Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid

If US Foreign Secretary Colin Powell had said it, perhaps I would have believed it: But it came from a man known for his intrepidity, inflexibility and tendency to use force. Has Rumsfeld turned into a kitten this past year?

The story is this: A disgruntled Rumsfeld demanded the launch of a satellite television station to battle Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera, which he has described as hostile to his country in Iraq. Is it possible that matters have come to such a pass?

With all due respect to these two stations, and with great admiration not for their editorial policy but for sticking to their guns, I find it hard to believe that the defense secretary - a US administration hawk to boot - could claim that the only weapon he has so far been able to find against them is journalistic competition.

I find it difficult to believe that this great nation is unable to silence the two hostile stations through diplomatic or any other channels. One station is Qatari and the other is Saudi; both are thorns in the side of a project that has cost Washington more than $70 billion and over 300 American lives and is threatening the lives of another 150,000 soldiers.

If these two stations have truly become a threat, then I find it odd that the same US that has managed to pressure France and Germany to consent to its latest UN Security Council resolution is unable to deal with a couple of TV stations.

Rumsfeld’s demands for Syria to close the offices of Islamic Jihad, Hamas and Hezbollah seem ludicrous given his inability to close down the television stations of two countries that are considered friends.

If he is powerless to do that, how has he been able to put a lid on military use of Iran’s nuclear reactors that cost it $3 billion, keep thousands of people in work, and represent the cornerstone of Iran’s defense strategy? Despite all that, the Americans succeeded in convincing Iran to allow inspections and accept a new policy for the use of its nuclear installations.

While I don’t want to make a big deal out of America’s leverage over most countries of the world, it is certain that a single telephone call could put an end to this trouble — if the US truly believed the channels represent a danger.

Defense Secretary Rumsfeld has fought two wars in the last two years, Afghanistan and Iraq, and was enthusiastic about hounding Islamic charities and important political organizations, and on top of that he insisted on taking charge of the imprisonment and questioning of the Guantanamo prisoners.

It is difficult to imagine that he has changed his philosophy and has turned into a peace-loving man who puts his trust in dialogue, discussion and innocent competition.