‘Trump, US face isolation’

Moves baffle EU, Iran

“IN AN unstudied act, US President Donald Trump took revenge on former president Barack Obama, Europe and Iran in one stroke of the pen,” columnist and former MP Abdulmohsen Yusuf Jamal wrote for AlQabas daily.

“He did this when he took the unilateral decision to exit from the UN accord (the Iranian nuclear deal between P5+1 and Iran), which has been under discussion for over 10 long years.

“By doing so, President Trump without any hesitation took the Israeli view, as one Israeli politician has said.

“This agreement had been duly ratified by the UN Security Council and had the support of the entire world. Not just that, it was welcomed by all peaceloving peoples, hence any violation of this agreement is a flagrant violation of international law and an unwise act of a superpower.

“President Trump wants to erase all the achievements of president Obama. He wants to cancel the health insurance which benefits millions of Americans.

“He also pulled the United States out of UNESCO education programs worldwide, canceled the historic agreement with Cuba, and pulled out of the International Convention on Environment although it had the support of the entire world.

“Moreover, he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of the Zionist entity, and transferred the US Embassy there to the detriment of all Arab and Muslim feelings and prevented the entry of the citizens of six Arab and Muslim countries to America.

“Today, after Trump came out of the UN nuclear agreement with the five major powers, Germany and Iran or the so-called (P5+1) and Iran, America became isolated from the whole free world. In doing so, it did not hurt Iran alone but it hurt all European countries.

“Not only that, it is America which wanted to prevent the European states from profitable investments in the Iranian market and this behavior outraged the Europeans because they view the decision as Trump’s irrational behavior, built solely on the spirit of hatred and revenge.

“The European Union attitude against Trump resulted in the Iranians gaining the support of senior European politicians, strategists and thinkers, who were defending Iran as if Tehran was part of Europe.

“If we know that the US Democratic Party and a part of the Republican Party support the validity of the agreement and its continuation, then we will conclude that the behavior of Trump will damage him personally first, and his country in general.

“However, the outcome of all the above, will reflect during the upcoming midterm elections of the US Congress.”

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Jamal

“As expected and as we have mentioned in two previous articles, the region has entered into a new big crisis with the US President Donald Trump officially pulling the US out of the nuclear pact with Tehran which was signed about three years ago,” columnist Zayed Al-Zaid wrote for Annahar daily.

“Not just that, in his speech Tuesday evening, Trump in an escalating tone gave Tehran various descriptions mostly related to terrorism in the region. He also warned countries that the US will impose international sanctions on those who deal with Iran.

“However, just a few minutes after his speech, Trump received direct support from Israel. Not only that, Trump had given evidence many days ago during a press conference with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming direct coordination between the two parties, particularly in terms of Trump exiting from nuclear agreement in question.

“As a matter of fact, even before the ink was dry on that document, Trump announced the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and clouds of war have actually gathered over the region.

“In this context, we say this part of the world shall witness unprecedented military mobilization amid tense atmospheres which currently prevail in the region. The world is likely to witness an arms race of another type which will cover many states in general and the Gulf States in particular.

“In other words, this race will be an active market for the ‘traffickers’ in the crises who always eagerly look forward for this type of race under the pretext every country has the right to defend its security and national interests.

“Given this complicated position, many questions shall grip our minds about our inflamed region either at the level of all Arab countries in general and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states in particular, especially amid the differences and conflicts which currently subvert the Arabs and Gulf organizations simultaneously.

“Such being the case, we wonder what plans and strategies were put in place by our states prior to the withdrawal (the US exit from the nuclear deal)? However, until now we have not seen anything except statements from opponents and supporters of the US decision.

“However, this actually means things are happening instinctively without prior planning and as such the only victims will be the peoples of our region.”

“Performing Hajj is stressful, prayer is a stress, Jihad in the course of Allah is a stress, Zakat is a stress, propagating the religion with patience is a stress, and every activity related to religion must be connected to stress rather than fun and pleasure,” Dr Hamoud AlHattab wrote for Al-Seyassah daily.

“A person who performs ablution for Fajr prayer during the cold season while living inside a tent in the desert and cannot find hot water ready for the purpose will find stress in performing the ablution. The same thing goes for whoever pays Zakat from his wealth and his mind goes against it.

“Whatever is applicable to other aspects of the religion is applicable to Hajj; land, sea and air. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) was asked whether women need to be involved in any Jihad, and he clarified that performing Hajj is Jihad for women. He stressed the Hajj rite is stressful for old people as well as the young ones, because there is no fun in the pilgrimage.

“The Hajj caravans in Kuwait charge exorbitant fees that could reach KD 3,000 per pilgrim to ensure their comfort, according to them. This mindset is not part of Islamic concepts. It rather contradicts one of the major goals. The need to put in efforts is a major goal, which Kuwaiti caravans plan to break for commercial purpose.

“The state, represented by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, and other concerned authorities, should intervene to curb the greed of some Hajj caravan operators. I personally believe that people should boycott the caravans this year to force the operators to reduce the fares to a minimal level. I said earlier that Hajj should not cost more than KD 500 per pilgrim … Boycott them!”

