For years, after 9/11, some enlightened right-wing American pundits (in many ways similar to today’s Fox-Beck-Palin-Limbaugh fans and lovers), have offered a simplistic answer to the question:
“Why Do They Hate Us?”
And by “they,” they pretty much meant anti-US Arabs and Muslims lumped together with the 9/11 terrorists.
So what was the simplistic answer these genius pundits, and their like-minded friends, offered? Well, it was usually one of two brilliant assessments: “they hate us because of our freedoms” or “Islam!”
With the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaching, and the United States’ wonderful reaction to the uprising in Egypt, it would be wise for all of us, global citizens who believe in cooperation, to revisit such assessments, demolish them, and replace them with ones that are actually grounded in facts and reality, and that more Americans must learn about.
And we need to do it in light of statements like this from influential people high up in the US government, in this case, from Vice President Joe Biden himself.
Asked if he would characterize Mubarak as a dictator Biden responded: “Mubarak has been an ally of ours in a number of things. And he’s been very responsible on, relative to geopolitical interest in the region, the Middle East peace efforts; the actions Egypt has taken relative to normalizing relationship with – with Israel. … I would not refer to him as a dictator.”
Yup. Joe Biden refuses to refer to Mubarak as a dictator, and it’s not a surprise. His stance represents the overall and general position of the United States’ decades-long foreign policy towards the Arab world.
For years, America has supported many (but not all) oppressive and brutal Arab dictators, preferring to secure its regional geopolitical interests (and those of Israel’s of course) over the freedom and liberty of the Arab citizens it helps oppress.
In recent days, nothing symbolically captured this fact as powerfully as the numerous pictures spreading on the Internet of Egyptian demonstrators holding up tear gas canisters labeled with “Made in U.S.A.”
Such images provoke a real sense of outrage as they should.
That’s why they, the protesters – the overwhelming majority of whom are not members of the Muslim Brotherhood – dislike you, and in some cases, hate you dear America. That’s why they’re outraged, and it is this kind of outrage that fuels the widespread anti-US sentiments in the Arab and Muslim worlds, which then groups like Al-Qaeda and Islamists exploit for their own gains and destructive ideological goals.
Now, speaking of Al-Qaeda, let us be crystal clear about something important.
If starting tomorrow, the United States stopped supporting the Israeli occupation and brutal Arab dictators, withdrew from Iraq and Afghanistan and basically stopped interfering and causing problems in Muslim countries, we would still end up with very tiny, albeit dangerous globally scattered groups, of radical militant Muslim fanatics motivated primarily by their wicked theology, and who hate America for her freedoms and her values. However, we must recognize that they will have a much harder time recruiting Muslims and radicalizing them.
Still, such groups must be combated everywhere and mercilessly crushed, which brings us to some critical distinctions that we must not fail to make.
Anti-Americanism in the Arab and Muslim worlds is neither uniform nor of the same type as too many right-wing American pundits make it seem.
The kind espoused by violent jihadist groups is far, far from anything like the much milder version you would find espoused by most Arabs and Muslims, and which is primarily caused and aggravated by various injustices of US foreign policy. Not theological reasons.
These are the sort of people who enjoy consuming American pop culture – music, movies, brands, products, etc., and would love to study and maybe even live in the United States, but revile the American political establishment, just as many strongly leftist Americans themselves do. One actually doubts if such sentiments qualify to be labeled “anti-US.”
But then we have various Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and their form of anti-Americanism, which isn’t as strong as Al-Qaeda’s, but is nonetheless troublesome, and not just for the United States, but also for every Arab and Muslim throughout the world who believes in human rights, freedom and liberty, and democracy.
It’s these guys who make things tricky, and whom Tunisians, Egyptians and all democracy-supporting Arabs need to watch out for.
