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Fri, 29 Mar 2002 21:20:07 EST

Physicians and others in health care read these 3 list servers faithfully.   
Surely we can offer some leadership in what seems to be an almost certain 
course to global war.   I have watched in horror the news of the last 3 days 
and the interview by Barbara Walters of Saudi students.    Most on this list 
know that I have spent considerable time in the Middle East and have many 
dear friend in medical and political leadership in Israel, Iraq, Egypt, 
Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.  I have heard the feelings of helplessness 
and frustrations from professionals on all sides of these issues.   I have 
heard hate statements expressed by the many sides of the conflicts.   And 
there are definitely more than 2 sides.    Some of these conflicts are 
thousands of years old and others stem back to the Balfour Agreements of the 
beginning of the last century.   Some of the problems were caused by the 
"West" as geographic lines and names of countries were performed for 
commercial and "western" political agendas.   Yes, we in the "west" have some 
fault in these conflicts.   

My purpose in writing this letter is to plead that we in the health 
professions do what we can to communicate with all of our leaders and 
religious clerics to stop this madness.   I have reread my copy of the Quran 
and find nothing to support any logic for the current wave of suicide 
bombings.   If anything I find that the Quran would condemn such action.   My 
Moslem friends tell me that their religion does not encourage or condone such 
suicide bombings.     

Avi Rivkind told the world on Nightline last week, that at the Hadassah 
Trauma Center, there is no race, creed, or politics and all are treated the 
same, side by side.   After my congratulations to him, others in the Middle 
East, (other Israeli hospitals and doctors, hospitals and doctors in other 
Middle Eastern countries) stated that they too are ecumenical.   I believe 
each who wrote to me stating that they too are leaders for peace in their 
hospitals.     I happen to know that many of these leaders are on a first 
name basis with rabbis, clerics, mullahs, imams, prime ministers, presidents, 
members of parliament, members of congress, etc.    

We on these web sites have enough professional and personal respect, enough 
direct contact with religious and political leaders to make a difference.    
I suggest that we have a unified approach.

1.   President Bush must personally take what ever risk he must in order to 
get this madness to stop

2.   Chairman Arafat or whoever is making the decisions must tell the suicide 
bombings to STOP

3.   Either Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, or King Abdullah of Jordan 
should emerge as a broker for peace.   If BOTH would join together the rest 
of the  Middle East would follow

4.   President Mubaric of Egypt needs to emerge with words of wisdom.   He 
was not present at the Lebanon Peace talks.    

We on these lists often talk of prevention.   Now is the time for us to 
exercise our collective energies to aid in preventing further madness and 
carnage in the Middle East and around the world.     

More than any time in our recent memory, leadership must emerge.  

k

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