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Answer
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Name
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- United States
Profession
Question
Sir, I understand and share your grief as I too have suffered the loss of an acquaintance due to the cowardly attacks of Sept 11th. Like your son, although maybe not as valiant, I serve in the US Army with the 40th Mechanized Infantry Division. Realize, sir, that we soldiers are committed to nothing but the defense of this great nation. I would have been proud and honored to fight alongside with your son, and my chance will come the day I will be rotated to Iraq. Please also realize, sir, that America did not ask to be part of this war; but rather, this war came crashing down on our head on the early morning of Sept 11th when the Arab Muslims sent their terrorists to America and killed 3000 of our fathers, mothers, children, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, and on and on.
My question for you is why have you allowed such a fine soldier as your soon to die in vain? By allowing yourself to come on IslamOnline and be interviewed by these Arab Muslims, you have discredited your son’s death and disservice your own country in his ultimate sacrifice. Do you not realize, sir, that these same Muslims who are interviewing you now are the same ones who were rejoicing at the news of dead US soldiers (including your son) in Iraq just as they rejoiced the 3000 American who died on Sept 11th?
I’m sorry sir, but to see you cooperating with America’s enemies so early after your son’s sacrifice just burn me up inside. If I were to die in Iraq, I would die a happier man knowing that my father and mother would not shake hands with our enemies. I’m pretty sure that is what your son would want too, Mr. Fernando.
Answer
Dear soldier, first off, let me tell you that I am very proud of all our soldiers. I want to remind you that the tragedy of September 11 was not caused by the Iraqi people. They were from different nations. Now we know that President Bush has lied to us when he said that this war on Iraq was against the weapons of mass destruction which have not been found and their existence is still not proved.
He also did not mention the danger that this war would represent to our grand nation. My son had did not die in vain. No american soldier died in vain;
They sacrificed their lives in order to have a world of more tolerance and full of peace.
And if you see me in this live dialogue with these Muslim people, it is because we have to be tolerant with all the people of the world regardless of their religious beliefs. We must remember that the enemy of America is not the people. Most times, it is the interest of their governments. For me, all are my brothers and friends exactly like my son Jesus taught me when he was a friend of all without caring about color, religion or nationality. Thank you for your question and I hope I have answered you correctly.
Name
Ali Melena
- United States
Profession
Question
Hello Suarez del Solar,
My name is Ali Melena. I’m a Mexican American born and raised in California. I have been Muslim since 1997.
What happened to your son is a tragedy. I feel that this Government only uses young Latinos and other people of color to further their diabolical goals.
My question is how do you feel now about America after what happened to your son? Have your feelings about this country changed? And if yes, how?
What is your impression of Muslims?
Thank you for your time and may Allah (God) guide you and your family and help you through these hard times. Ameen.
Answer
Hi Ali. Thank you for your question and words. My feelings for this nation have not changed, because America is a tolerant nation in general and is a nation of many cultural diversities. I respect and love this nation like Mexico. It is here in America that my grandsons were born. My feeling of rage and disillusion is against liars like Mr. Bush and his friends whose interests are the reason for which they send our children, the children of America, to die.
With respect to the Muslims, I have had the fortune to know some, and the truth is that I respect them and their religion. I am convinced that their religion is not a religion of death but of love for others. Unfortunately, you, as well as us, have leaders who close themselves in their ancestral hatreds and are those that are causing all these situations of wars, pain and death. Thanks for participating in this dialogue. And God bless you.
Name
ahmed
- Spain
Profession
waiter
Question
Thank you mr for this dialogue.
My question is: don't you think that the US takes its own poor people to war especially the ones coming from latin America, promising them citizenship. Do people still want to go to war for that? Thank you.
Answer
Well, really the US Army in our country, USA is full of hispanics and African-Americans. The first victims at the start of the war in Iraq were hispanics and African-Americans. Later, Anglo-Saxons started to fall.
Definitely, I think the government is deceiving our children in order to enlist them in the army, promising them the moon and sun; but, unfortunately, a lot of them think that the offer of citizenship is a kind of gratitude. We are working to change that concept. We have to be patriots but we first have to defend the lives of our young people. We musn't accept the fatal errors of the governments and leaders. Only that way we will be able to have a free country. Thank you.
Name
Omar
-
Profession
Question
Dear Fernando,
What made you believe before the war that it was a legal war. Most of America's wars have been unjustly fought. The fact that America supports Israel (a brutal occupying force) tells us everything.
Thank you.
Answer
Hi Omar. I have never thought that this war was legal, and I am against any kind of occupation of another country. It does not matter if it is Israel, Jordan or Iraq. Nobody has the right to occupy another country. Every country has to have its own free will and determination. Thank you.
Name
Anti-war
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Profession
Question
We heard that a great number of the american soldiers in Iraq was jobless and they attended the army to get money.Was your son jobless too ?
Answer
Sorry my anti-war friend, but this is not true. The majority of the young people that have enlisted themselves in the army are young students who work part-time. And reservists have better jobs, which means that they have better pays than their pay in the army. My son worked and studied. The majority of soldiers do not enlist themselves in the army because of the lack of jobs, but because of the lack of opportunities to study.
Name
Umar al-Fannan
- United Kingdom
Profession
Artist
Question
What message would you give to the American public and those families that have their sons and daughters in Iraq? What have you learnt from the occupation and its destructive nature?
Answer
A lot of things. But most importantly, we should all unite in a big campaign
to demand from the government to STOP THE OCCUPATION IN IRAQ AND TO LET OUR CHILDREN RETURN HOME IMMEDIATELY. And to the families, they should fight together for their children. To oppose the war does not mean to be anti-America. It is more important their lives than the political or economic interests of our country. This war has taught me that it only brings on death, destruction, tears and, the most terrible of all, it is generating hatred between the different nations of the world, something that we should not permit.
