World Press Review, January 2002

The important World Press Review devotes its January 2202 issue largely to "Unholy Terror, Islam's Fanatical Fringe". American TV news of the Afghan war consists mostly of blow-by-blow accounts of the fighting, to the accompaniment of talking heads. The US press fails to put the affair in a global perspective, which World Press Review does by publishing translations from newspapers all around the world. "Osama's Library" from Dagens Nyheter (Stockholm) tells us about Milestones by Sayyid Quth, the intellectual father of Islamic fundamentalism, of which nearly 2,000 editions have been published! Le Monde of Paris describes the Saudi terrorism connection, while the Saudi-owned Al-Sharq al-Awsat, published in London, features a diatribe against "The Anti-Saudi Media Campaign". I wonder how may Arabs swallow it. The Israeli reaction is strange. Die Zeit (Germany) tells how Israelis are fleeing from reality, avoiding the news and tuning in to Spanish soap operas. At the same time,Yediat Aharonot of Tel Aviv publishes a holier-than-thou article blaming the US for not pinpointing terrorists and avoiding civilian casualties, as Israel does! The collection of cartoons from around the world is unusually brilliant. World Press Review is a very important publication, The Stanley Foundation deserves our gratitude for publishing it. You can subscribe by e-mailing WORLDPR@bestweb.net.

The danger of another Vietnam is real. Winston Churchill, who knew Afghanistan, said that peace can be imposed by arms, but democracy cannot. I fear that this whole business will continue for my lifetime. I belonged to those who warned against the creation of the state of Israel. We foresaw the consequences so evident now. At the end of World War II all humanity felt sorrow for the Jews. Now that sorrow has been replaced by hatred throughout the Muslim world and suspicion everywhere else. Preventing Arafat from attending Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem was petty and cruel. Sharon would have done better to go there himself.

Ronald Hilton - 12/27/01