DEFEATING TERRORISM
(The History of Betrayal and
Injustice)
Viewpoint: For publication and distribution without permission
by Nassir M. Al-Ajmi
Terrorism is a complex international
problem which has been poorly defined and superficially addressed. It is an age phenomenon embedded in the fabrics of
human societies under different names and for different reasons. The current war on terrorists is more of a fuel
than a cure to terrorism because it depicts a twig trimming operation in a rain forest. Although the war on terror may, on occasions and at
great costs and human sacrifice, defeat terrorists, it will never alone eliminate
terrorism – to gouge out terrorism, a different war is needed.
In order to connect with the dear readers
on this important and engaging subject, I find it necessary to come up with my own
definition of this contemporary phenomenon called terrorism.
Since neither Webster’s dictionary, nor UN were helpful in providing a
satisfactory definition, I took the liberty of defining terrorism as the barbaric
manifestation of mentally troubled minds irrationally reacting to internal and external
sociopolitical injustices.
The actions and behaviors of the
terrorists, who had recently murdered and beheaded innocent people in Saudi Arabia and Iraq,
have surpassed the ecstasy of savagery and have broken off with the essence of humanity. Their outrageous conduct depicts a complete rupture
from their families, Arab/Islamic sociocultural values and the precepts of their Islamic
faith.
The world perception and treatment of
terrorism have been both simplistic and confrontational.
Therefore, it is my genuine desire to encourage worldwide intellectual
approach and objective discussions on the subject of terrorism, in order to seek more
creative and constructive solutions. It is in
this vein that I wish to differentiate between terrorists and terrorism.
Terrorists come and go. They get killed, die and/or repent and revert to
normal life. On the other hand, terrorism is a
disease which thrives on the social, economic and political ills of human societies. It is an infectious disease induced by
sociopolitical hopelessness and indignation. Terrorism
has been a function of man’s injustice to his fellow man.
Given the aforementioned definition and
the intricates of terrorism and before debating its underlying causes, I find it useful to
geopolitically locate terrorism and identify its foes.
The broader Middle East, which includes the Arab world, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan
and Pakistan, has become, in recent years, the home to an abhorrent phenomenon called
terrorism.
The broader Middle East is a connected
land mass of eighteen (18) million square kilometers stretching from the Atlantic Ocean
west to Pakistan east and from the Black/Caspian seas north to the Indian Ocean south and
populated by five hundred (500) million people. It
is twice the size of the United States and has more than twice the US population. The broader Middle East, the cradle of monolithic
faiths and the home of Islam had a glorious history, fell under Western occupation
following World War I, was a cold war battle ground and now rich in natural resources,
hydrocarbon deposits and human resources but socially and politically in disarray and
strategically aimless. How did the Middle East
get to this point and why?
Following the fall of the Ottoman Empire,
at the end of World War I, the Middle East fell under British and French military and
administrative occupation and under American political and economic sphere. The three Western democracies, (American, British
and French), divided the Arab homeland as war spoils.
They fragmented the Middle East based entirely on their own economic and
political interests. Such fragmentations of
the Arab homeland into small defenseless and uneconomical viable entities permitted the
creation of Israel through massive European immigration into Palestine and guaranteed
Western hegemony on the Middle East as well as Arab dependence on the West. Following World War II and throughout the cold war
period, the United States had, gradually but surely, displaced the British and the French
from the Middle East and established its preponderant position over the region.
For nearly a century Western democracies (America,
British and French) have occupied, divided, opened the flood gates of European immigration
to Palestine, created Israel in the heart of Arab homeland and dominated the economic and
political life of the Middle East. For nearly
sixty (60) years, the US administrations have held the sway over the Middle East, armed Israel
to its teeth, stood by it militarily, economically and politically. The US administrations have, over the years,
supported and protected puppet regimes and encouraged coups and counter coups in the Middle
East and throughout the world. During the cold
war period, control not democracy was number one on America’s mind. For sixty (60) years, the Arabs have rightly
viewed American foreign policy and actions as put-downs to their national unity and
democratic aspirations. American foreign
policy over the years has had three major strategic objectives, none of which was devoted
to national unity or democratic aspirations of Arab society.
On the contrary, American’s strategic
objective has been to establish enduring hegemony over the natural resources of the Middle
East, support Israel Zionist aspirations and assure Israel’s military and economic
superiority over its Arab neighbors and to provide protection for regimes loyal to Washington’s
strategy of enduring hegemony. In its long
history and vast interest in the Middle East, America never had a genuine attempt or
desire to democratize the Middle East. However,
America has, from time to time, used democracy as a threatening whip against those who
refused to two Washington’s line.
