The Gulf Crisis and New World Order — Page 234
Thirteenth Friday Sen11011 Feb 15, 1991 Kuwait and that Iraq should not show intransigence over such a trifle, especially in view of the heavy losses it had already sustained. But this is far from the reality. I had exposed this total falsehood and deception in an earlier sermon. Saddam's stand has always been that although his occupation of Kuwait is an act of aggression, but similar aggression has, in the past been directed against the Muslim countries by the state of Israel and these illegal occupations still persist. Moreover, this state of affairs has continued despite the numerous resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations. So, if you crave for genuine peace then do not look at the Kuwaiti situation in isolation. Consider both issues in tandem, so that unlawful occupation may end, not only in kuwait but also in the other neighbouring lands and this protracted phenomenon of infringement in the region may come to an end - once and for all. The U. S. has strongly rejected this view of linkage of issues. All emissaries sent to Iraq from various countries including the U. N. Secretary General were told explicitly by the U. S. to refrain from discussing the "issue of linkage" - in other words, the symmetric approach to the occupation of Kuwait as well as that of Palestine. A mere consent of any country's envoy to consider the "linkage" as part of the agenda would have been enough to expose the U. S. deception and create a psychological problem for those Muslim Arab States which are siding with the U. S. The U. S is demanding that Iraq withdraws from Kuwait while allowing Israel to retain its occupied territories. This is such an overt act of double dealing that it makes it very difficult for the Muslim states to continue to side with the U. S. This however is all together a different matter as to the real motives of Muslim States to adopt a pro-U. S. posture. I will speak about that later. According to today's news, Saddam Hussein, who has out manoeuvred the West in political shrewdness and diplomacy on numerous occasions in the past, has added yet another point to the tally, by successfully persuading the USSR and some other countries for calling a meeting of U. N. Security Council. So the issue that was deliberately being kept away from the table of diplomatic negotiations will now, after all, be considered by the Security Council. Saddam Hussein has said that he is ready and willing to withdraw from Kuwait, provided the Security Council takes up all the issues together 234