After all, look at what happened in Sudan after we had our own popular uprising against the military dictatorship of Nimeiri in 1985. Here’s an old video featuring the action:
The gains of the uprising were squandered. Merely a few years later, the Islamists took power in a coup and brought us to our miserable situation today.
The gains of the Tunisian people must not be squandered. Islamists must be encouraged to give up their theocractic tendencies and to participate in the democratic process, but more importantly to uphold democratic principles and human rights.
How that can happen is a task for Tunisia to figure out and work on, and for the military to hopefully enforce. They might want to use this video in their efforts.
As for Egypt, there seems to be a wide consensus that the Egyptian military has very low tolerance for the Muslim Brotherhood, which is good news.
Ultimately, it seems like the status-quo might be beginning to crumble. Moreover, the American people now have a unique opportunity to pressure their government to do the right thing and to stand on the side of Arabs demanding their rights.
And even if Tunisians and Egyptians still haven’t figured out exactly who’s going to lead them or how, it shouldn’t stop us from supporting them.
Post-communist Eastern Europe didn’t have everything figured out. Post-apartheid South Africa didn’t have everything figured out. And post-dictatorship Tunisia doesn’t have everything figured out either, but they’re all better off. And while the possibility of Tunisian Islamists resurfacing is quite a worrisome one, it shouldn’t scare us or stop us.
Whatever happens, we, global citizens and netizens, Arabs, Muslims, Americans, and people everywhere, East and West, who believe in human rights and democracy, need to work together towards goals that are in our common interests, and that serve a higher purpose regardless of how idealistic or impossible this might seem.
Whoever could have predicted the overthrow of an “impossible” dictator like Ben Ali?
Tunisians have made the seemingly impossible, possible, and in this age of social media and the 24/7 news cycle, we all got to see it, and as a result, have become inspired by it.
So again, let’s work together, and do what we can.
Lastly, allow me to leave you with these two tweets from @Gsquare86.
And of course, let us never forget Khaled Said.
To Freedom,
Drima
PS: If you enjoyed reading this article, and support its premise, please share it on Facebook, and Twitter, and follow my Twitter handle @SudaneseThinker
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Hello, regarding the happenings in Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere I would like to recommend to you and your readers an article about the mass uprising in Tunisia and the perspective of permanent revolution.
It exists in english and
and arabic.
…and that more Americans must learn about.
Breathtaking condescension
So again, let’s work together, and do what we can.
No thank you. Everyone has to fight for their own freedom. And it isn’t free. That’s something that Arabs must learn about, and that you have to learn about too Drima since this entire post seems to be little more than an indictment of the US for not providing freedom to Muslims on a silver platter. The two LEAST FREE Arab states are Libya and Syria which the US does not support and has never supported (where were their teargas canisters made, pray tell?) while the most free Arab states are the ones the US has supported. Your baseline assumptions are wrong, and you’re playing the same old blame-game that’s been such a popular passtime in the ME all these years. If thinking like yours is the future, the future is going to suck for muslims.
I have to say I’m surprised at you, Drima. Such a simplistic and long-winded post, to “educate” Americans? Educate us about what? I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m one American who has been hearing this crap since 1979. Do you seriously think Americans are unfamiliar with all these “grievances”?
And by the way, since nations are defined by their political systems I’m pretty sure that when you loathe a country’s government you get classified as “anti” that country. Whether you identify yourself as a “global citizen” (whatever you think that is) or a Che Guevara t-shirt wearing American marxist. That whole “I don’t hate Americans, I just hate the American government” routine got old about 5 years ago and nobody is buying it anymore. You really need to stop hanging out with so many leftist expats, Drima. The overall impression I get from this post is that you have no clue about the US. I assume that’s because you’re being misinformed.
