An Islamic, and not Bush, choiceDr. Khaled Batarfi/Al-Madinah

Today the world is left with two options both of which come from US President George Bush. We should either side with America and risk compromising our sovereignty or stand against it and become one of its targeted enemies.
Islamic solidarity thus becomes the pressing but difficult choice left. It is the only choice outside the painful one offered by America. We have to maintain our sovereignty and decide by ourselves where our interests lie. It is a difficult choice since the Crusader West would not allow the Muslim nation to present to the world its cultural project anew. It was a project which led to the building of a powerful empire that ruled the world and influenced the course of human history.
To start with I suggest adopting the policy of small complementary steps. Let us adopt the Islamic dinar as our currency as suggested by Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Muhammad. Let us have a permanent exhibition of Islamic products to be based in Makkah as suggested by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Faqeeh. These and other small steps would lead us to the same results reached by Europe. Fifty years ago the continent launched its common market and finally ended up with economic integration.
Such a policy would help produce a unified Muslim vision resulting in closer coordination in different areas and ultimately leading to development and prosperity. This means being independent in economic, political and military affairs and enhancing our negotiating position as well as our cooperation with both the East and West. It will earn us the dignity and pride that befits us as the best of peoples ever raised for mankind.
30 July 2002