the all searching eye

Note: You can also read this and other related articles at The Political Animal.

Over 35 years ago, King Hussein of Jordan made the difficult choice to cast the PLO out of his country. At the time, PLO operatives were using Jordanian territory as a staging point, and they were gradually gaining strength and control of that territory. Forseeing the challenge to his own government’s power that the PLO could become, Hussein had to make a move that was unpopular in an era when Pan-Arab nationalist politics, which ruled the region, espoused non-recognition and the destruction of the Al-Ka’in Al-SiHioni (the Zionist Entity).

The recent events in Lebanon, however, seem to have vindicated King Hussein’s decision. Lebanon, like Jordan, has dealt with a militia movement–Hezb Ullah– within its borders that has very little accountability. As many analysts have pointed out, Hezb Ullah’s recent incursion into Israel was not in the interest of the Lebanese government, and it threatens the country’s sovereignty. Lebanon, then, is living the fate that Jordan narrowly avoided 36 years ago.

The Syrian Occupation, however, limited Lebanon’s ability to control Hezb Ullah, who receives support from Damascus. The Lebanese government left in the aftermath of the Syian withdrawal was not equipped to handle Hezb Ullah, and so the terrorist organization was able to stage an operation that has had such devastating impact on Lebanon.

Considering that background, the recent threat that the Lebanese government has made to employ troops against Israel in the event of a ground invasion may be a grave blunder. First of all, Lebanon cannot hope to stand up against the Israeli military if it cannot stand up to an internal militia. Even if it could make life hell for Israel by mounting an urban defense, the end result would still a Lebanon in ruins.

Second, and more importantly, this may actually be Lebanon’s chance to do like King Hussein did, and take control of the country. Lebanon should deploy its military in this conflict–but they should be doing it against Hezb Ullah. It’s a sure thing that Syria, and Palestinians will brand them traitors. Jordan faced the exact same accusations. Nevertheless, Lebanon has a chance to take control of its destiny. Jordan has been an Island of calm in the region for over 30 years. Lebanon should follow Jordan’s example and get rid of Hezb Ullah. By picking up and fighting alongside Hezb Ullah out of fear of an Israeli occupation, Lebanon will seal its own eventual demise.

The choice is hard. It involves trusting the Israelis to leave Lebanon when their campaign against Hezb Ullah ends. More importantly, it involves being strong enough to ignore peer pressure from a neighboring bully country. Jordan did it. Can Lebanon?

Note: You can also read this and related posts at The Political Animal.

Recently I have been receiving forwards from friends in Arab countries that contain depictions of young Israeli children writing messages on missles. Captions above the photos read ” Israel kids send gift to Arab kids with love.” Further down, another caption reads:

Dear Lebanese/Palestinian/Arab/Muslim/Christian Kids, Die with love. Yours, Israeli Kids

This email has circulated widely, and has created a gross image of Israeli children. It is always true, however, that you cannot always believe what you see. A close inspection of the missle closest to the camera shot reveals the following handwritten message: “To Nazrala with love from Israel.” Nazrala is presumably Sheik Hassan Nasr Ullah, the leader of Hezbullah.

I am shocked by such a blatant campaign to incite further hatred and violence–in this case against children. Sadly, this type of behavior has been typical over the course of the conflict in Palestine.

What have we learned from the Muhammad Cartoon Fiasco? Well, to start, the aggressive campaign to convince the west that Muslims are peaceful is officially dead. Muslims have effectively set back any progress they might have made. Worst of all, they have played directly into their critics’ arguments.

Personally, I am upset and disillusioned. After so much time defending a religion for which I have great respect, I have been silenced. How can I respond to reports of young Christian children in Africa being killed because of the Danish cartoons? Or reports of angry Muslims who randomly bound a man with a tire and lit him on fire? Or burned embassies and churches? How can I apologize for the widespread murder, ruin, and destruction that Muslims have committed because of a religious insult? How can I explain the lack censure or disapproval from Muslim leaders over the atrocities being committed?

I have constantly fought off claims that Muslims are not ready for modernity, that they are intolerant, and that they are not intellectually capable respecting freedom of speech. I still believe Muslims are good people. Unfortunately, I have not explanation for the recent behavior. However, I will say that the acts that many of them have committed in the name of defending the Prophet’s honor are evil and inexcusable. Far worse than the insults of the cartoonists.

While reading samplings of major media reports on the kidnapping of Christian Science Monitor journalist Jill Carroll, I was struck by the glaring absence of a certain word: terrorists. Everyone is avoiding labelling people who will plan and execute the kidnap of a young female reporter and the murder of her interpreter (two shots to the head) as terrorists. In fact, I am amazed that they can come up with any other way to describe these…terrorists.

Between CNN, NY Times, and Fox, only one ever used the word. Guess who were the only ones with the guts to tell the story like it is. It is understandable that Jill’s own paper, the Christian Science Monitor, would be as diplomatic as possible when making statements and requests towards the actual “captors.” To push the rhetoric in that case may jeopordize her life. However, the other papers, in reporting the incident are making a mistake by downplaying and mischaracterizing these terrorists as “captors.”

