Regarding issues that take place in our region, there are important details that the World of Islam must heed. Two important incidents are taking place at once: one —which is very bitter and dangerous — is that with these measures and policies adopted by the major powers' authorities and politicians, particularly the Americans, regional peace and global peace are threatened. They [the West] have always claimed they advocate for peace in their slogans; however, they threaten peace and push the world into wars. Is it the interests of arms manufacturers that lead them to stage these wars? Is it the imperialists' interests that drive them towards war? Is it the ignorance, the arrogance, and negligence towards world realities that create such volatile situations? These things are all likely. What is real, and one can hear it in the rhetoric of leaders of major world powers—mainly that of American authorities—is the threatening tone. They [officials of the West] are the ones who threaten the peace process: they threaten to launch wars. Wars between whom? Between sects? Between countries? Between the oppressors and the oppressed? All are all probable.
They [Western officials] repeat the word "peace." They chant slogans of peace throughout the world: "We want peace!" During their [the West] political negotiations the word peace is reiterated; however, through action, they inflict war! This behavior is very serious, very rancorous. Anywhere in the world, threatening to launch a war is disturbing; but, when there is an illogical excuse to attack, it is even more unfavorable and rancorous. The U.S.'s rationale to attack Afghanistan was very weak: it did not convince anyone around the world, not even the politicians who befriend the United States were convinced.
What kind of a rationale is it to say that because there are convicts in one country, we should attack it? Those convicts hide in mountains, caves and other secret places; however, they [U.S. and allies] rain bombs of fire on people who have nothing to do with those convictions: this is the reality. How can oppression get any worse than this?
They wounded the body of the Islamic Ummah. The world of Islam is truly in pain and sorrow today. There is the issue of Afghanistan; there is the issue of Palestine. Today, unfortunately, the Zionists have taken advantage of the same incident to accelerate pressures on the oppressed people of Palestine.
Today—like any other time—the world is in need of calm, peace and security.One of the fundamental needs of all humankind is peace. Of course, we have always reiterated that peace has to come along with justice. For a nation, an imposed and unjust peace is even worse than war. Humanity needs security and peace; anyone who threatens these two necessities has threatened the whole of humankind: today, those who threaten peace, threaten humanity.
October 15, 2001
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