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America's
Dubious Allies
Gary
Fitleberg
Are
Egypt, Jordan and Saudia Arabia America’s allies or are they
against America and the democracy and freedom of Western
civilization? Should America continue to support these alleged
allies? The answer may lie in the media of these alleged allies of
America.
On
September 11, 2001, an act of hitherto unimaginable evil was
perpetrated against the United States, as civilian airplanes full of
ordinary people were utilized as weapons of annihilation in an
effort to destroy not only many thousands of lives, but major
symbols of the American economic, military, and political system.
Throughout
the world there were expressions of false solidarity with the U.S.
and outrage at the terrorists. When President George W. Bush
declared that each country would have to decide if they were with
the U.S. or with the terrorists, almost all of them quickly
announced they wanted to be part of the coalition on terror. But
reality has painted a completely different picture thus far. Take
Iraq for example. The “War on Terrorism” led by America received
strong opposition to any attack on Iraq. Especially vociferous
opposition from France; a nation allegedly believing in the ideals
of democracy and freedom. But that’s another story!!!
When
it comes to the Muslim world, it turns not to be all that simple.
Nations America has long considered allies who are “friendly”
and “moderate” have turned out to be harboring an astonishing
depth of animosity and hatred toward America.
This
alarming deep feeling is most prevalent among the elite (including
above all the “spiritual leaders”), the man in the street
(apparently reflected in opinion polls and street demonstrations),
and is perpetuated by the state-controlled media of the Arab/Islamist
Middle East nations.
Much
of the media is directly owned and operated by the corrupt
dictatorships and governments in these respective nations. It is
extremely significant that there is little if anything to
distinguish outright government-owned from quasi-independent media.
All media in these nations are controlled by the rulers to
perpetuate their own political agenda. In other words, not one Arab/Islamist
nation enjoys freedom of the press. One can conclude that the
remarks and sentiments in the media is a direct opinion of the
government’s rulers in these corrupt dictatorships and governments
of these largely monarchies.
Let
us now focus on Egypt, Jordan and Saudia Arabia!!! A sampling of the
media of these Middle Eastern nations traditionally viewed as our
allies indicates otherwise!!!
While
there is some variation between countries (the Jordanian media is
much more less prone to promoting anti-American feeling), certain
themes tend to emerge overall. One is the pervasive joy within the
population at American suffering. Another is blaming the victim (a
common Arab propaganda strategy); it is American support for Israel
that is responsible for anti-American terror, or more broadly, it is
the very nature of the United States as “oppressor” or the
“civilization” as one Saudi described as “that arose on the
skulls of others.” Yet another theme, in the immediate aftermath
of 9/11. was denial of Arab involvement (e.g. the Israel’s and
their intelligence agency Mossad did the dirty deed). Another
ongoing theme is the claim of “moral equivalency”!!! President
Bush and/or Rumsfeld are equa! ted with Bin Laden as zealots who
would impose their vision upon the world. Some turn events on their
head to claim the U.S. is the real terrorist.
While
it is particularly striking is the hatred and violent anti-American
incitement coming from the Muslim spiritual leaders. In the Arab/Islamist
world, where religion and state are not separated as they are in
Western civilization, imams, (blind) mullahs, and sheiks leading
mosques have positions of influence and importance not enjoyed by
religious leaders here in America. Their sermons are broadcast on
state-controlled radio and television and printed as political
propaganda in newspapers to reach the broadest possible audience.
A
few religious authorities, including the Chief Mufti of Saudi
Arabia, have indeed condemned the attack on the U.S. as contrary to
Islamic law, but those who have spoken out are surprisingly few.
Most have been silent or openly supportive of Bin Laden.
A
few words about this endlessly repeated theme that American support
for Israel is the “root cause” of hostility toward the America.
This is not only a constant in the Arab media (on this point
Jordanian media is as forceful as others) but is the central
argument of the rulers who press this false premise and thesis upon
President Bush and each and every Western leader with whom the meet
at every conceivable opportunity it is not just Israel whom they
plan to defeat. America, Western civilization and the ideals of
democracy and freedom are the objective ultimately.
The
argument is a seductive one because it suggests that all U.S.
problems with the Islamic world will disappear if it abandons Israel
to the Arab world. Changing a single element of foreign policy will
not solve the “root cause” of the real problem: hatred,
incitement, terrorism and violence. One perpetuated for political
reasons in the Arab/Islamist media.