Craig
free as a foreigner travelling there, but the local people, I have doubts
I assume you’re talking about “freedom”, Marie-Claude? There is no “freedom” in the sense that westerners recognize the term in the Middle-East, but I think even you would agree that countries like Jordan and Lebanon get a hell of a lot closer to it than Syria and Libya, wouldn’t you? And I challenge you to find an Iranian over the age of 40 who claims Iranians have more freedom now than they did under the (US supported) shah. This whole line of reasoning where the US is the cause of oppression in Muslim countries is specious. It’s just a lie people tell to try to get the US to pressure their governments when they aren’t capable of getting their governments to reform on their own. Personally, I don’t think it’s an effective way of winning American support, because blaming somebody for causing problems when they didn’t and then demanding that they fix the problems that they didn’t cause just pisses people off. Most the Egyptian protesters I’ve seen on TV today had the good sense to ASK the US for support, which is a lot smarter than this clown here whose tweets Drima has included in the posts.
Oh no, Craig. I’m afraid it is you who is jumping to simplistic patronizing conclusions and having a knee-jerk reaction.
“this entire post seems to be little more than an indictment of the US for not providing freedom to Muslims on a silver platter”
Oh please. Thanks, but no thanks. Nobody is asking the US to “serve” us freedom.
Read the post again. And this time, read it closely and pay attention to all the details and clarifications that you seem to have missed, especially this part:
“For years, America has supported many (but not all) oppressive and brutal Arab dictators, preferring to secure its regional geopolitical interests (and those of Israel’s of course) over the freedom and liberty of the Arab citizens it helps oppress.”
You’re not going to get away with putting words in my mouth and claiming that I am arguing for a position that I am not even advocating.
“The overall impression I get from this post is that you have no clue about the US. I assume that’s because you’re being misinformed.”
Oh dear, yes, I’m totally, absolutely clueless about the United States, and have no idea what I am talking about. Poor me, I’m sooo misinformed.
How funny, Craig. Five years. That’s how long I’ve been blogging here, and how long you’ve been reading, and in many cases, supporting what I write, especially when I’d give America credit for numerous things and take unpopular strongly pro-US stances.
But now, all of a sudden, just because you read something you don’t like about your country, I am “clueless” and “misinformed.”
Well, thank you! I don’t sense any dogmatic stance at all. America can do no wrong at all. It’s the greatest nation on earth. Oh yeah, God bless America!
“This whole line of reasoning where the US is the cause of oppression in Muslim countries is specious.”
Cause of oppression? Yeah, totally, I am pretty sure I said that in my post many, many times.
Jeez… It’s simple dude. Read the statements made by your Vice President.
He refused to refer to Mubarak as a dictator and endorsed him, implied that the demonstrators’ demands aren’t all really legitimate, and prefers “stability” over actual needed change.
Address that and the substance of this post, don’t be evasive, and stop rallying against imaginary points I’ve never stated or made.
Thank goodness that US State Department seems to be changing its tone towards the Mubarak regime now.
Oh, and just to sweeten things. In case you’re not aware, Egypt was always a favored place for the CIA’s program for renditions and the outsourcing of torture. Would you like to address that as well?
I don’t know, you tell me, because I’m not even sure if it’s worth engaging in a conversation with you Craig as you seem pretty fixed, and it seems to you that America can do no wrong. America good. Arabs and Muslims bad. Full stop.
Lastly, I’m curious… you’ve always self-identified as a Republican. What are your thoughts on the atrociously deteriorated state of the Republican party these days?
I’m all ears.
Cheers!
Those remarks by Biden must have done more damage to the US than anything said in recent years. Why is being a fool a necessary qualification for the job of US vice-president?
hmm Craig, I don’t really know about Jordan, as it isn’t a country that has ties with ours, though it seems that the mobs are sympathising with Tunisian’s and Egyptian’s there too.
