The killing of Osama: 2 worlds-apart statements

Al Qaeda, the organization led by Osama ben Laden has confirmed its leader has been slain. America says the killing of Osama will end Islamic terrorism. Islam has long been associated and linked to terrorism. For so long, the world is engulfed in Islamophobia- the fear of anything Islam.

That morbid fear has spawn what seemed to be justifiable counter aggressions over Muslim nations. Iraq is occupied by America even though Sadam has been executed and no weapons of mass destruction were even found. The alleged accumulation of WMD was first used to justify the invasion on Iraq. America has remained as the occupying power in a Muslim land until now. The presence of the American military juggernaut is justified by the hawkish elements of America's foreign policy makers as necessary to effect regime change. America has continued to be the policeman of the world.

The news of the slaying of Ben Laden was received with an almost universal jubilation across mainly the western world. In the Muslim world, the reception is somewhat mixed.

In Malaysia, we can judge who has given a more rational and well thought out answer. The leader of Malaysia's Islamic party says that Muslims all over the world will unite in offering prayers for Osama if he has sinned. His statement is soothing to the families of the departed.

The other leader of Malaysia toadies up to Uncle Sam in saying the world will be a better place without Osama. Perhaps that is too early to tell. Could it possible, that the slaying of Osama will give rise to a sense of triumphalism on the part of those who are anti-Islam for whatever reasons?

The leader of our government should call upon America to desist in its policies of anti-almost anything of Islam. Muslims are subjected to humiliating body searches and predisposed suspiciousness. Islamic countries continued to be occupied by forces under American hegemony.

So the knee jerk response that we join America in saying the world is a better place without Osama is ill-timed and sure to incite bad feelings among Muslims around the world.

Posted by sakmongkol AK47