By Hatsanda Millatmal
An open letter addressed to “Dear my respected president, his Excellency Mr. Donald Trump” under the title “Mr. President! I Am Confused, Can You Help?”
I am very proud to be a U.S. citizen, and live in this God blessed country with abundant resources and great access to almost anything one may wish. I always hear from people around me at school and in the community so many great things about the United States of America.
They all tell me that America is a land of opportunity and was fundamentally founded to provide liberty, justice, equality and democracy to all who make it to this land.
America was set to be a role model for the rest of the world in the areas of democracy, justice, human rights and development. I am hearing from all around that Americans were and supposed to be well-respected by all people and nations throughout the world.
However, through my large community contacts as an Afghan descendant Muslim-American, I hear rumors and stories totally contradicting with what we as Americans believe and hear all around. I have seen hundreds of houses bombed, thousands of innocent villagers including children, women and elders being killed.
Isn’t this true that MOAB (Mother Of All Bombs) was used by America in a very small poor country, Afghanistan, which killed more innocent Afghans than the ISIS, who were miraculously evacuated just hours before bombing?
I hear rumors, which were partially confirmed by Mrs. Hillary Clinton as the secretary of state, that almost all of these radical Islamic groups, Jihadist, Taliban and ISIS have been produced, trained, armed, supplied and funded through Pakistan by the U.S. from time to time as a tool for obtaining American’s military and political aims.
These militant groups have been used by America to terrorize the innocent public in those countries, by sabotaging peace, killing innocent people and banning girls from going to school, etc.
Led and trained by Pakistani ISI, they train and brainwash the naive uneducated Muslims to become suicides, blow themselves and kill other innocent people in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Kashmir etc.
Our brave heroine, Malala Yousafzai, is a good surviving example. I am confused. Americans feel proud when they throw MOAB on ISIS (presumably) in Afghanistan, but they defend ISIS in Syria when Russian bomb them.
I have seen pictures of children blown to the air, women stoned, men hanged and schools and bridges destroyed by these vicious Jihadists with the direct or indirect support of America through Pakistan. This is what the public believes in those countries, which history proved that they are a lot smarter than we think of them.
I see so many pictures of the atrocities committed as war crimes by the American bombing. Those pictures make me sick and nauseated and disturbs my sleep and causes me nightmares for many nights any time I see them.
I wonder if you know, which you should know, where and how these militant groups are getting their funding and supplies from. Where do they have their training camps?
I heard that Osama Bin Laden was found in a military base in the capital of Pakistan, Taliban are trained in madrasas in Pakistan using the American funding, and they are still having their offices in Pakistan.
Lately, it was stated by CIA that the American and Canadian family recently saved and released by Pakistan were held in Pakistan for five years. With our great CIA and FBI, if the U.S. does not know where these guys operate from and get funded, then both CIA and FBI should be dissolved for not doing their job.
Otherwise, it proves that those rumors may be true. Therefore, overall conclusion from that side of the dilemma is totally contradictory to what you and other U.S. government officials are claiming.
As a young American, I would like to know the truth. What are Americans doing in those countries, spending billion dollars of American taxpayers’ money — in spite of the fact that we, the children of this great country, are suffering for the lack of budget for our schools, health and housing services?
Why are we there anyway? Do we really fight against terrorism or we play the same role, but under a different name, form and uniform?
I am sure people in each one of those countries are as human as we are. I am sure everyone of them wants peace, education, development, etc. I am positive that all those children want to play, go to school and have good life.
For the last 40 years, Americans have been losing the respect they once had throughout the world.
Lately, we observe that our presidents are abusing women and were messing around with young girls of their daughters’ ages, which makes me ashamed as an American.
People watched you on TV angry and ready to start war against our own people in this country, those who sought refuge from the same trouble makers and reached this country with a lot of difficulties.
Abroad, you are starting wars with Mexico, seven Muslim countries, North Korea, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, etc. I am sure by now you understand how and why millions of children here in this country and abroad are confused and distrusted against our leadership.
I am seeking the truth, I hope you, as our father, will tell us the truth. We hope you will tell us straightforward who is right and who is wrong. Can you convince us, the American children, without threatening us, as you do it to anyone disagrees with you?
We deserve the right to know: What do you truthfully know and what are you going to do about it? I am sure millions of children worldwide are going through the same confusion as I do.
I am also confident that as a father you know how this entire lying after lying affects children’s mindset, school performance, health, behavior and our views and respect toward our leaders.
On behalf of those millions children across the globe, I will appreciate if you would please honestly answer these questions not to me but to the public, especially to the innocent children around the world not by vague words, as your common language, but in a straight American English language that we can understand and with sincerity that we can trust.
We will appreciate your prompt answer to be sent to me at the addresses provided and to the children across the globe by publishing it in the public media that can be reached to all children around the world. You are our father, and a father doesn’t lie to his children.
I also believe that there is still a chance that you could make things right and better. May I suggest, your honor, to please hear this little voice as the only voice of all those innocent children calling you to stop and divert this vicious cycle of wars, killing and terrors to a loving, caring and sharing mission.
This is a chance that can make you a hero for the peace, justice, equality, freedom and democracy at the global level. I am begging you to please don’t miss this once in a life opportunity you have, which will not wait for too long.
If you decide to do so, we the children of today and the leaders of tomorrow will all stand by you to make this happen. Trust me and you can count on us. I am looking forward to hear from you soon.
Hatsanda Millatmal is a fourth-grader at Highlands Elementary School in Spring Valley. Her email address is hatsandamm@gmail.com and website is youthgogreen.com. Her father, Dr. Tajuddin Millatmal, helped with this letter, which was lightly edited by Times of San Diego.
