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Continued Jordanian Rage Against Air Strikes
by Tareq Ayyoub
AMMAN, Feb 18 (IslamOnline) - Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb on Sunday strongly criticized the joint U.S.-British air strikes against Iraq and said such acts will instigate unrest in the region and threaten stability and security.
"Using force will achieve nothing but instability and cause destruction to the security of the countries in the region," Abul Ragheb, responding to lawmakers' questions on the government's reaction to the February 16th American and British shelling on the Iraqi capital, said.
"We reject all forms of unjustified aggression and the use of force by the American and British forces which is in violation to the U.N. resolutions," the premier told the 80-member Lower House.
"Using force in such way will solve nothing but trigger [anti US-British} feelings and create dismay among the people of the region," he said.
"This violation to international laws forms new burden on the region and threaten its stability," Abul Ragheb added.
During the extraordinary session of the Parliament, MPs severely criticized the U.S.-U.K. aggression and urged the Arab and international community to end the 11-year-old sanctions against Iraq, imposed since 1990-91 following Iraq's invasion of neighboring Kuwait.
The lawmakers also criticized the double standard the U.S. adopts in dealing with Arab causes while neglecting Israeli abuse of U.N. resolutions and international law, with some even calling for the cancellation of the 1964 Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty.
"There are no words that can express the feeling towards the Anglo-American aggression because the scenes of destruction and killing of the civilians are stronger than these words," deputy Amjad Majali said.
"What is taking place in Iraq is nothing but aggression and organized terrorism aimed at harming the dignity of Iraq and the Arab nation," Majali, speaking on behalf of several lawmakers, said.
Majali said that the U.S. is attacking Iraq for "alleged" possession of weapons of mass destruction while neglecting Israel's nuclear mass destruction arsenal.
"Iraq is not the only country which has mass destruction weapons... Israel also has more destructive and nuclear weapons but nothing was taken in that direction," he added.
A statement by the House, issued following the session, urged Arab states to stand beside Iraq and defy the U.S.-U.K. aggression against the country.
"The House is strongly denouncing the aggression and urge Arab and Muslim countries to immediately lift the sanctions," the statement said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of political activists and professional unions members staged sit-ins near the U.S. embassy and U.N. headquarters in Amman.
During the rallies, protesters burned Israeli, U.S. and British flags, and called on the government to lift the embargo on Iraq.
Rally participants also shouted anti-U.S. and -U.K. slogans and carried banners denouncing the air strikes on February 16th against Iraq.
"February 16th is the crime of the century," said one banner, "Lift the Sanctions. Stop the genocide," read another.
Other slogans included, "Oh Saddam, move towards Palestine and we are your soldiers", "Oh Saddam shell Tel Aviv," and "Salute to [secretary general of the Hizbollah, Hassan] Nasrallah."
Hamaza Mansour, member of the Islamic Action Front, assured the gathering that the Popular Committee to Support Iraq would continue its campaign and undertake other measures to assist Iraqi people.
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