I understand that this is a subtle point. However, I think it demostrates clearly the sleep mode that a lot of our media have gone into. The way to downplay the threat of terrorism, and to treat is as fantasy, is to cease referring to acts of terrorism as terrorism. Call it something else. Something mundane and close to home like abduction, or kidnapping. But call it terrorism, and you concede that that guy on Pennsylvania Ave. may have a good reason to do outlandish things like tap the phones of people whose numbers appeared in Al-Qaeda laptops, or renew the PATRIOT Act.

When he is not wishing death upon undesirable heads of state, Pat busies himself by revealing God’s political views. Herewe can read about his moral pronouncements upon the head of the recently hospitalized Arial Sharon. Ironically, Sharon has done plenty of things to get a guy smitten down by God. However, Pat Robertson would applaud those past efforts, including the attempted occupation of Lebanon that resulted in Christian-led massacres in Palestinian refugee camps. What a strange thing it is that the act that would cause Sharon to be stricken down is the act of peace–one of the few Sharon has ever made.

A few weeks ago I posted commentary on Professor Alan Dershowitz’s optimistic view of the recent peace process in Palestine. One doubt I expressed was about those who would adopt the Palestine question as a symbol of a cosmic struggle between good and evil. Sadly, the recent speech by the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reinforced my fear. Several news agencies have reported on his words. Al-Jazeera gives many details, as well as Islamic Republic News Agency-the official state news organ. Some of the most disturbing comments include:

The skirmishes in the occupied land are part of a war of destiny. The outcome of hundreds of years of war will be defined in Palestinian land.

This is a direct reference to the cosmic struggle I referred to.

As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map.

And

There is no doubt that the new wave (of attacks) in Palestine will soon wipe off this disgraceful blot (Israel) from the face of the Islamic world.

The Imam referred to is Ayatollah Khomeini.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, the President stated that a world without the US and Israel would be possible.

If anyone has any doubt about why we are pressing Iran so hard on the issue of nuclear weapons, this should provide ample answer. This is not the talk of a leader who is interested in diplomacy or negotiation. As stated in the articles summing up his speech, he has declared that any Islamic state that recognizes Israel as a state or participates in the peace process will incur Iran’s wrath. This president has declared Israel and the United States as historic enemies, and he has threatened any nation who makes peace with them. Any questions?

Imagine the owners of business with signs featuring Spanish or some other language. Now imagine those owners being arrested and fined for including the letter ñ in their signs. This is what happened in Turkey. There they have the equivalent of Jim Crow law for Kurds. One of these laws, which bans the use of any letters not included in the adapted Roman script used in Turkish, happens to make signs posted in the Kurdish language illegal. Here is the article from CNN on the recent arrests.

Here is an article summing up the events surrounding the suicide of Syrian minister Ghazi Kenaan. Knowing the tactics the Asad regime has employed, my first reaction was to wonder if this really was suicide. To be fair, no evidence suggests otherwise. Whatever the circumstances, al-jazeera’s observation that no comment or analysis has been forthcoming from Syrian official sources is typical of the secretive Baathist majority government. In any case, this development is interesting since it rises out of the investigations into the assassination of Lebanese Premier Rafiq Hariri. Minister Ghazi Kenaan has become another casualty in a highly controversial Syrian-Lebanese relationship.

The above cartoon is from Al-Jazeera. The text at the top right reads: Israeli tunnels near the Aqsa (Mosque).
The bubble on the top left says: Oh Aqsa! Have Patience; He who digs a pit for his brother will himself fall into it.

Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz has written an Op-ed column in the Chicago Tribune expressing his optimism for the current peace prospects of Israel-Palestine. He astutely points out some of the main obstacles to a prudent two-state solution:

There still are many barriers to a real peace. Some come from the Israeli side, others from the Palestinian side. The greatest barriers, however, come from outsiders: right-wing American Jews and Christians who are more Israeli than the Israelis, Islamic fundamentalists and left-wing European and American academics, politicians and church leaders who are more Palestinian than the Palestinians.

I would add to this list certain groups of exiled Palestinians. They often have not had to face the harsh realities on the ground in Israel and in the occupied territories that result from Israeli crackdowns and retaliations to terrorist threats. For this reason, their concept of the conflict is more abstract and idealistic, and it is less amenable to compromise.

These types of forces, combined with those in Professor Dershowitz’s list, are very powerful. Both the far Right and extreme Left comprise at least some elements who desire to make this a symbolic, cosmic struggle between Good and Evil. So while I would like to share the Professor’s optimism, I feel my hopes being tempered by the major variable, which is: How powerful will these uncompromising centers be?

Saddam has whipped out his old Pan-Arab Socialist rhetoric. He has said:

My soul and my existence is to be sacrificed for our precious Palestine and our beloved, patient and suffering Iraq…

I guess he had planned to donate all of the cash he was holed-up (pun intended) with to precious Palestine.”
I believed that his information minister was the funniest human being alive until I read these words. Then again, it all depends on how you define sacrificing your existence. Is it the kind where you go down fighting for your precious and beloved country? Or is it the more subtle kind of hiding in a hole ?

On a more serious note, negotiations continue on major points of the Iraqi constitution. I will be commenting more later. In the mean time, my heart is with the individuals who must make the hard choices, and also with those who must live by them. Iraqis have proved to be a very brave and resilient people throughout the past several years (well, except for the self-sacrificing ex-leader). These negotiations bear heavily on their future, which I hope will bring brighter days for them.

Abuzachary