While
some in Western civilization, including many policy-makers, still
cling to this belief and illusion rather stubbornly, largely because
the “problem” (Israel/Jews) will go away it is quite clear the
real problem against Western civilization remains here to stay.
Holding out hope for an easy solution is definitely expedient but is
not the honest or moral answer.
Bernard
Lewis, the foremost expert on the Middle East, provokes a wake-up
call. In an article in the Washingtom Post of September 10, 2002,
Lewis points out that the roots of current Muslim, especially Arab
hostility go far deeper. Islam of rmany centuries was the greatest
civilization on earth and its military forces were triumphantly on
the march. Everything then changed drastically. Instead of invading
and dominating Christendom, Muslims were invaded and dominated by
Christian powers.
Lewis
writes “The resulting frustration and anger at what seemed a both
natural and divine law has been growing for centuries and have
reached a climax in our own time.” Given that the U.S. is now the
unchallenged leader of the West, says Lewis, it is inevitably the
chief target of the frustration and anger. In addition to hatred
there is contempt for what Muslims perceive as the degeneracy and
immorality of the American way of life. At the same time, there is
fear because of the perception of its potential influence on Muslim
societies. Lewis notes that when Ayatollah Khoemeini repeatedly
called America “the Great Satan” this is what he referred to:
Satan is not an imperialist explorer but a tempter, a seducer who,
in the words of the Holy Koran “whispers in t! he hearts of
men”!!!
Opinion
polls revealing the deep pervasiveness of anti-American sentiment
strongly suggest that we can no longer afford to ignore the true
“root cause” of hatred, incitement, terrorism and violence as
instigated in the Arab/Islamist state-controlled media shaping
public attitudes. Israel turned a blind eye to the endless
incitement against her churned out by the Palestinian Authority’s
political propaganda in the media and press after the so-called
“peace process” was initiated in 1993. Israel eventually and
unfortunately reaped the consequences of its denial in the eruption
of unrelieved unconstrained hatred, incitement, terrorism and
violence in the form of homicide bombers.
Let’s
explore a few facts!!! Egypt and Jordan receive substantial American
aid – in the case of Egypt $2.1 billion a year and Jordan $220
million. While Saudi Arabia’s oil wealth precludes the need for
financial aid, it has long enjoyed the military protection of
America and our alleged “ally” has also enjoyed an specially
relationship over many years. Despite the fact that the Saudis have
voted against America in the U.N. over 73% of the time!!!
Moreover,
America has leverage. Before Congress votes large sums in aid (or in
the case of Saudi Arabia we provide our best weapons systems) to
these “allies”, our legislators might insist upon being informed
of all government-controlled media accurately and completely. Before
Congress there is an investigation into the “education” process
fomented in the school textbooks in Saudi Arabia presently. We must
also thoroughly investigate our alleged “allies” Egypt, Jordan,
Saudi Arabia and all other recipient of U.S. assistance.
The
U.S. Government’s Foreign Broadcast Information Service provides
daily translations from foreign media worldwide.
An
article in National Review On-Line urges the Secretary of State to
be required to compile and issue a quarterly report to Congress on
anti-American and anti-Israel invective in the media of these
countries. The latter is very important given that these countries
all claim to be promoting the “peace process”!!!
Egypt
and Jordan have both signed peace treaties with Israel. Relentless
promotion of hatred and incitement by these “peace partners” can
only contribute to the decrease regional stability in the Middle
East.
Political
leaders in these countries must realize that anti-American
incitement and promotion of anti-Israel terror bare a cost and that
their intolerance will no longer be tolerated.
As
former Ambassador and U.S. envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross has
clearly observed. “You can not continue to extol the virtues of
the suicide [homicide] bombers and talk about how the United States
must also pay, without there being a consequence in terms of
attitude. They cannot continue to use their media as a release for
outrage and for anger…within those media which basically are not
free except to dispense certain hatreds.” Ross concluded, “They
cannot use those media to create a climate of legitimacy for this
kind of behavior and that is exactly what they’ve done.”
Are
Egypt, Jordan and Saudia Arabia America’s allies or are they
against America and the democracy and freedom of Western
civilization? Should America continue to support these alleged
allies? The answer may lie in the media of these alleged allies of
America.
If
we believe that ideas and words have consequences, Americans must be
deeply concerned about the hatred toward the U.S. fostered by
government-controlled media in countries we view as allies bent on
the intent of the destruction of our Western way of life – with
democracy and freedom as the foundation!!!
The
American eagle of democracy and freedom must not blink but clearly
think about it’s alleged allies Egypt, Jordan and Saudia Arabia!!!
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