Last week I read that three "Middle-Eastern-appearing" young men were seen looking up information in a Florida library. Perfectly innocent activities can appear suspicious when there is a witch-hunt going on. The youths were not disruptive, in fact, they were whispering (also suspicious). Even more suspicious, they were downloading information from a website-- maybe having to do with Islam. These young men finished their task and left before the police, summoned by the librarian, arrived. Investigators confiscated the hard disks and they are looking into the matter. The young men would have been arrested and held indefinitely had they still been there when the police arrived.

I suppose I will be under suspicion too! I had a Baghdadi roommate for a year while doing my graduate study at Michigan State. The following summer I shared a rental house with six more Iraqis. It was during that college year that I learned conversational Arabic. I went to Baghdad with my friends when they returned home with their degrees. One of these Arab friends invited me to live in his home for several months. All during my time in Baghdad, I never communicated in English.

While I was there I worked for the Government of Iraq for two years. I only associated with Iraqis and never with the Americans. I never even saw the American embassy while I was in Baghdad. I lived in Iraqi homes/ I ate with the people, and prayed with them in their mosques. Those two years were the best two years of my life. I associated freely with those who opposed American policy in the Middle East and some may have been ready to die for their beliefs, I really wouldn't know because we seldom talked very seriously about politics. I married the daughter of a famous Arab nationalist who spent two years in political prison because he protested British interference in the Middle East. Now I'm too old to be suspected of actively fighting against the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the West Bank. If I were younger, I suppose I would be guilty of association with "Enemies of his country" according to present day Homeland Security standards.

I married a local Muslim girl from a good family after living in Iraq for a year. Her father, a Professor at the University, later was appointed Chancellor by the revolutionary government (Ba'th). Her mother was a Palestinian of very rich landowning parents. These multimillionaires lost everything when Israel took their lands. My children, as well as my wife, should have inherited millions, but instead, they reaped the injustice of Israeli occupation. Of course I am bitter and I support the restoration of Palestinian lands to their rightful owners. While I was in Baghdad, and later in Cairo, I became friends with the daughters of the heroic ex-Prime Minister, who made the ultimate protest. . They were a totally fascinating family. The Minister was the only Middle Easterner ever to declare war against Britain. They captured and hanged all the leaders after a few skirmishes.

As you see, I have justification enough to resent American imperialism in the Middle East and its support of Israel, in particular. I could be suspected of taking the opportunity to work against American interests because of my twice-yearly trips to the Mediterranean countries. I keep two shortcut icons on my desktop to read the daily news service specifically dedicated to Iraq. Only Homeland Security would pretend to know if I am influenced by those biased sources of information about Middle Eastern politics.

I was visiting Professor in Cairo for one year. I worked rather independently of the American Embassy in a national university (Ein Shams). I was a devoted supporter of Arab Nationalism, and Gamal Abdul Nasser was my hero. I lived and worked among the Arabs in Cairo and had little to do with the Americans or their embassy. I left about $500 US with my wife's cousin to give to the Palestine Liberation Organization to help them in their struggle to liberate their land.

After I returned to my university teaching job at Florida, I was debriefed by a Jewish FBI agent from Miami. I told him quite frankly that my sympathies were with the Arabs in the matter of Palestine. He wanted more information about my experiences but recognized that he would get nothing useful. About that time I was invited to become Faculty Advisor to the University chapter of the Hezbollah political party (with ties to Iran), but I declined. Shortly afterward, I made the pilgrimage to Mecca along with the other "fanatic fundamentalist" Muslims, who accept the obligation to make the Pilgrimage. And, oh yes, I learned how to fly an airplane while living back in the States.

My sister-in-law met Saddam once, and he gave her a gift of $10,000 US dollars in recognition of her deceased husband's architectural contributions to Arab society. I didn't live or work in Baghdad during the reign of Saddam. However, I met with a nephew of Saddam after I returned to teach at the University of Florida. He was a very pleasant fellow and we reminisced about old times in Baghdad. We prayed together and he feted me at a luncheon in the mosque. My wife was invited to return to teach at any time in Iraq without a valid Iraqi passport. It was part of their feeble attempt to repatriate some of their brainier citizens. My wife became a naturalized American and she has been happy with her professional life here. She has never returned to Iraq, despite her fond memories of the "good old days." Imagine how the Arabs must feel if even I, a loyal American, am disaffected and alienated by our policies in the Middle East. Imagine the enmity we are building by ruthlessly pursuing our "War against terrorism." Is this the way to make America safe from attack by others? Now I am retired and continue to protest Israeli and American injustices in the Middle East. Will Homeland Security come knocking on my door? We Muslims find ourselves back in the years of the Spanish Inquisition. I advise Muslims to change their Arabic names to English ones and become respected members of the nearest Protestant congregation. Good luck to my brothers in this new cat-and-mouse game!