Opinion | Editorials
America's unwelcome interference
It is a sovereign right of the leadership of the Arab nations to decide on the summit
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:01 March 16, 2008
Regardless of some of the differences, the disagreements and the rifts on issues amongst Arab countries, the United States cannot be justified in stepping in and dictating how members of the Arab League should set the course of action on their agenda. How the Arab world deals with its problems is a matter that not a single party has the right to interfere in - including that which is being suggested by the US.
The US, in a threatening tone, has called on Arab states to think carefully when it comes to attending or boycotting the upcoming Arab League summit, which is to be held in Syria at the end of this month. Controversy has been surrounding the summit due to the presidential crisis in Lebanon.
"In contemplating whether or not they attend a meeting in Syria, it certainly bears keeping in mind that Syria's role [has been] to this point in not allowing a Lebanese electoral process to move forward," said US State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack.
But the issue at hand is not whether Arab leaders should or should not attend the summit. It is a sovereign right of the leadership of each nation to decide on that. The US is in no way party to the dealings of the Arab League. In fact, the position that has been taken by the American administration on the matter and the warning it has issued complicates the situation further. The countries that were perhaps hesitant in reaching a final decision would by now have recognised the intimidation, and the countries that had decided not to attend the summit would be seen as bowing to American pressure. If the US is incapable of finding peaceful means to resolving problems, it should just stay away from dictating orders and issuing threats.
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