The fall of the Ottoman Empire marked the
end of the Islamic Caliphate and the disintegration of the formal and semiformal political
system which had existed for centuries. The
war victors, (British, French and Americans), began carving and dividing the region as war
spoils, establishing political boundaries and administrative authorities which later
became undemocratic monarchies, sheikhdoms and dictatorships under the blessing, control
and protection of Western democracies. This
was the beginning of the Arab National divergence. The
dream of pan-Arab Nation was dashed forever by Western hegemony and the elite Arab greed
for power. The Arab masses who joined the
Western alliance, to bring down the Ottoman Empire, on the basis of a Western promise for
an independent pan-Arab Nation were left with a crashing disappointment, bitterness and a
sense of betrayal. The Arab masses foresaw the
crucifixion of their dream of a pan-Arab Nation by the British, the French and the United
States.
Sure enough as a result of continued
Western political pressure and manipulations and Arab divisions, over the years, pan-Arab
Nationalism has had no choice but to gradually and painfully submit to divided loyalties. As we take stock of the past and present and look
forward, the picture is bleak. We see
continued Israeli occupation and atrocities, an arrogant American foreign policy and
military occupations as constant reminders of ninety (90) years of dark history of
betrayal, greed and hegemony.
Yes, the Arabs have had their shares of
catastrophic failures and iniquities for which they must bear full responsibilities and be
held accountable. For instance, Arab political
systems are not identical but they are all predominantly autocratic, lacking democratic
institutions, accountabilities and authority restraints.
Attempts to modernize and democratize Arab political systems have been
half-hearted and superficial. Freedom of
speech, women’s rights and human rights records have produced murky results in spite
of efforts to improve them.
There are, of course, other cultural and
social fallacies in our Arab societies which hamper criticism and impede freedom of
intellectual exchange. Arab societies thrive
on past glories, overly praise the present, while leaving the future to God’s will. Additionally, Arab educators believe that, Arab
education both in theory and in practice, have to a certain degree, deprived Arab youth of
cultural pluralism, engaged them in a learning process by imitation/indoctrination and
denied them the learning aspects of questioning and experiencing dialogue. Education experts went on to say that this form of
Arab education produced astonishing generations; generations
with limited intellectual horizon, generations that perceive with one mind, see with one
eye and hear with one ear; generations more
conservative than their fathers and more enclosed than their forefathers. Do we then dare to sit and wonder what fate we have
been dealt?!
Has Arab autocratic regimes, Arab
governments’ total dependence and submission to American dictates, lack of civil
liberties, freedom of speech and deficient educational programs contributed to Middle East
terrorism? The general and obvious answer is
affirmative, however, the question consists of five (5) related but distinct subjects. If we rate terrorism and terrorists’ actions
against the five subjects, the Arab governments’ total dependence and humiliating
submission to America’s dictates would rank number one on the terrorists’
agenda. America’s stand on Arab issues
such as the Arab/Israeli conflict has been unjust, disrespectful and downright humiliating
to Arab regimes and Arab masses.
Why has America been the target of Middle
East terrorist attacks? President Bush, right
wing Zionists, US Congress and American news media made a sweeping campaign to disconnect
and disassociate September 11 from the ills of American foreign policy and from the
Arab/Israeli conflict. September 11 tragedy
was portrayed as a hateful attack by Islamic terrorists on American freedom, values and
the American way of life and had nothing to do with American foreign policy or American
stand on the Arab/Israeli conflict. I am not
sure I agree with the US administration but the best way to know the true intention of
these criminals is to publish their statements, aims and reasons. I believe that Americans as well as the rest of the
world should know why these terrorists are committing these crimes.
Winning hearts and minds has not been the US
administration cup of tea in spite of their expressed desire. No hearts and minds will be won in the Middle East
as long as the US maintains its long standing policy on the Arab/Israeli conflict, call
Mr. Sharon a “man of peace” and demand immunity for US troops while inhumane
treatment of war prisoners and detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay is going
on.
In conclusion, I perceive a major
difference between terrorists and terrorism as I also see different approaches to their
treatment. Terrorists are hard-core criminals
that must be brought to justice or confronted and eliminated altogether. On the other hand terrorism is like a hatchery or
an infectious disease which can be treated and prevented through investments in education,
civil liberties, human rights and just solutions to political and international disputes. I view terrorism as a cry for justice which may
become a hatchery for terrorists due to neglect and the absence of justice. These solutions will definitely require global
cooperation and vivid determination. I am
convinced these solutions will be more effective than Mr. Bush war on terror and less
costly in terms of life and money.
Courtesy of and © 2004 by Nassir M.
Al-Ajmi. The writer is a former Executive Vice President of the Saudi
Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), and Former President of Saudi Railway
Organization.
Other
Published Articles by Nassir M. Al-Ajmi:
Terrorism,
Inherent or Acquired? – August 11, 2002
The
Apathy and the Arrogance of American Foreign Policy – August 25, 2002
The Social Economic &
Political Aspects of the Saudi Privatization Plans – November 24, 2002
The
Tyranny of Anglo-American Democracy – February
16, 2003
A Heart
to Heart Talk – A Friend to Friend Discussion – October 27, 2003
Is
America Blind - June 2, 2004
Countdown to Handover - June 7, 2004
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