Looks like that in these “arab” speaking countries, what used to be seen as populations endorsing the koranic fate motto “c’est la vie” or “Inch Allah” isn’t prevailing anymore, they want to direct their fate now. Probably that’s a good new for all of us too, in that sense, that their fondamentalist “resistants” to our civilisation will have a lesser impact as rightful revendication and or jihad against us.
an interesting article on Jordan:
Muslim Brotherhood: Arabs will topple leaders allied with the United States… http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110129/D9L25G0G1.html
How funny, Craig. Five years. That’s how long I’ve been blogging here, and how long you’ve been reading, and in many cases, supporting what I write, especially when I’d give America credit for numerous things and take unpopular strongly pro-US stances.
Drima, I don’t recall participating in any discussions here that related to the US, either positively or negatively. I do recall being taken aback when you were promoting somebody name “Esraa” (a bahraini) on a Muslim Youth Blog a few years ago, and you were claiming she was tolerant and was trying to engage in cross-cultural outreach programs. I recall that because about a year earlier I had been a reader of that blog and my conclusion about Esraa was that she was a bigot, a hatemonger and a propagandist. I’m certain I pointed out my assessment of her in your comment section when you made that post, so don’t accuse me of changing my tone. If you’d made this post 5 years ago, I would have said the same things then. Although I probably would have been a lot nicer about it back then, because I was making more of an effort to be tolerant. Back then. I actually believed that most of the hostility between the West and Muslim countries was due to lack of understanding and poor communication at the time. People like your friend Esraa, and too many more to count, convinced me the problem is actually ignorance and hate. And I decided there ain’t no way for outsiders to fix that. Ever.
This post here reinforces that ignorance and hate, Drima. And no, sorry, you don’t get credit for being unbiased just because you threw in a couple disclaimers. The tone and overall message being conveyed remains the same, regardless.
USA only supports leaders (dictators) because of they own interest. Financial, territorial or whatever. Look what happened in Serbia na Kosovo. Egypt and Mubarak are good allies for US since Egypt is close to Israel and LIBYA. Never forget that Gaddafi is a big “problem” and must be controled somehow
I take it you know you’ve got a problem when you find yourself on the same side as Serbian nationalists, Drima?
Craig, I support Serbia too, they were wrongly “demonised”
got a post about the Albanese removed here by the moderator
“please, not t’em in EU
we have enough drugs dealers in our suburbs”
http://www.economist.com/node/18013840/comments?sort=desc#sort-comments
Serbians’ comments are interesting
Craig,
Ignorance and hate indeed! Which as you have just demonstrated is something neither side has a monopoly on. I am a proud American but I do not share you apparent blind spot to legitimate criticisms of US policy.
A familiar refrain, Zoxuf. Just like Drima’s post. How many decades have people been repeating these same cliches now? And identifying yourself as American and endorsing these “legitimate” criticisms of US policy means absolutely nothing, since these “legitimate” criticisms of US policy date back to the counter-culture movement in the US of the 1960s. Who do you suppose taught these talking points to people like Drima? He obviously knows next to nothing about the US or its historical policies. He came up with this stuff on his own? Or maybe the very dictators he’s talking about had it written in the text books how they were totally under the control of the US? You think?
Listen Craig,
The more you comment, the more you just embarrass yourself. Go trolling somewhere else.
And FYI, Esra’a isn’t a bigot, but it certainly seems that you are, and if you don’t like what you read here, then go and hang out with the folks at Red State and Hot Air. I’m sure they’ll be happy to have you.
Zoxuf,
Thank you. That’s all this is. A criticism of aspects of US foreign policy towards the Arab world.
It doesn’t mean that I revile the American political establishment because I recognize the good that this administration and previous ones have done, but the US government has made many mistakes in the past, and continues to do so. The most serious and recent example is Obama’s response to the Egyptian uprising, and the appalling comments made by Biden.
Comment has been deleted.
Drima: You’re not welcome anymore here, Craig. Troll somewhere else, and go hang out at Hot Air or Red State. I’m sure they’ll be happy to have you there.
