has vowed to keep the country's nuclear program in step with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, saying Tehran will continue to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency. IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei was in Tehran over the weekend to discuss Iran's nuclear program with Iranian officials, and two IAEA officials are to visit another Iranian nuclear facility this week (BBC Online, March 10)."Iranian experts have acquired the knowledge for civilian application of the nuclear technology," Khatami said in February.

U.S. officials, though, contend that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons. U.S. national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said the White House was not surprised by reports of Iranian progress in enriching uranium."We've said all along that there are real problems with Iran and its so-called peaceful nuclear programs," Rice said in a television appearance yesterday. "It's been couched as a peaceful program, but we've been one of the lone voices that said the Iranians are a problem" (CNN.com, March 10).

Resisting Invaders Individual Duty: Qaradawi

http://www.islamonline.net/english/News/2003-03/08/article09.shtml

?Resisting the invaders is an obligatory duty on all Muslims,? said Al-Qaradawi

By Essam Talima, special to IOL

DOHA, March 8 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) ? Renowned Islamic scholar Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi warned Arab leaders that they risk being cursed by both history and their peoples if they side with the U.S. in its looming war on Iraq, urging the Muslim nation to stand united in the face of war. Delivering the sermon of Friday, March 7, at Omar Ibn Al-Kahttab mosque in the Qatari capital Doha, Al-Qaradawi issued a Fatwa (a religious edict) that it was not permissible for Arab and Muslim countries to let the United States use their airports, harbors and territories as a launching-pad for striking Iraq.

?Resisting the invaders is an individual duty on all Muslims. If the enemies invaded a Muslim country, the people of that country should resist and expel them from their territories?It is an individual duty on all Muslims, men and women,? he stressed.

?If they succeeded in forcing the enemies out, it is alright?But if they did not, it is incumbent on their Muslim neighbor countries to defend them,? ruled the renowned scholar. Asked what does Islam say about participation in al-Jazeera Shield Force formed by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and whether it is permissible for such troops to be deployed in Kuwait, Sheikh Al-Qaradawai said it is only permissible for them to defend Kuwait should it come under attack, but it is absolutely Haram (impermissible) for them to take part in any attack on Iraq.

He further charged that any (Arab or Muslim) country that assists aggression on a Muslim country is sinful, citing a noble Hadith (saying) by Prophet Muhammad (Peace Upon him) that ?Whoever assists in killing a believer (even) by half a word, will meet Allah (on the Day of Judgment) with ?no hope in Allah?s mercy? written on his face.?

The prominent Muslim figure charged that the U.S. war was aimed at seizing control over Iraqi oil, annihilating the military and human power of Iraq by destroying its weapons and tearing down Arab powers, which represent obstacles in the way of the Zionist state. On the hundreds of thousands of anti-war protesters who took to the streets of the world capitals, Qaradawi said ?we as Muslims are more entitled to say No to War.?

The prominent scholar reaffirmed his respect of the American people and said he regard them as ?kind? people, adding that he disagrees with the American administration which, he charged, sponsors an aggressive and criminal policy against the world.

He also hailed the decision taken by the Turkish parliament, which voted down the deployment of U.S. troops on the Turkish territories, pointing out that Turkey took the ?right stance? although it would incur billions of dollars in losses.

Al-Qaradawi added that the stance of the Turkish parliament run counter to the stances of Arab leaders who ?failed Islam and their people by rallying behind the American administration and giving it free access to their territories, airports and harbours and might have even footed the war bill.?

Fighters who died while fighting U.S. occupation forces are martyrs: Qaradawi

By Nur Eddin Al-Uwaydidi, Al-Quds Press Correspondent

LONDON, January 28 (IslamOnline & Al-Quds Press) - Renowned Islamic scholar Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi said Monday, January 27, that anybody killed in a military operation aimed at expelling American occupation forces from the Gulf is a martyr due to his good intention.

However, Al-Qaradawi stressed that a difference should be struck between American civilians and its government and military which are nothing more than a colonizing force and enemy stepping into the land of Muslims without their own agreement.

?Those killed fighting the American forces are martyrs given their good intentions since they consider these invading troops an enemy within their territories but without their will,? Al-Qaradawi, a widely-respected Egyptian-born cleric based in Qatar, said in an interview with Al-Quds Press Agency Monday.

But the Islamic scholar stopped short of calling for fighting the U.S. army, in what seems to be a concerted effort not to trigger a clash of the Arab nations with their governments as he repeatedly asserted before.

?Although they are seen by some as being wrong, those defending against attempts to control Islamic countries have the intention of Jihad and bear a spirit of the defense of their homeland.?

The Muslim cleric pointed a finger at the United States for launching a fierce war against the Islam and its believers and showing an interest ?to be a god worshipped away from Allah?.?The U.S administration wants to maintain a grip and keep an eye on everything in an attempt to be a god,? Al-Qaradawi repeated.In this perspective, we refuse, resist and disbelieve these invading power, he argued.

New Tartars

As for the build-up of U.S. troops in the Arab Gulf region in preparation for a potential military offensive against Iraq, Al-Qaradawi slammed them as new ?Tartars?, in reference to fierce war-like people that had attacked the Islamic empire in the 14th and 15th centuries.

