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Voice of America, 02-02-13Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>SLUG: 0-09704 Editorial - Suicide Bomber No Heroine DATE: NOTE NUMBER:CONTENTS
[01] EDITORIAL: SUICIDE BOMBER NO HEROINEDATE=02/13/2002TYPE=EDITORIAL NUMBER=0-09704 INTERNET=Yes CONTENT=THIS EDITORIAL IS BEING RELEASED FOR USE BY ALL SERVICES. Anncr: Next, an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government: Voice: On September 11th, nineteen suicide terrorists -- falsely invoking Islam -- made bombs out of the four airliners they had hijacked and killed about three-thousand people in the United States. In terms of numbers killed and property destroyed, their attacks were unprecedented. But in terms of evil intent, they were far from unique. Before that day -- and since -- suicide bombers have committed many other acts of terrorism, especially against Israel. On January 27th, Wafa Idris [WAH-fah ih-DREES] blew herself up in downtown Jerusalem. The Palestinian woman's suicide bombing killed an elderly Israeli man and wounded scores of other people. Until then, Palestinian suicide bombers were all thought to have been men. Now, incredible as it may seem, there is a debate in some quarters about whether it is okay for a Muslim woman to kill herself as a means to killing Israelis. In news media in Palestinian areas, Egypt, Jordan, and other places, Wafa Idris has been praised as a heroine. As Adel Hamuda [AH-del hahm-MOO-dah], editor of the Egyptian weekly Sout al-Uma [s'out al-OOM-ah], put it, she "elevated the value of the Arab woman and. . .with enviable courage, put an end to the unending debate about equality between men and women." Other commentators have claimed that Islamic law prohibits women from carrying out suicide attacks as long as men are available. In truth, Islamic law prohibits suicide attacks and other acts of terrorism by anyone -- male or female. As Sheikh Mohamed Sayyid Tantawi [SIGH-id tahn-tah-wee], supreme cleric of Cairo's Al-Azhar [ahl-AHZ-hahr] University, said in the wake of the September 11th attacks, "According to Islam, the killing of innocent people is a horrendous crime that requires punishment of the doer." President George W. Bush made the same point in a speech to the United Nations in November. Terrorists, he said, "encourage murder and suicide in the name of a great faith [Islam] that forbids both. They dare to ask God's blessing as they set out to kill innocent men, women, and children. But the God of Isaac and Ishmael would never answer such a prayer. And a murderer is not a martyr; he is just a murderer." Those words, as scholars of Islam and other faiths have made clear, apply to terrorists everywhere, including the United States, Israel, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. And most certainly, they apply to both men and women. Anncr: That was an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20237, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-ibb-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043. SLUG: 0-09703 Editorial - Wolfowitz on Fighting Terrorism DATE: NOTE NUMBER: [02] EDITORIAL: WOLFOWITZ ON FIGHTING TERRORISMDATE=02/13/2002TYPE=EDITORIAL NUMBER=0-09703 INTERNET=Yes CONTENT=THIS EDITORIAL IS BEING RELEASED FOR USE BY ALL SERVICES. Anncr: Next, an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government: Voice: The war against terrorism is not just the fight of Western countries. As U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said, it is the fight of "all who aspire to peace and freedom throughout the world, and most emphatically the Muslim world itself." To be won, the war against terrorism must have the support of moderate and tolerant people in the Muslim world, including the Arab world. As Mr. Wolfowitz said, "They are on the front line of the struggle against terrorism. . . . By helping them to stand up against the terrorists without fear. . .we help to lay the foundations for a better world after the battle against terrorism has been won." The majority of the world's Muslims have no use for the extreme doctrines espoused by such groups as al-Qaida and the Taleban. Most Muslims abhor terrorism and the way that the terrorists have attempted to hijack one of the world's great religions. Many Muslim countries have joined the United States to oppose extremism and terrorism. Pakistan has played a critical role in defeating the Taleban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan. Turkey, too, has met the challenge. A member of NATO, Turkey is providing the use of its bases and participating in peacekeeping operations in Kabul. If Turkey can continue its progress, it can become a model for the Muslim world of how to reconcile religious belief with secular democratic institutions. Indonesia is also seeking to build a democratic government on a culture of tolerance. But it faces severe obstacles. Nations that are serious about rooting out terrorism must help Indonesia to become a stable democracy. Countries like Jordan are also making an important contribution to the U.S.-led war against terrorism. As President George W. Bush said in his State of the Union speech, "America will take the side of brave men and women who advocate [learning, tolerance, and progress] around the world, including the Islamic world, because we have a greater objective than eliminating threats and containing resentment. We seek a just and peaceful world beyond the war on terror." Anncr: That was an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20237, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-ibb-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043. 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