Craig all I see coming from you are wild assumptions and straw-mans. You have yet to address the actual point. Do you honestly think it unfair for people living under dictatorships to point out the hypocrisy of the US supporting such regimes while espousing democracy?
Don’t get me wrong, I am of the opinion that the US in genuine in its desire to promote democracy, but I realize that often this goal is treated as secondary to other national interests. It should not be surprising that this would upset some people.
“endorsing these “legitimate” criticisms of US“
Just because I recognize a criticism as legitimate it doesn’t necessarily mean I am completely against the policy as it stands. I think it is unrealistic to expect the US not to engage with such countries on at least some level, but when the populations of those countries begin to stand up for their rights we should quickly line up behind them. And we certainly should not be supplying militairy aid and tools like tear gas that only serve to help them oppress their people.
Zoxuf,
Craig seems to be one of those solidly right-wing Americans who equate criticisms of the United States and its foreign policy with being “anti-American.” Using his approach, I’m pretty sure many leftist Americans and Democrats would fall under that category as well.
Sad.
Drima,
Sad but true. From what I have seen most American conservatives do not take criticism of the US very well. And many of them do indeed label Democrats as un-American.
SO, having read the above posts, my conclusion is to expound my views in much the (too long) same way as yaal did ! obviously, some of yaal have graduated prematurly froman institution of ill repute ! But , never mind, im not byoist except in terms of the american slave movement ,having bequethed millions of X-cotton pickers onto our welfair roles, some of which graduate to upper prison level encarceration ! American society , as such has born the burden of additional disfunctional illegals ,seeking jobs held by “born again”american birthright! making us econemy pale compaired to china’s ! We have been religated to nafta,and making buicks in germany !
Indeed it was but guess what. So was facebook and twitter.
I wonder what planet Craig lives on? the two “Least Free” Arab countries are Libya and Syria? Obviously Craig has no current knowledge, or even any knowledge current or otherwise, of the USA’s biggest ally in Saudi Arabia and the manner in which they conduct themselves.
As an outsider looking in, the US has very limited reason to call itself a democracy as money rather than reason prevails across all of those things that matter in a democracy. With the largest amount of money appearing to go to the military and to the “intelligence” services then the US bases its responses to world affairs upon their needs rather than any understanding of what actually is, and has, happened.
I liked the reasoned approach of the initial blog and will now start to follow your updates!
If starting tomorrow, the United States stopped supporting the Israeli occupation and brutal Arab dictators, withdrew from Iraq and Afghanistan and basically stopped interfering and causing problems in Muslim countries,
Drima,
That is a pretty broad brush you are using. I won’t argue about whether there is truth in it, because there certainly is. But it is intermixed with things that are not so cut and dry.
Is Mubarak a dictator? I would agree and won’t argue that point. Is there an Israeli occupation, well I might agree to parts of that but not as it is constructed here.
There never was a Palestinian state run by Palestinians. Egypt controlled Gaza from ’48 to ’67. Jordan controlled the West Bank and East Jerusalem during that same time frame.
That is the same Jordan that was created in the 20th century, carved out of the Ottoman empire.
I am not trying to play a game of semantics with you or anyone here. I just think that we need to establish that facts can be manipulated and played with to meet many agendas.
The question of whether the US should be in Iraq is one thing, but Afghanistan is different. The Taliban and Bin Laden went looking for trouble when they came after us and they found it.
Drima,
I do wonder. What do Arabs expect from the US?
Arab countries have started four (4) wars of extermination against Israel, so obviously the US will support Israel just like the US supported Bosnian Muslims against Serbia and the United Kingdom against Nazi Germany. Is that not obvious to Arabs? Arabs scream “Death to the Jews” for 100 years and are upset that the Jews find allies outside the Arab world? Perhaps it is time for Arabs to stop calling for other nation’s death and then maybe the west can stop supporting people who keep Arabs under control.
That’s one thing.
