In Western political and mainstream media circles the great debate about what must be done if perverted and barbaric Islamic fundamentalism (PBIF) is to be contained and defeated is heating up. But nobody participating in this debate (be it President Obama or Tony Blair or whoever) wants to come to grips with the real issue. In my view the question that takes us to the heart of it is the following.
What could and should be done to address the prime causes of Arab and other Muslim hurt, humiliation, anger and despair which open hearts and minds to PBIF’s propaganda?
Generally speaking these feelings do not of themselves turn Arabs and other Muslims into killers/terrorists or even supporters of those who do the killing and/or order it. The transformation happens because these feelings are exploited and manipulated by deluded/mad preachers and other self-styled leaders who misinterpret and pervert Islam for their own purposes.
As the BBC’s Mark Mardell put it, “The continued rise of violent, anti-Western, Islamic fundamentalism is one of the defining challenges of our time.” He added: “There is no lack of emotive words and stirring phrases from politicians around the world but it is questionable if they have a coherent strategy to counter it.” (My emphasis added).
I think the truth can be stated more explicitly than that. Western leaders and their governments do not have a coherent strategy to counter PBIF in all of its manifestations because they are focused on dealing only with consequences not causes.
As I have previously written there are two main causes of Arab and other Muslim hurt. humiliation, anger and despair.
One isAmerican-led Western foreign policy for the Arab and wider Muslim world including its double standard as demonstrated by refusal to call and hold Israel to account for its defiance of international law and rejection of the Palestinian claim for justice.
The other is the corruption, authoritarianism and repression of most if not all Arab and other Muslim regimes. (In most cases they are regimes supported/endorsed by American-led Western foreign policy).
Addressing these two main causes is something that can’t be done with bombs and bullets. They only make matters worse.
And though it is necessary, ramping up security and surveillance on our home fronts throughout the Western world may also be counter-productive to some extent if it leads to Muslims feeling that they are being unfairly targeted.
In my analysis American-led Western foreign policy makers could make a good start on addressing the prime causes of Arab and other Muslim hurt, humiliation, anger and despair if they ended their double standard with regard to Israel by putting the Zionist (not Jewish ) state on notice that it will be isolated and sanctioned if it continues to demonstrate nothing but contempt for international law and its lack of interest in justice for the Palestinians.
That really would give Western foreign policy a degree of credibility and respect and by doing so assist the process of taking some of the wind out of PBIF’s sails.
But in my view the single most important thing American-led Western foreign policy makers could and should do is to use their influence, with carrots and sticks as necessary,to persuade Arab leaders that it really is time for authoritarianism to give way to democracy. If Arab leaders agreed (no matter how reluctantly) this would rob PVIF of its most persuasive argument – that the Arab and other Muslim masses have nothing to gain from politics and non-violent demands for change.
There was recently a good indication that President Obama understands this. In an opinion piece for the Los Angeles Times he went quite a long way to acknowledgingthat the corruption, authoritarianism and repression of Arab and other Muslim regimes is one of the main causes of the rise and growth of PBIF. He wrote:
QUOTE
Groups like al Qaeda and ISIL exploit the anger that festers when people feel that injustice and corruption leave them with no chance of improving their lives. The world has to offer today’s youth something better.
Governments that deny human rights play into the hands of extremists who claim that violence is the only way to achieve change. Efforts to counter violent extremism will only succeed if citizens can address legitimate grievances through the democratic process and express themselves through strong civil societies. Those efforts must be matched by economic, educational and entrepreneurial development so people have hope for a life of dignity.
UNUOTE
Fine words but there is no sign of a policy to give them substance.
At present it seems to me that the West is the Andy Murray of yesterday’s Wimbledon men’s semi final and PBIF is Roger Federer. (For those who don’t follow championship tennis Federer beat Murray in three straight sets).
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An interesting essay were it not for the fact that these abominable groups have links with western intelligence agencies and perform horrific barbaric acts to justify intervention by the "indignant" West in the internal affairs of targeted countries. For example, Al Qaeda was created and trained by the CIA to dislodge the USSR from Afghanistan. Also, there is no shortage of material showing that ISIS is a western monster too. This leads me to wonder whether there is a link between the recent barbaric atrocity in Tunisia and the imminent intervene in Syria!?
