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Africa: North
Lady Sadat sez US doing good work in Iraq
2004-05-19
The former First Lady of Egypt, Jehan Sadat, said in an interview recently that she remains hopeful about the situation in the Middle East despite growing animosity toward America following revelations that U.S. soldiers tortured and humiliated Iraqi prisoners. The anger will pass, she said, because people will see that the American effort to rebuild Iraq is mostly good. "There are very few Americans who make this mistake," she said, referring to soldiers who abused the detainees. "The majority of the people in the American army are brave people and brave soldiers."

Sadat, who speaks at 8 p.m. at Orchestra Hall tonight in the Star Tribune Women's Lecture Series, said she can't help but consider the damage that a few individuals can wreak on the reputation of an entire nation. Just as some people now judge all Americans by the acts of guards working at Abu Ghraib prison, so, too, did many people judge all Muslims by the Sept. 11 attacks, Sadat said. "They always say 'Islamic terrorists,' always putting terrorists as if they are all Muslim," said Sadat, speaking of media accounts of the war. "I wanted to say that some few, like [Al-Qaida leader Osama] bin Laden, these terrorists give a bad image for Islam."

A practicing Muslim, she hopes the non-Muslim world will come to see her faith less as the source of extremists like Bin Laden and more like the platform from which her husband, who was assassinated Oct. 6, 1981, sought peace. Jehan Sadat plans to talk about her family and her views on raising children, the needs of the Third World, and her life in Virginia, where she lives today just 20 minutes from the White House. Christians and Muslims have little to fear from one another, she said. "The religion is so similar. It is the same God we are worshipping," she said.
Except that Christians usually don't explode...
Meanwhile, an Egyptian court on Tuesday ordered the release of one of Sadat's assassins, saying he had completed his sentence, his attorney and a court official said. Tarek el-Zomor, 45, should have been released in October 2003, after serving 22 years for his part in plotting the assassination, a court official quoted the judge as saying. El-Zomor was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the maximum term under Egyptian law. But the Interior Ministry has the discretion to hold a prisoner for up to five additional years.
Posted by:Dan Darling

#9  Phil, that's an interesting comment

I wonder if it is related to fake-Christian-itus?
I've run into a lot of Christian folks who are non-Christian when they are on their own, but when in a group (let's say the Christian club) their behavior radically alters( curse words are suddenly greeted with gasps of horror etc) I know they are trying to get the approval of their peers by appearing to be 'The Model Christian' (or that group's concept of it), but I wonder then how much of psychotic Islam is an attempt at being 'The Model Muslim'

tho for the complete disaster of the Muslim countries, that's culturally dependent.. people are trying to act how people are 'supposed to act' as per the land they've grown up in (look at how capitalism works in countries where they've been told all their lives that capitalism is the essence of corruption and capitalists do anything for a buck (quick easy example would be the fake baby milk in china), they are now being told capitalism is the way to go, but for them, capitalism is still largely doing unethical things for cash.. contrast that with western companies who, in general, have higher standards and believe in giving back to the community )
Posted by: dcreeper   2004-05-19 12:39:02 PM  

#8  "They always say 'Islamic terrorists,' always putting terrorists as if they are all Muslim,"

I'll take 'Laws Of Probability' for $200, Alex.
Posted by: Raj   2004-05-19 12:32:10 PM  

#7  Jews, Ms Sadat, you did not mention the Jews.
Posted by: Lucky   2004-05-19 12:11:11 PM  

#6  It was getting late last night when I posted. So if I may revise and extend my remarks . . .

Notice the ABSENCE of any actual condemnation of the Islamic atrocities: only complaint is that they are "making us all look bad--"a bad image for Islam." No sh-t, and a big boo-hoo! Our guys, who are over there protecting her Moslem behind, are doing so with their lives. You'd think since she's enjoying the benefits of Western Civilization all safe and cozy there in Virginia, she could be just a tad bit more forthright in her criticisms of the Islamic, yes, Islamic , terrorists.
Posted by: ex-lib   2004-05-19 10:00:03 AM  

#5  Please...yet another "feel good" piece about these Moslem barbarians. My heart really bleeds for this half-wit Sadat.
Posted by: Anonymous   2004-05-19 7:33:19 AM  

#4  Its one of the paradoxes. Individually moslems are very nice people (yes I know moslems). Collectively they are a complete disaster. Muslims outside of muslim run countries often do very well. Moslem run countries are almost without exception complete disasters. They make the Communists look good.
Posted by: Phil B   2004-05-19 7:29:09 AM  

#3  sigh...Christians and Muslims have little to fear from one another, she said.

The lack of Muslim voices saying this makes me want to scoff at this and say that, other than Judeo/Christian Armys defending Muslims, Muslims have little to fear from Christians but it doesn't seem to work the other way around.

....but ya know...I'm just not that cynical yet. She's right. Most Muslims are good people. It's too bad that more Muslims won't speak up like she is doing. GOOD FOR HER! Even if she it can be summed up by her living in VA.
Posted by: B   2004-05-19 6:17:05 AM  

#2  The point of her comments can be summed up by "her life in Virginia"
Posted by: Not Mike Moore   2004-05-19 4:14:10 AM  

#1  Well, at least her heart might be in the right place, even if she's not too bright. Islam is so schizo--these types of Moslems see their religion as a platform for peace, and the others see it as a mandate for violence and world domination--and it's not just "a few" of them that see terrorism and jihad as pleasing their god, Allah, that are giving Islam a bad name! "They always say 'Islamic terrorists,' always putting terrorists as if they are all Muslim." Well they are all Islamic--it certainly isn't something others are making up about them. Interesting though, that she lives in Virginia, USA . . . wonder how much that has affected her perspectives.

Posted by: ex-lib   2004-05-19 12:42:07 AM  

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