The other is that the Mubarak dictatorship is not an American invention. Nasser invented it, with the full support of the people (or so it always seemed). Do Arabs hate Mubarak or do they hate dictatorship? The only difference between Mubarak and Nasser is that the latter actively tried to exterminate non-Arab peoples (Jews and Nubians) while Mubarak only tortured Egyptians. Don’t blame America, blame yourselves. America only worked with the regimes you created.
Finally, regardless of who created or supported the dictatorships, what do Arabs expect from America and Israel regarding peace agreements? Should Israel refuse to sign peace agreements with dictators (i.e. Israel is evil because she refuses peace) or should Israel sign peace agreements with dictators despite their being dictators (i.e. Israel is evil because she supports dictators). Should Israel make peace with Abbas and support that dictator or should Israel not support that dictator and refuse to make peace?
Arabs should be clever enough to know that America and Israel don’t care what type of regime they support. For America and Israel this is about not being attacked by Arabs, but neither country has any particular wish to have Arabs tortured by dictators or respected by democratic governments.
Maybe you should sort out your own problems without bringing America and Israel into. Both sides, dictators and protesters, use American-made products. Guess what facebook and Twitter are.
Jack,
“The question of whether the US should be in Iraq is one thing, but Afghanistan is different. The Taliban and Bin Laden went looking for trouble when they came after us and they found it.”
Agreed.
Andrew,
“Perhaps it is time for Arabs to stop calling for other nation’s death and then maybe the west can stop supporting people who keep Arabs under control.”
Raaaight. As usual, your analysis revolves around the “Israel good. Arabs all bad and wanna kill us.” hyperbolic narrative. Sure, we’ve got some real crazies, but not at all like how you paint the picture.
“Both sides, dictators and protesters, use American-made products. Guess what facebook and Twitter are.”
Agreed. Which is why I have never said or implied that America is baaaaad. Biden endorsed Mubarak. Twitter and Google came out in very clear support of the protesters and came up with services to help them get information out to the rest of the word. Many, if not most Americans it seems, also supported the Egyptian revolution.
Fox News as usual was appalling. Charles Johnson from LGF was right when he recently noted that:
“Conservatives have come a very long way since the presidency of George W. Bush — a very long way in a bad direction.”
This post is a critique of key aspects US foreign policy. As for Israel, chill. The Supreme Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces said it will honor all treaties.
Drima,
I wasn’t referring to the crazies. I was referring to you. You brought in America and Israel as if there was something sinister about America and Israel “supporting” dictators. Israel has no choice. She can either “support dictators” or “refese to make peace”. Even now as we speak the world is bullying Israel to make peace with Mahmoud Abbas, a dictator. So what if they make peace? A few years later Israel will have “supported a dictator” again. The US and Israel can only deal with what the Arabs come up with. And Egyptian dictatorship was an Arab idea, not an American idea. America just chose friendship with the dictatorship when Sadat decided that dictatorship doesn’t have to be about oppression and war but can also be about oppression without war.
Israel and the US have no ideological need to support dictators. We (the west) would happily work with democratic governments.
And I agree with you and Charles about the state of American conservatives since the Bush era. I supported George W. Bush but I cannot support the current GOP crazies. Occasionally you even see characters from the Bush leadership speak up against the crazies but nobody listens to them any more. It seems like the GOP is hell-bound on running candidates that are so far from the centre that the Democrats will keep winning. In the last parliamentary elections mostly moderate Republicans won while Tea-Party-supported candidates in places where Tea Party candidates won primaries against other (sane) GOP candidates lost.
s/refese/refuse/
Nice article..terror began with zionism and resides in the GOP..arabs deserve to live without conflict..my country america, however seems to bend there backs for the israeli lobbyist who pressure our politicians to kill more Arabs..Israel is a fake state in the middle of the arabian world in. which they have slaughtered more than hitler ever did.. Btw there are palestinians who are still suffering from the genocides that took place 40 years ago, and is still happening..
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