I mourn with my countrymen at the most devastating tragedy to hit our country. However, I do not and will not let myself be blinded by the gross misjudgment that our people seem to make. America is not invincible and will never be so while we meddle in the affairs of the Middle East, where we unjustly support monarchies that do not practice democracy even if they serve our national interests.

Let us not forget that oppression and terror also grip the people of the Middle East, and we neglect their suffering. Getting rid of Osama bin Laden will not get rid of the root cause of terror that still pervades the region. To get to the root, we must not point missiles but rather change policies that underlie the hatred America clearly receives.

When Palestinians die from bombs dropped by F-16s supplied by America to the Israelis, the U.S. is not fostering peace. When civilians and children starve in Iraq, the U.S. is not fostering peace. The hatred toward America does not stem from one action, it is the result of a chain of actions committed against the people of the Middle East. America may be a beacon of freedom, but the U.S. denies that freedom to others. Why do terrorists target America? Why not bomb Australia or a France?

America has the chance to stop this vicious cycle of violence that will continue unless the U.S. changes its foreign policy. Americans must work for peace and security for all nations. That means taking an unbiased position in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and becoming a real peace negotiator. That means lifting sanctions on Iraq and capturing the actual perpetrator of aggression and anti-American actions, Saddam Hussein. That means actualizing the superpower potential America claims to hold by desiring democracy and security for all nations.

-Sadia Asghar,
senior