“Arabs should learn to say no to American policies, demonstrate opposition to war on Iraq,” says Ben Bella

By Angy Ghannam, IOL Staff

CAIRO, December 18 (IslamOnline) – Former Algerian president Ahmed Ben Bella accused U.S. President George Bush and Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon of defying the whole world with their colonial arrogance.

In exclusive interview with IslamOnline on the sidelines of the opening session of a two-day conference on looming U.S.-led war on Iraq, the Algerian leader asserted that crystal-clear and unquestionable American purpose of striking Iraq is to control Arab oil.

The United States has come to the conviction that to control Arab and Iraq oil it must control Islam and that is what they are trying to do, he warned.

According to Ben Bella, the  American people are the only power capable of curbing the new Imperialism championed by Bush.

He underlined that solving the Iraqi crisis requires all efforts and support, stressing that it is an issue of major importance to the entire Arab world.

The former Algerian president underlined that the key to end the hegemony policies of the Bush administration is in the hands of the world peoples, including the American people.

The only solution for the Arab peoples, he maintained, is to learn to say no to the American policies and to make public and demonstrate their opposition to any U.S.-led war on Iraq.

Asked whether Arab peoples have become helpless, Ben Bella heaped the blame on Arab rulers.

He asserted that a popular rebellion in Arab and Islamic countries, in the form of demonstrations and protests, is the ideal solution to overcome such helplessness.

Ben Bella, who in 1962 formed the first Algerian government after independence, recalled that had devoted most of his time over the past years to attend anti-globalization and anti-U.S. hegemony conferences.

In all such gatherings I have been keen on raising issues such as the Palestinian cause, racism and slavery, said Ben Bella, a leader of the Algerian resistance against the French occupation.

The International Campaign Against U.S. Aggression on Iraq (ICAA), which is being hosted by Cairo on December 18-19, is being organized  by The Organization of Popular Egyptian Campaign to Resist U.S. Aggression on Iraq.

The popular bodies groups writers, artists, university professors, public figures, representatives of different political orientations, business people, professionals and syndicate unions.

Speaking to IslamOnline, one of the organizers said that at first the Egyptian government refused to host the gathering but after intervention from several parties it backtracked and gave the green-light for the conference.

She asserted that Cairo Sheraton hotel refused to host the conference and placed several hurdles before the organizers.

Also, Jazira Sheraton hotel did the same, said the organizer, attributing this to the fact that both hotels have American administrations.

She added that Conrad hotel agreed on host the gathering on conditions that participants would not  take any “strongly-worded” anti-U.S. actions.

Representatives from several foreign countries including the U.S., Britain, Russia, Italy, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Canada and France are taking part in the pro-Iraq conference.