?The Tartars first appeared as a new military power in the world at the same time the Islamic world was teetering in weakness. So all the Muslim areas were easy targets for them as they fell down one after the other,? Al-Qaradawi warned.

Stark Difference

In the interview, Al-Qaradawi was keen to stress a difference between the American people on the one hand and the U.S. administration and military arsenals on the other.

?The issue is not with the Americans who are peace-loving, but with their arrogant government.?

He referred to war in the name of terrorism combat is now directed to Islam, as the attacks on the Islamic schools, charities, societies and personalities are meant to change the mentality of Muslims.

?This mentality is considered by the U.S. administration as a threat. So was at pains not to allow the rising of a strong Muslim man or woman objecting injustice and keen on applying the right things as well as ready to sacrifice himself or herself for the sake of Allah.?

In other words, they want a submissive, meek and mild character with no care about its own situation, Qaradawi explained.

Attempts Doomed

Al-Qaradawi lashed out at all efforts to change Islamic curriculums, saying they will solely lead to breeding hippies loyal to the western civilization.

?They want to omit all teachings about Jihad, pride and dignity, and set away the Qur?anic verses on Jihad and the military expeditions of Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) from his biography.?

There are other attempts to get Muslims to forget such great characters as Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed and Salah Eddin Al-Qayoubi and Omar Al-Mukhtar from the chapters of out history, Al-Qaradawi lamented, referring to Islamic heroes.

Al-Qaradawi was confident that all of these attempts would be doomed to failure.

War on Iraq New Crusade: Islamic Scholars, Intellectuals

http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2002-11/21/article22.shtml

Qaradawi (L) Raisoni (C) and Zandani (R)

By Mohammad Gamal Arafa, IOL Staff

CAIRO, (IslamOnline) - Hundreds of scholars and intellectuals from Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Yemen condemned continued American threats to use force against 12-year-sanction-hit Iraq.The U.S. assault on the countries of the region recalls to mind the Crusades of the Middle Ages and the era of colonialism in the modern age, they stressed, highlighting mounting U.S. threats despite the revival of inspections in Iraq.

In a joint statement, the scholars, including Sheikh Youssef el-Qaradawi, Sheikh Abdl el-Majid el-Zandani, Sheikh Salman Fahd el-Ouda, Tareg el-Bishri, Dr. Essam el-Bashir, Dr. Ahmed el-Raisoni, El-Habr Bour el-Dayim and Abdl el-Rahman Suar el-Zahab, cited developments in Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq and Sudan.

This is just a small portion of clandestine American strategies and intentions towards Islamic countries, they underlined.The statement, posted on www.sawtna.com , called on Arab governments to defy the U.S. campaign and Zionist powers propagating new forms of colonialism and hegemony with the aim of applying them on several Islamic countries.

"The U.S. administration's insistence on using force against Iraq and attacking countries of the region brings to the minds crusade campaigns and colonialism when colonial armies invaded Asia and Africa, enslaving peoples and stealing their wealth," the statement averred.

"That dreadful era invited Jihad [holy struggle] and legitimate resistance and ended with the defeat of the evil forces of the invading crusaders. Therefore, any aggression on the nation will open the doors for Jihad and legitimate resistance that will also end, Allah willing, with the defeat of the invading crusaders and Zionist powers of evil," stressed the statement.

The scholars and intellectuals asserted that among "the motives of the U.S. administration to strike Iraq and tamper with the security of the Arab region is to wipe out the Islamic identity of the nation; imposing American culture in the region; controlling the nation's oil and other riches; covering up its failure in achieving the announced objectives of its campaign in Afghanistan; igniting the region with more tension, dodging development efforts; protecting Israel and Israeli superiority and cracking down on the blessed Palestinian Intifada which has strongly shaken and destabilized Israel."

The statement specified several steps exhorting governments, peoples and scholars, separately, to defy the vicious American campaign. They urged Arab and Islamic governments to integrate with their peoples to reinforce the spirit of confidence and the principle of shura (consulting with others). The statement warned Arab governments against standing with the U.S. administration, adopting its policies or even standing hand-folded vis-a-vis its aggressions. It also pressed governments to dodge division, disagreement and difference deliberately planted by the enemy between governments and peoples.

The statement called on all parties (governments and peoples) to build institutions, diversify income resources and consolidate economic and social ties. On the other side, the statement appealed to Arab and Islamic peoples to return to Almighty Allah, abide by the Islamic Shari?a (law), repent sins, close ranks, unify forces, put the interests of the nation before those of individuals and be certain of victory with the help of Allah.

It called on "Muslim youth" to give priority to the supreme interests of the nation, avoid violence and help maintain the security and unity of their countries. The enemy is waylaying for any chance or row (to attack Arab and Islamic countries) and we should not give it such an opportunity, the scholars stressed. The statement exhorted scholars, preachers and intellectuals to steer the nation during time of crisis, to help awaken the people with what is right, to promote modernity and tolerance based on the correct understanding of the message of Islam and to defend Islamic causes.

Concluding, the statement appealed to justice and peace loving advocates across the globe, whether governments, organizations, groups or individuals, to use all possible means to protest the policies of the U.S. administration, which jeopardize security and stability of the region.