“It seems the governmental efforts to combat corruption and improve the rank of Kuwait in the Corruption Perceptions Index are ongoing remarkably,” columnist Abdulrahman Al-Awad wrote for Al-Sabah daily.

“The observer of these efforts can see referral of violators to the concerned authorities. State Minister for Housing Affairs Jinan Bushahri referred the owners of illegal buildings in South Khaitan to Nazaha based on the report of the committee tasked to uncover violations in buildings.

“The health minister also referred the investigation file on services contracts for X-ray and laboratories in Adan Hospital to the Public Prosecution due to suspicion of misappropriation of public funds.

“All these decisions are aimed at eliminating irregularities as per the instruction of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak to strictly deal with financial anomalies.”

“After 67 years of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, it is useless and in vain to commemorate a setback which has become an annual tradition required by the nationals,” columnist Dr Nasser Khamees AlMutairi wrote for Annahar daily.

“This setback was followed by more setbacks – killing, destruction and subjugation – the latest of which is the confiscation of the Palestinian capital ‘Jerusalem’. It was snatched from the Palestinians and the Arabs are just looking without doing anything in this regard.

“The USA transferred its embassy disparaging the rights of Arabs, Muslims and Palestinians because it knows their weaknesses and limitations.

“The real setback, which the Arabs must commemorate today, is the fake peace with Israel. This peace was planned through which the Arabs collaborated with Israel and sponsor countries to stop the armed resistance against the occupier and achieve the lawful existence of Israel according to international decisions.”

“What is the use of the UN Security Council? This body which was established to implement the UN charter to make sure justice for all member countries is exercised. The council has become toothless to the point that it is now operating in accordance with political moods,” columnist Fakhri Hashim Al-Sayed Rajab wrote for Al Shahed daily.

“It is dancing to instructions of the usual bully boys, not only to strike certain countries, but also threatens the security and stability of sovereign countries similar to events happening in Syria. The council is breaching the UN charter No. 51, which states the right of countries to defending themselves. Syria was condemned for killing her people when it decided to defend herself and her sovereignty and the people for the past 8 years by fighting terrorism and slaying mercenaries.

“A question for those accusing Syria: would Washington for instance receive with roses any group of terrorists that decides to occupy the White House or Washington? Would Washington keep silent or she would fight according to the UN charter if Mexico for example occupies some parts of the United States? Obviously it is halal for the United States and haram for Syria to defend herself as things stand!

“They have plotted against Syria since March 2011, and before that time, there were other plans. Do you want to know why? It is because Syria is the only country that is resistant to the Zionist entity occupying Arab lands, including the occupied Palestinian lands.

“Syria also has the biggest oil and gas fields and they want to blow away the wind of truth. They do not care how many die or how much weaponry is sold to Arabs to kill their Arab brothers. It’s a very sad thing indeed that we are buying weapons to kill ourselves! Isn’t it time for common sense and frankness? Isn’t it time we realize the conspiracies against us as a people?”

“The Syrian war has entered the eighth year and there is no sign in sight as to when it will end. One of the reasons for the protracted war is the large number of factions involved and the fact that no single faction can impose its opinion,” Dr Abdul-Mohsin Hamada wrote for Al-Qabas daily.

“Syrian citizens are the worst hit victims, considering over 500,000 of them have been killed with 12 million or more displaced, in addition to thousands of wounded people, coupled with the monumental destruction of its cities.

“In spite of the catastrophes the country is facing, there is no unity, while the people are sharply divided. There is no common leadership for the factions and none of them want to coordinate. The situation has deteriorated to the point extent that they are fighting themselves in some regions.

“For this reason, some people believe that even if they succeed in ousting Assad regime, the factions will start fighting each other, especially as they are already fighting each other in some regions.

“The rate of division among Syrians is probably the reason the Friends of Syrians Group, which constitutes countries in the west and some GCC states believe that there’s no strong organization on the ground to rely on in case Assad regime is ousted.”

“The West conspires to destroy the East as a way of controlling the world, while ruining the Arab and Islamic countries by spreading civil war among the sectarian, religious and political groups within the same country,” Bashayer Yaqoub Al-Hamadi wrote for Al-Jarida daily.

“The people are of the same religious faith, but some leaders have long sold their countries in a way peculiar to Arabs. They brought foreigners and Israelis into the Arab-Islamic nation, which enabled them to lord over our nation, which they invaded long ago. Now, two great countries are striving to complete the control of what remains of the gloomy Arab nation, which is filled with clashes, killing, hunger, displacement and fleeing of its citizens from one country to another in search of new environments.

“They tried so much to drag the beautiful Egypt, ‘Mother of the World’ into the bottomless pit— especially when the Muslim Brotherhood ousted Hosni Mubarak but patriotic citizens and soldiers prevented a catastrophe. Otherwise, the fate of that country would have been just like Syria and many other Arab-Islamic countries in the region.”

— Compiled by Zaki Taleb