A third open letter from Saddam Hussein to the peoples of the United States, Western peoples and governments.
October 29, 2001
In the name of God the Merciful,
The Compassionate
Once again we address a letter to all the peoples and governments of the West, including the United State.
Peace be upon those who expect a greeting of peace from us, or upon those who answer it by saying : and peace be upon you too ( wa Alaikum Asalam ).
The world focused its full attention on the analysis and follow up of the events of last September, but those who made an in-depth analysis may have not been the majority of the people. Nevertheless, it seems to us that they have, now, increased in number. The number of officials in power who are looking into the depth of what happened, its motives or reasons, and its results and effects, has also increased. Their number and way of conduct, at the time of the event, was deplorable for those who are not aware that not everyone is capable of a deep contemplation of major events or complex circumstances, just as not many people are capable of dreaming of what is better.
Now that the emotions have relatively calmed down in the heart and spirit of those who applauded the event, or those who condemned it, I say that, the role of leaders should be played, with their people’s support, on the basis of the description and the role of their responsibilities. One of the most important qualities of any leader is saving other from death not by marking the dark ditches on the road, but also by preventing those who do not see the marks from falling into the abyss. Then comes the quality of exaltation, or ascendancy of the people he is in charge of, along with their potential thought and action. The danger that may threaten any people or nation, does not call upon the people in charge to lead the way against this danger only, but also to analyze its reasons in view of abating them, or treating those reasons radically, to eliminate them so that they would never surge again.
I am sorry to say that the general approach in this direction is still weak, so far. Western governments are the first in this phenomena of weakness. Some voices have risen on the part of some peoples, journalists, writers, and, in a very restricted way, the voices of those who are preparing themselves, in the shadow, to replace the rulers there. Nevertheless, the latter are still hesitant voices that deal with the situation in the light of the balance of interests of the posts they expect to occupy, and of the influence of the centers of power. As for the United States, the hope in the awareness of its people is greater than it is in its Administrations, if the people could see the facts as they are, unless these Administrations are set free from the conclusive influence of Zionism, and other centers of influence which serve their own interests that are associated with their well-known goals.
The events of September 11, and the following reaction of people in rage, or those who took advantage of the situation, including waging the aggression on Afghanistan on the basis of suspicions, and the accompanying insinuations and statements by the media or by American, and non-American leaders, have shown that this vast world can be set on fire by a spark coming from the West, even if that spark comes all the way from across the Atlantic. Naturally, setting something on fire is easier than extinguishing it, and because deeds of virtue exalt the soul and the being, while evil deeds downgrade them, the latter become easier to commit for those who are tempted to do so.
On the basis of this realistic image, the entire world needs to be saved from the deep abyss it is being push into by the US, and the likes of the US, whether they are states, individuals, or organizations. In fact, now that we know the limits of how American rulers conduct themselves in crisis, the US itself needs to be saved by the world while it is saving itself. Otherwise, the world will be pulled down by the weight of the US while falling down to the bottom of a deep pit from which it will not be able to come out until that pit is filled with blood and tragedies, not to mention those who will suffocate because they cannot swim.
As we said before to those who launched aggressions on us, including the US, in and before Um-Almarik (the mother of the battles), the world, like Iraq and its Arab nation, needs steadfastness to face the aggression, make it miss its targets. It must not allow the US to be victorious. The victory of the US and its allies over Iraq would conceal the opposing attitude and analysis, and would not allow it to emerge again for a long time. In fact, the US is in no need for additional vanity and arrogance, but if it ever defeated Iraq, God forbid, it would acquire an additional vanity that would push it to a higher level of vanity, which would bring it closer to not farther from the abyss.
Yes, vanity needs to be confronted, and the oppressor needs to be confronted, just as those who find it easy to commit evil deeds and throw embers at people, need to be confronted. On the basis of what we said about Iraq while confronting aggressions, the world now needs to abort the US aggressive schemes, including its aggression on the Afghan people, which must stop.
Again we say that when someone feels that he is unjustly treated, and no one is repulsing or stopping the injustice inflicted on him, he personally seeks ways and means for lifting that justice. Of course, not everyone is capable of finding the best way for lifting the injustice inflicted on him. People resort to what they think is the best way according to their own ideas, and they are not all capable of reaching out for what is beyond what is available to arrive to the best idea or means.
To find the best way, after having found their way to God and His rights, those who are inflicted by injustice need not to be isolated from their natural milieu, or be ignored deliberately, or as a result of mis-appreciation, by the officials in this milieu. They should, rather, be reassured and helped to save themselves, and their surroundings. It is only normal to say that punishment is a necessity in our world, because what is a necessity in the other world must also be necessary in our world on Earth. But, the punishment in the other world is faire and just, and the prophets and messengers of God (peace be upon them all) conducted punishment and called for it in justice, and not on the basis of suspicions and whims. Hence, any punishment conducted by man must be just and convincing. I think, that you, often criticize those whom you criticize in order to weaken them, by saying that they use emergency laws, and what emergency laws, by western standards, cannot be a general rule. But now, unlike what you used to say about those whom you accuse of being dictators and despots, we see dozens of emergency laws and measures adopted by the governments of the West, with the US in the forefront, after facing one painful event.
