Reading The Hatchet, I was struck by the audacity of a comment in a student’s letter (“Shift policy?” Oct. 4 , p. 4). She wrote, “What about the U.S. supported terrorism in the Middle East … the F-16s reigning down on the West Bank and Gaza; the policies that provoke these actions?” I viewed this as a cheap slight at Israel and an unequivocal apology for anti-American terrorism.

There are only two democracies in the Middle East: Israel and Turkey. These are the only two states deserving American support. We should support Israel and Turkey, but not other states in the Middle East like Saudi Arabia, a country where you can have your hand axed off for stealing. And what of the thousands of Palestinians in Saudi Arabia? They have no rights. They are just cheap labor.

Speaking of Palestinians, Yasser Arafat supported Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War. It is a good thing we build them airports and give them automatic weapons so they can fire them in the air and roar wildly when American skyscrapers crumble.

So who are the terrorists? Certainly not the democracies we support in Israel and Turkey. I am not ashamed of American support of moderate regimes in Egypt and Jordan. Although they are not democracies, Egypt and Jordan are peaceful, liberal states actively seeking to improve the lot of their citizens.

But we guard other unsavory regimes against Islamic fundamentalists who would overthrow feudal dictatorships. We preserve brutal regimes, while they encourage, coddle and support terrorists. And we tolerate this so ungrateful Americans can complain about “U.S. backed terrorism,” while driving their 10-mile-to-the-gallon Lexus SUVs.

-David Kay,
junior