13-7-2015
Dear Mr. Hart,
With all respect, I think it might be time to reconsider your altogether comprehensible and noble attempt to distinguish between Zionists and Jews. Israel has left no doubt that it considers itself to be the Jewish state, and it is equally clear, from surveys, that the Israeli public is in agreement. Of course, all generalizations are dangerous, but one doesn't hesitate to speak, for instance, of abominable and self-serving American foreign policy, while full well realizing that there are many American-born who reject that policy. Why then should one hesitate to speak of "Jewish mindsets," or "Jewish interests," but only limit oneself to speaking of Zionist or Israeli attitudes and behavior?
The coupling of Jews and Israel, promoted by Jewish groups everywhere, has led to the situation that every criticism of Israel is regarded as a manifestation of so-called anti-Semitism, anti-Semitism having become our current huge red herring and a powerful tool in the hands of Israel to silence all disapproval.
One wonders why someone born a Jew but who is not religious and who disapproves of the disastrous policies of the state of Israel, policies made in his name, would want to remain a member of that benighted tribe. What's the point? One might think that one would disassociate oneself with a gang of indoctrinating thieves if one could. Schlomo Sand, for one, has taken the step to announce himself as an Israeli but no longer as a Jew. One doesn't have to accept all of what Gilad Atzmon says to understand his essential points about the primitiveness of tribal identity and tribal politics. And perhaps, in spite of a natural hesitation and even aversion, one should consider seriously his contention that the roots of the "problem" in Israel/Palestine lie not in the occupation and so forth, but in the way many people who have been brought up as Jews are inclined to think about the rest of the world. Self-reflection and self-criticism: no one is against it—in principle! But it does require courage to not always put the blame for your troubles on others.
Sincerely,
Eugene Sigaloff
Dear Alan, had you studied European history through some object source, you would have found to your surprise that Jewish and Christian "Fundos" have killed far more innocent people via western colonization of Americana, Australia and New Zealand, African slavery, and WW I & II - as compared to the US-Israel created ISIS/ISIL.
As Canadian war reporter and author Eric Margolis once wrote that when "London was home to 15,000 'unwashed' people - Muslim Mughals had created the greatest civilization in India".
Let's not forget the great civilization Muslims created in Spain during 711-1492, which even Dr. Bernard Lewis, an anti-Arab Zionist Jew, was forced to call "Golden Age" for Jews.
It's not the West, but Syria, Iraq, Hizbullah and Iran which are fighting to defeat the pro-Israel ISIS/ISIL monster.
I, myself, am proud to be called "Radical" Muslim - and for very good reasons. Read the following link to find out why?
http://rehmat1.com/2009/04/02/nothing-wrong-being-a-radical-muslim/
Alan Hart, Don`t you Feel like The Lone Cry in The Wilderness That no one Seems to Hear ? Much like The Tall Pine in the silent Forest that Falls..And Wonders " Is There anyone Listening to Me Fall ?? You Have Done Everything You Can do..To Wake This Country UP to What HAS to take place..before There can ever be Any Sort OF Peace And Good Will In this World. [Certainly None Will be Directed In the Direction Of this USA..NOT as long as We Continue to Support And >>Look the Other way At all the atrocities This territory they stole from the Palestinians And Had the Audacity To Name ISrael ...is Cut loose from this Nation, once and For All.. and Not Supported Or Even Acknowledged Another Day ..As long as These criminals Continue With Their Cruel And Inhumane Treatment OF The Palestinians They Have Hemmed Up in An open-air Prison..Called Gaza. And Continue With Their Underhanded, on-going angst And War mongering All over The Universe.. [Wars They have fully intend for This USA to do their '' battles '' For Them ! ) How Much Longer is Our Nation Going to Be the Dog Whose Tail Is Being WAgged By These Zionists ?? If We Want to Salvage Even a Grain of Respect From Any Country, We are Going to Have TO Cut ISITREAL Off And Cease Any Interchange With them...let Them Sink, or learn to swim On their OWN..And Stop using OUR resources TO Prop them UP Another Day. These Neo=con Zionist Are Hated Everywhere..And Are Responsible For Too much Suffering .. and we are Lumped Right There..in with that Same Basket Of Criminals. When Are we Going TO Follow Good Advice..And DO the Right Thing.. When ??