In focus: The two faces of barbarism Despite all their talk about countering terror and exalting democracy, Israel and America license the most brutal acts, and with no apologies, writes Galal Nassar Violence against civilians has reached a record high in Iraq and Palestine. Yet US and Israeli officials refuse to take responsibility for the brutal actions their troops are committing. President George W Bush speaks non-stop of democracy and human rights, of the need to rid the world from terror. But in each step of the way, the man refuses to acknowledge the consequences of his actions. Look at how he reacted to the recent suicide of three inmates at Guantanamo. According to White House spokesman Tony Snow, the US president told National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley to make sure that the remains of the three men were handled respectfully and in a manner commensurate with humanitarian norms. A great humanitarian indeed, or is he? We all know about the scandals of torture in Abu Ghraib and Jindariya. Well, the sad record is still ongoing. US media has just disclosed incidents of premeditated killings in Haditha and Ishaki. News speaks of methodical destruction in Ramadi, in the Al-Anbar province, where US troops are going around the streets with loudspeakers, advising inhabitants to leave town. You may remember that Al-Anbar was one of those areas that have already had a taste of US democracy. Its cities have been levelled, turned to dust and rubble. Tens of thousands of Al-Anbar inhabitants have become refugees, living in makeshift camps, enduring unspeakable difficulties. That's Yankee democracy in action. Baghdad is next. It will be liberated once more, according to US military sources. In Washington as well as in Iraq, the killing of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was met with relief. What is less mentioned is the fact that to kill Al-Zarqawi, the Americans bombed three residential buildings with inhabitants still inside. That's how President Bush hopes to salvage his popularity, now down to 30 per cent at home -- the lowest ever for any US president on record. Those who celebrated the death of Al-Zarqawi seem to forget that Iraqi militia were born out of occupation and are unlikely, therefore, to disappear with the death of any one individual. Iraq has been experiencing sectarian troubles for three years now, a result no doubt of the sectarian quota system Bremer and Bush brought to the country. That's what happens when you unleash sectarian fears and prejudices anywhere. America's brand of democracy is not going to resolve Iraq's problems. What Iraq needs is a renewed sense of citizenship, along with freedom, unity and independence. In Palestine, Zionists are still giving others lessons in democracy. Following the electoral victory of Hamas and its formation of a government, a whole new game started -- the quest to demonise Hamas. No matter that the movement has accepted a long-term truce with its enemy and abided by it for over a year and a half. The Zionists saw Hamas's formation of a government as a golden opportunity to crush the movement. Instead of accepting the Arab initiative and opening the road to peace, the Israelis resorted to terror and unleashed a campaign of mayhem and destruction. Once again, one is reminded of Mohamed Al-Durrah, the child killed in the arms of his father in the opening days of the second Intifada. Today's images are even more brutal. A whole family gets blown up by Israeli missiles while relaxing on a beach. Hoda, the 10-year-old survivor, is captured on camera, wailing, orphaned. You'd think that Arab leaders would react in outrage, but think again. No one is interested in such minor details. Why would they be when such horrors occur daily? As for the Americans, listen to this. President Bush described the act as one of "self-defence". Ehud Olmert's reaction was similarly typical. "We're investigating the incident, but not apologising," the Israeli prime minister said. Why would Olmert apologise when such crimes have become a hallmark of Israeli policy? There is absolutely no reason for apology or shame on the part of the likes of Bush and Olmert. One is president of a country founded on the dead bodies of its original inhabitants; the other is prime minister of a state born out of genocide, and has treated the Palestinians with absolute barbarism. Israel and America have much to say about democracy and morality. The only problem: none of what they say makes sense.
