If this is so, that was excellent advice. But a few weeks ago, an Arab prince gave the identical advice, and offered a US $10 million donation for the victims of September 11. He was chastened, denounced as irresponsible, and his gift was refused. Truth is not only sad, therefore; truth is horrifying and offensive to the United States whenever they consider it not in their interest to hear the truth.

Mushsarraf told “MEET THE PRESS” that same week, that he would allow local elections but there would be no elections to confirm or to remove him from his coup position as Pakistani President. Somebody please tell me: how is this different from the position of Fidel Castro? It is simply another sample how the USA embraces dictatorship and oppression at its convenience and for expediency.

On November 12, 2001 BBC reported that opinion polls showed a majority of Italians were against the military action and bombing in Afghanistan. I believe if polls were conducted throughout the world, we would discover that the overwhelming majority of world inhabitants determine similarly, despite what their leaders do and say. President Berlusconi, leader of Italy, for example, is for the bombing but the majority of Italians are against.

A man called Tim Sebastian has a vexing habit of reserving most of his so-called “hard talk” on BBC for so-called Third World leaders. We tend not to hear the same aggressive pursuit of Blair or Bush.

At 12:30 a.m Dominica time, November 12, 2001, “HARD TALK” featured Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Mr. Sebastian was trying to convince Mr. Hariri that he, Hariri, was not cooperating with the USA because he refused to freeze the assets of HISBALA. This is an organization that has reportedly dedicated itself to regain the inheritance of the disinherited Palestinians.

It is clear that the Arabs do not consider as terrorist some persons or groups that the USA classify as such. Hariri exempted those who were struggling for the liberation of their homeland. He said, however, that he was co-operating with the USA. President Bush has signed an executive order requesting all supportive states to freeze the cash accounts/assets of some 150 people deemed to have been engaging in terrorist activities. Hariri said he was giving his cooperation in respect of that list.

Presumably, Dominica and other Caribbean nations must have received that list since they pledged support for the USA against terrorism. I have one little grumble.

Assume one name on the list is a mistake: he is no terrorist and has had neither cause nor contact with such people. What happens to a bank that freezes his assets and refuses to repay him his own money? Has the United States provided indemnity to all countries so exposed to litigation in case of the occurrence of such an event?

Remember no one listed has been convicted for (alleged) terrorist crime; and mistakes have already been made in this “war of revenge.” An Afghan Red Cross Centre was “bombed twice in error.” A mosque was “bombed on the first day of Ramadan in error.” And many innocent people have lost their lives in error in Afghanistan.