Do you know how many painful events, larger and more dangerous than that of September 11 in US, were inflicted upon countries and peoples whom you used to accuse of being non-democratic?! This fact alone, is an example that should be pondered upon by the governments and peoples of the West, but it is not our main subject here.
Once again, we say that, injustice and the pressure that results from it on people lead to explosions. As explosions are not always organized, it is to be expected that they may harm those who make them and others. The events of September 11, should be seen on this basis, and on the basis of imbalanced reactions, on the part of governments accused of being democratic, if the Americans are sure that these were carried out by people from abroad.
To concentrate not on what is important, but rather on what is the most important, we say again that after having seen that the flames of any fire can expand to cover all the world, it first and foremost, needs justice based on fairness. The best and most sublime expression of this is in what we have learned from what God the Al Mighty ordered to be, or not to be. If we disagree in the essence of this, then our criteria should be, that we should not prevent others from getting or enjoying what we want for ourselves, and that we should not adopt double standards, by giving others what we do not want or refuse for ourselves. Everybody must be aware that no one who has a fortune can be safe in the middle of a society of hungry people. His problem would be greater if he had made his fortune by exploiting those hungry people, and at their expense. The second Caliph in the state of Islam, Umar Ibin Alkhatab (God be pleased with him) ordered the suspension of the punishment of cutting the hand of a thief in the year of Remada (drought) despite the fact that this punishment in clearly stipulated in the Holy Quran. He did so, because he was aware, by his sense of a believer, the correct standards of Faith may be shaken when a man or his family are hungry, and also because he believed that hunger is more aggressive than the act of stealing, and that saving a man’s life was more important than saving somebody’s property. Hence, he froze a holy rule (Sharia). Have the people of our present time learned this lesson, so that they can live in peace and security? Or do the parties concerned think that the security they want for themselves, will be achieved by amplifying the killing, intimidation, and starvation of others?!
We have heard in the news, recently, that American officials think that the source of anthrax is probably the US itself. Is this conclusion or information just a tactic to divert the attention of those who were terrorized to hear that Bin Laden is the source of anthrax, and to hear insinuations to other accusations, that many Americans think that they should not persist in harming the people he cares for, because that would push him to a stronger reaction in this way or by other means? Or have they done this to divert attention from the incompetence of American official bodies in the events of September 11, and they find now that they have achieved their goal and consequently, the act and the actors should be buried?!
Anyhow, this and other things show that weapons of mass destruction become a burden on their owners and on humanity, if they were not absolutely necessary for self-defense and defending their countries.
Hence, instead of getting themselves and the world busy with the so-called anti-missiles shield so that they drain their budget, and the budgets of other nations, as well as the pockets of American tax-payers, they should be busy in eliminating the weapons of mass destruction in the US first, and then or at the same time, in other parts of the world. It goes without saying, that the West, including the US, are the ones who first built the weapons of mass destruction i.e. nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. It was the West, and the US in the first place, who used these weapons. The events of September, and the what Americans themselves said that the anthrax came from the US, clearly show the importance of world co-operation, on the basis of a binding agreement to get rid of the burden and the threat of the weapons of mass destruction, as a first step that might stimulate other steps, if injustice and aggression contracted. The utmost threat to humanity, and to the peoples of the US, is the American weapons of mass destruction, along with the similar weapons of the Zionist entity, and along or after it, the similar weapons of other countries.
As the US is across the Atlantic, it is the first country to be asked to make such an initiative in order to confirm its credibility. And because the Zionist entity usurps and occupies Arab territories, and holy places, oppresses the Arabs and injures their human feelings, and as blunders are expected from it, and the reaction of the oppressed people is to be expected, it becomes necessary to disarm the Zionist entity of these weapons.
At that moment, and when the US is really willing to disarm itself of these weapons, we do not think that anyone of a sound mind would stay out of the framework of such a practical plan.
It is then, that the US will adopt a balanced attitude toward the world, and will find the path of wisdom. The world will deal with it in respect and love, when they see love and respect in Americans relations with them. The world, including US, will live in peace, and not on the brink of an abyss. The surveillance of the prevailing security, will be based on a sort of real solidarity: the solidarity of brave and just men, and not the solidarity based on intimidation and fear of the powerful, or which serves interests or creates opportunities.
I pray to God the Al-Mighty that I have conveyed the message, and let God be my witness.
God is the greatest.
God is the greatest.
Saddam Hussein
Shabban 13, 1422 H.
October 29, 2001.