"Smart" sanctions

The United States has drastically failed again, when the United Nations Security Council rejected the so-called "smart" sanctions on Iraq. Undoubtedly, that marked yet another American defeat, which is no less than the failure of the visit of U.S. secretary of state to the region a few days ago.

These failures within a week ascertain that the policy of arrogance toward Iraq, on the one hand, and the bias and prejudice toward Israel, on the other hand, will only culminate in further perplexity, turmoil and failure and bring upon the Americans hatred and isolation.

We had hoped that the United States, as a sponsor of the peace process in the Middle East, would be able to carry out its role as an honest mediator in the brewing crisis in the Palestinian territories and exercise an effective diplomacy that would avert the collapse of the fragile cease-fire. Instead, this color-blind country had put the reigns of the peace process in the hands of the killer of women and children, Ariel Sharon.

We hope that Washington's isolation in the Security Council would prompt the Republican administration to rectify its policies in the Middle East so that it would be proven that it has no interest in continuously showing enmity to the Arabs and their causes.

-- Ad-Dustour, Amman, Jordan