IRAQI, ARAB EMIGRANTS IN VALLEY ASSAIL ATTACK.Byline: Yvette Cabrera Daily News Staff Writer Iraqi expatriates and Arab emigrants alike in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. condemned President Clinton's decision to bomb Iraq, calling the move ill-timed, politically motivated and dangerous for the Iraqi citizens. ``I don't think Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (born April 28, 1937, Tikrit, Iraq—died Dec. 30, 2006, Baghdad) President of Iraq (1979–2003). He joined the Ba'th Party in 1957. Following participation in a failed attempt to assassinate Iraqi Pres. poses any threat to the world, only to his people and therefore bombing Iraq is not the solution,'' said Zuhair Haddad, a Panorama City resident and American citizen who emigrated from Jordan. Valley residents including Batol Haddad, who has nearly three dozen relatives living in Iraq, were worried about family and friends in their homeland. The timing was inopportune in·op·por·tune adj. Inappropriate or ill-timed; not opportune. in·op  por·tune because it falls so close to the holidays, said Haddad, no relation to Zuhair Haddad. ``It's a hard time, it's very bad, and it's made a lot of people mad,'' said Haddad, a Lake View Terrace resident who immigrated to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. 20 years ago. She criticized Clinton's actions, saying that he is merely putting innocent people in harm's way harm's way n. A risky position; danger: a place for the children that is out of harm's way; ships that sail into harm's way. rather than solving Iraq's problems. ``Saddam has bombs, but Clinton is killing people with bombs,'' said Haddad. ``If you want to kill Saddam, go and kill him. Why do you kill the people?'' Salam Al-Marayati Salam Al-Marayati is the Executive Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), an American Muslim public service & policy organization. , director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council
``The sanctions and the bombings have hurt the Iraqi people, and they have not touched the Iraqi dictatorship,'' said Al-Marayati. Although the Clinton administration said it wants to reduce Saddam's military capability, the United States doesn't consider the ultimate solution - removing Saddam from power - because it has ulterior motives, said Al-Marayati, whose group, which also has offices in Washington, D.C., aims to provide a voice for Muslims in the United States. According to 1990 census information, there are 2,373 Iraqis living in Southern California. |
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