Black Nationalist group against war in Iraq

The leader of the US organization the Nation of Islam, Louis Farakhan, has criticized US Middle East policies. Farakhan called upon the US president to leave alone Yasser Arafat alone and warned that a strike against Iraq would be an attack against God. Recently, Farakhan returned to the US after a peace mission in Africa and the Middle East.

According to Iraqi information agencies, during his visit to Baghdad, the leader of the Nation of Islam said that US Muslims were praying for the victory of Iraq over the United States. After having returned to the US, Farakhan at once denied the reports. He said that somebody tried to slander him in the atmosphere of US patriotism. He said that he prayed only for the victory of peace.

Louis Farakhan brought bad news to the US president from the Middle East. After the US administration's statements about the necessity of getting rid of Arafat, the Palestinians chose to more resolutely support their leader, Farakhan said. Because of Bush's words, Palestinians anger grew. Farakhan supposes that US interests will suffer if the United States is not able to use levers they posses to establish peace.

Farakhan supports the full withdraw of Israeli troops from Palestinian territories. He called on the US and the UN to take under their control the creation of Palestinian State. As for the terrorist acts committed by Palestinians against Israelis, the leader of Nation of Islam said that acts were caused by the bad conditions in which Palestinians live. “They have no alternative,” – Farakhan stated. According to the Washington Times, within the last ten years, Farakhan visited Iraq several times.

The Muslim leader is sure that a military strike on Iraq will create a tide of hatred towards America and provoke a people’s revolt. Farkhan opposes sanctions against Iraq, which the UN does not intend to abolish until its military inspectors can enter the country. Louis Farakhan said that he was ready to prepare a special report for Colin Powel about visiting Iraq. He also intends to call upon the White House to refrain from delivering strike against Yasser Arafat. However, will the US administration listen to this call?

Sergei Borisov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/07/24/44643.html