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Trump Muslim Ban Won't Protect Americans

Trump Muslim Ban Won't Protect Americans
Trump Muslim Ban Won't Protect Americans

A senior Iranian lawmaker slammed the US travel ban on citizens from six Muslim majority countries, branding it as a hypocritical measure that would "yield no results" for the Americans.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of Iran's Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, criticized the contradictory US policies regarding Muslims, saying the US officials "on the one hand promote extremism in Muslim countries, and on the other, restrict their nationals [from entering the US], claiming to fight extremism", ICANA reported on Friday.

Trump's ban targets six predominantly Muslim countries, namely Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen, whose citizens have so far not been involved in mass killings in the US.

On the contrary, all major terrorist groups attacking the United States and other western countries over the past couple of decades—from Al-Qaeda to the Taliban to the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group—can trace their roots back to countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates that conspicuously did not make the list.

Out of 19 hijackers, who slammed two planes into twin towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, 15 were Saudi nationals.

A redacted long-classified report released by the US Congress in July 2016 found that some of the 9/11 hijackers were in contact with and received support from individuals likely connected to the Saudi government.

Known as the "28 pages", the secret document was part of a 2002 Congressional Joint Inquiry into the Sept. 11 attacks and has been classified since the report's completion, despite repeated calls for its release.

***Ultimate Hypocrisy

During his campaign for presidency, Trump came particularly hard on Saudi Arabia, promising to reveal its true role behind the 9/11.

"I think I know what [the uncut report] is going to say. It's going to be very, very profound, having to do with Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia's role on the World Trade Center, and the attack," he told Fox News at the time.

However, after assuming office and in a complete U-turn, not only Trump did not censure Saudi Arabia for its ties with the terrorist attacks, but also went so far as to sign arms deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars with the oil kingdom.

Pointing to the ultimate hypocritical nature of US policies, Boroujerdi said the controversial travel ban contradicts the American leader's claims of combating terrorism.

"These measures would only make America a more hated nation among Muslims," he said.

***Truly Shameful

In addition, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif criticized on Tuesday a decision by the US Supreme Court to revive part of Trump's travel ban, branding it "truly shameful".

"A bigoted ban on Muslims will not keep US safer. Instead of policies empowering extremists, US should join the real fight against them," he said.

Zarif said the travel ban punished people who had never been convicted of a terrorist act, while people from other countries involved in past attacks would not be affected.

"For some, terrorism and support for terrorism are measured by the amount of arms they buy from the US, and not by actually being involved in acts of terrorism," he said, in an apparent reference to the recent US approval of $110 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

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