Hatred leads to more terrorism and death. We have to unite to stop it. All of us, not only Americans, but all the nations of the world.
Thank you.
Name
Albert
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Profession
Question
Hello there,
Do you urge all parents of the soldiers in Iraq to act in any way to get their sons back from an illegal war?
Answer
Yes. On the 25th of October, there will be demonstrations in a lot of US cities and cities around the world. I want them to assist and to march in the demos. Also - and this is very important - to write to their Congress people and senators in hand-written letters and send them by mail and fax, saying only this: "STOP THE WAR. BRING BACK THE TROOPS NOW." And the ones who can talk directly to the congress people should do that.
They can join the movement of mfso.org to register and to participate in our activities.
Thank you.
Name
--
- Denmark
Profession
student
Question
Dear guest, do you think that your son died for a good cause? because what most people see now that the war is useless and it didnt achieve anything only making hundreds of iraqi children and men and women loose their lives. Also what do you think of america's harsh way with arab countries?
Answer
No war is useful... The only thing wars bring is death and lamentation. But in this case, we have to make that these deaths in Iraq as well as in USA useful by transforming this tragedy into something positive: for example, understanding our differences and achieving more direct closeness to one another, free of hatred. This is why, this coming 29th of November, I will travel to Iraq to transmit a message to the children of Iraq, a message of of peace and love on behalf of the real American nation.
Regarding the harshness of America towards Arabs, it is very complex and unjust. it is a battle that started many years ago. And, as long as there is no understanding between both parties, this problem will keep growing. It is very bad that two human nations cannot understand each other.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of interest $$$$$$ in between. We believe in God and hope that He will end this.
Name
Afreen
- Pakistan
Profession
student
Question
Hello sir,
First of all I am sorry for the loss of ur son.
When will Americans realize that Americas' war on terror is unjustified and if they are killed by suicide bombers it iss because they have gotten people frustrated?
Why can't you people just live normally and let us live too? We all have a right to live, dont we? See for urself war on Afghanistan and then Iraq. Protect your own people. Let us live our way.
Byez
Answer
Friend from Pakistan, Your words have a lot of reason and rightness in them; only a small mistake. The majority of us want to live in peace and to lead a normal life, free of fear and hatred. Unfortunately, this president and some of the previous ones have interfered in things that we, as a nation, do not care about. They have generated this wave of death around the world. I hope that the people of the Muslum nation and others will understand that THE AMERICAN NATION IS NOT THEIR ENNEMY, THAT THEY HAVE HERE A LOT OF FRIENDS FIGHTING FOR PEACE.
Name
Mazen
- Italy
Profession
Question
Hello there sir,
As you know there are some people that think that the iraq war is RIGHT and is LEGAL and MUST happen.
What message do you give to all of these people?
Answer
Hi Mazen,
To these people that think that way, I can only tell them to, please, open their eyes and see that there not one real provable cause for this war. That the lives of human beings is more valuable than any other interests.
I agree that Saddam Hussein is a person that hurt his own people, but why keep on hurting this nation that has suffered too much already?
It is time for the United Nations to intervene enthusiastically and to re-establish the living conditions in the nation of Iraq without interferences from any other country.
Name
Sam
- Canada
Profession
Question
Hello there,
Do you think that the war on iraq had to be done?
Also, Why do you think of the resistance thats fighting in iraq?, USA claims that they all are "saddam loyalists."
Answer
Hi Sam. No, this war should have never started.
And yes, the American government claims that the Iraqi nation is loyal to Hussein; it is lying! The resistance, in my point of view, is the result of the fact that the Iraqi nation wants to have its real own freedom. From a couple of contacts, I have came to know that when Hussein fell, the people, a lot - not all of them - expressed their gratitude to the troops; but as time passes, when they see that the troops are not pulling out, they consider them as ennemies. This is the problem: a very long time of occupation. As long as they will not see a real army to rebuild the country, the Iraqi resistence will continue.
Thank you.
Name
Ali
- Egypt
Profession
Question
We heard that a great number of the American soldiers in Iraq were jobless and they attended the army to get money; was your son jobless too? Was you son anti-war, or he believed that it was a just war?
Answer
Ali, good question and thank you for asking it. My son was against the war, but in favor of ousting Saddam. He knew how the children in Iraq died because of the embargo, and because of the lack of medicine and he wanted the freedom of those children. He also wanted that the whole world could take a walk in a park with their children without the fear of terrorist attacks.
He went to war with this conviction in mind. Unfortunately, he never came back to see his son grow. But he did what he wanted to accomplish, he rid Iraq off Saddam and he planted the seed of peace in the world.
Thank you.
Name
dolly - america
-
Profession
Question
If your son wasn't in the army , would you become an anti – war activist ?
Answer
My son is in the heavens. And if I am an activist in favor of peace, I have been so before today and will continue to be so as long as I have the strength for it.
Thank you.
Name
From France
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Profession
Question
Dear sir,
It seems that a large number of Americans are still in favour of the war and occupation in Iraq, and the soldier who blamed you for answering Muslims questions is a good example of the blindness of most Americans and their naivety, apparently, concerning the us government's real motives for attacking Iraq. Now do you think that peaceful Americans are numerous enough to make the pro bush stop supporting the occupation of Iraq? Is there any hope?
Answer
Yes, if you see the amount of people that have protested against the war, we are a lot. And votes for President are rapidly falling in the polls. In May, he had 65% of war acceptance. Today, he has 43% only. If we continue to pressure him, this margine will fall even more. You can see that the UN is already pressuring for the reconstruction, fortunately.
Thank you. Fortunately, there are countries like yours - France - that did not support him.
