I read with interest the article “Who is to be blamed for IS?” (May 22) by Jamal Doumani. The ongoing conflicts in the Middle East are but the result of wrong US or western policies in the region. The invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan were illegal. These two invasions are responsible for the current chaos in the region. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars contributed to the emergence of terrorist groups. The manner in which the mainstream media handled the coverage of the so-called war on terror somehow created an impression that it is a war on Islam and Muslims. The West needs to revisit its policies toward the Middle East.
It is never too late. We can still join hands to fight terrorism. Muslims don’t support the ideology of the IS and its likes. The western media should try to highlight this important fact so as to dispel misconceptions about Muslims and Islam. As a matter of fact, it is their responsibility because they have spread most of the misconceptions about Muslims giving rise to Islamophobia in the West.
Muslims should also make efforts to fight the negative propaganda. We should use the social media to propagate the true teachings of Islam. — Qasim Khan, Jubail
Countering propaganda
