UN’s credibility is at stake :: Open letter to Kofi Annan ::

Dear Secretary-General,

I feel that that a serious conspiracy, led by the USA, the UK and Israel, is in the making against Iran. Twisting IAEA reports for misleading the world is not a new thing for either the Bush or the Blair administration. A recently circulated (August 23) U.S. Congressional committee dossier on Iran was so erroneous and dishonest that on September 14, 2006, even the IAEA chief, Dr. AlBaradei had to protest complaining about serious distortions of the IAEA findings on Iran’s activity.

The UN is supposed to be a forum for honest and open debate, and not of deceit and victimization of the weak. Yet, as you well know how Colin Powell, then Secretary of State of the USA, lied in the UN, misleading everyone into believing that Iraq had WMDs and how Saddam was a threat to world peace. To this day, none of those accusations have been found to be true. Unfortunately, those false accusations were used as justifications by the veto-wielding powers –” the USA and the UK – for invading Iraq (a member of the UNO). The illegal war has led to the killings of nearly a quarter million innocent Iraqis, destruction of the entire infrastructure and looting of treasures of humanity. Through their despicable and criminal conducts in the prisons of Abu Ghraib and the killing fields of Fallujah, we saw the ugly images of the Anglo-American occupation forces. As you have recently pointed out, their strategy is sliding Iraq towards a break-down in the midst of a full-scale civil war. We simply cannot let a repeat of such an iniquitous ploy with Iran.

Iran is not a threat to any country. In her 27-year existence in the post-1979 era, she has not invaded any country — something that cannot be said of Israel, the USA and the UK. So, the current maneuverings at the UN by the representatives of these countries against Iran simply unmask their evil design for the region –” more wars, regime changes and monumental suffering of the people.

Israel has been epitomizing the concepts racial discrimination, state terrorism and collective punishment since 1948. She has been a destabilizing force in the Middle East. She has repeatedly ignored the UN Resolutions. In this regard, no country comes close to Israel.

Iran is a signatory of the NPT while Israel is not. Israel is also known to possess an arsenal of up to several hundred nuclear warheads and associated delivery systems. In its recent invasion of Lebanon, she has used cluster bombs and phosphorus against civilian targets, actions that constitute war crimes.

Iran wants peace and considers the use of nuclear weapons forbidden. These views have repeatedly been declared by no less of a figure than her supreme leader Ayatullah Khamenie. Iran’s pursuit of nuclear technology for peaceful use does not violate the NPT and must be accepted as such. It would be utterly stupid and criminally insane to punish her for what she does not possess.

It is UN’s credibility that is at stake today. It must take a stand against the conspiracy against Iran. UN’s failure to do so would be cataclysmic, beginning the process of a long war with no winner.

The UN must provide the moral leadership in resolving the crisis peacefully and should not let itself be either bullied by or held as a hostage in the hands of lying, dishonest, hypocritical and yet, powerful world leaders who care nothing about the suffering of innocent human beings.

Best regards,

Habib Siddiqui

Philadelphia, USA