A Fresh Look on USA and Islam
Momtaz Ahmed
June 20, 2009
The people of the United States of America want to move away from the tensions of militant Islamists. President Obama marks the beginning of new chapter of a better sense of understanding with the US and Islamic countries through accepting a large gold medallion placed on his neck by Saudi Arabia´s king, Abdullah. His pre-election commitment to engage with the Islamic world was outlined in the speech from Cairo University on June 04, 2009. I believe all revealed religions contain a universal paradigm of thought. America and Islam must be based on what Islam is. Yes, in recent years it has become the global question and query, what is Islam? In general concurrence it is not who you are, but what you do that matters.
After the demise of the Ottoman Empire, there has been no such Islamic or Muslim world. In 1920, Kemal Ataturk abolished the caliphate and made Turkey a secular state. Islam in Arab countries developed and shaped on the ancient Arab Bedouin culture and tradition. Political polarization and long-standing divisions set and established a pattern based on their need by regime or religious groups turned religion into instruments in the hands of ruling classes and many Muslims are falling into it. In reality, tradition supersedes religion and mostly it follows the interpretation of individuals. They hold a very narrow view of life which has given potency to an obscurantist strand of the religion.
There are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world which makes Islam perhaps the world's most heterodox faith. Islam has nothing to do with America. Quran says in verse 109:6, "To you is your religion, and to me is my religion." Obama turned the page and telling the truth what went wrong with US and other countries. Most of the Middle East and Asian Muslim majority governments are either military dictators or absolute monarchy. These ruler or dictator for their security, economy and political stability are more flexible toward a relationship with the US. Today money and big brothers blessings are the threat around the world of militancy, Wahibbism, Talibanisation and Shiatiie of God fearing Muslim society.
The core pillars of US foreign policy are supposed to raise democracy and human rights. Most of the US supports the Muslim majority governments that institutionalized corruption, have poorly developed economy, extreme conservative social practices, intolerance towards assortment in certain sphere, and unemployment. They all represent the well-bred facets of cumulated agony of their nationals. Whom to blame for imposing the authoritative Islam´s theo-political program through stealthy means? The anvil of resistance concept is randomly practices by Jamaat-e-Islami, Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, Sunni organization, Lebanon's Shiite militia and more.
Ranging the United Nations Security Council mediator, Folke Bernadotte, in the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1947-1948 to two-state solutions at the Annapolis Conference in November 2007 didn´t bring peace. The problem is that the Muslim majority countries are not confined to the Arab Israeli conflict only. Perhaps the Middle East is the same today as it was in 1948, long before settlements developed into an issue. Islamic dictators and mullahs manipulated ideas in the name of religion, and the US-Israel all feed on each other´s fears and embrace the certitude of a conflict of civilization. I believe it is the honest effort of Obama to re-establish a positive diplomacy with various communities.
Leaving all the rhetoric questions, what could one see if we go beyond? The administration of American President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, dispatched the first military mission to Saudi Arabia in 1943 by declaring that the defense of the kingdom was a vital interest of United States. Today Saudi is the household name of military weaponry purchasers, the cradle of exporting the Wahabbi fundamentalism, and the financer of religious madrasahs (seminaries). Egypt is in powerlessness of the satraps, with a state of emergency that has been in effect for 30 years. They cannot even open their sovereign border without the permission from Washington. US hegemonic politics towards the autocratic alliance and democracy promotion could not be the ideal-model when dealing with an autocratic regime.
Saudi King Abdullah is probably tolerant of other religions but is apparently unable to alter the views of more conservative members of the kingdom's religious elite. They already have injected a disturbing tendency to Islamic fundamentalism to measure one´s own faith by the nixing of another. Did we know what Al-Qaida, Taliban, fundamentalists abusing religion using Qisas, Diyya, Hudud, Tazir or Rajim- stoning to death (not mentioned in Quran) or abusing economy and environment was? The fundamental question is that the Taliban or Al-Qaida by name did not address the power of the militants, then who does? The Eastern Europe-style velvet revolution backed by the West for Mir-Hossein Mousavi draws larger crowds in Tehran; moreover, still millions of Iranians strongly supporting Ahmadinejad. Iranian constitution has given the unfettered power to the supreme leader to run the country and shape policy.
Synthesis connects Scriptures on the same subject with each other to form a doctrine, but the internal connection should characterize a useful confession. Religion cannot achieve a productive and peaceful chapter in the relationship with any countries in the world. Ranging the battle of Camel (656 a.d) to present the Islamic Republic of Pakistan fighting with Islamic militants for their existence remains the best example. Wrong decisions and bad policies do not always result in negative consequence. It takes time to produce the corrosive effects such as the creation of Al-Qaida and Mujahedeen. Obama realized that the Americans are feeling the pinch as he sees the present world. No one knows how far he could go, when there is real linking between American policy and strategic interests.
Beyond the facade Saudi Arabia, Pakistan or Iran support Islamic militants in various ways, either through financing, providing safe havens, military training, supplying materials or intelligent support. Plausible deniability has been discovered by Pakistan and Afghanistan establishment that the effectiveness of militancy to breed stronger. Democracy in the Middle East means asking for more confrontation with conservative clerics. All the authoritarian rulers´ rhetoric has not matched their record, simply focusing on modernization rather than democratization. Authoritarian state with elements of democracy results in Saudi Arabia, Wahabbi would be the elected government. Same for Jordan and Egypt would attempt more harm to the US and its interests. That´s the reasons despotism of these governments was always supported by Washington.
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan for sixty years have fostered mutual suspicions about their intensions. Circumstances made Mr. Karzai of Afghanistan and Mr. Zardari of Pakistan staunch allies of America. In fact, neither president has Obama´s full confidence. The United States has primarily left tools to reshape Pakistan´s behavior due to decreased credibility in the region. Again it is doubtful that Pakistan would ever support or execute any US plan whole heartily. The Taliban is a creation of the Pakistan's military intelligence and with distant tribal areas in terrorist hands. Iran may have highly-enriched uranium, but the conventional concept about Pakistan has been that it is a vacillating nuclear power; the greatest fear is that it might fall into the wrong hands.
If anyone wants to say anything about peace and militancy, obviously the name of Pakistan cannot be denied. A nation in search of an identity undoubtedly is passing though the worse crucial stage after its independence. Most Pakistanis look for clues of militancy to find the explanation for being an international conspiracy and the reason for the presence of the US troops in Afghanistan. Fact remains that their societal trends, economic conditions, lack of democracy and increased seminary education are the contributors to empowerment of militancy. A feudal society of many poor Pakistanis believe education will not improve their lives and finds seminaries as a safely net of food and housing for their children. People are suffering because of the folly of their military dictators and politicians who have an illusion of grandeur. They want to become the champion of Islam without any feasible concept to shape the nation and its behavior.
Canadian Defense Minister, Peter Gordon MacKay, long before expressed his view that the instability in Pakistan makes Pakistan the most dangerous country in the world. Canada is not a major player in NATO; however, it has already deployed 2800 troops in Afghanistan. The recruiting and rearming Taliban in Pakistan is the problem that remains very real, and very intricate. If the people support extremism then they must see the consequences. Pakistan is entangled into another chaos, much of it by its own creation and already undermined the formative sectarian rationale as a Muslim country.
In the global economy, manufacturing continues to trend down. Shipments are falling than inventories of finished goods, where new orders for exports and capital goods remain in question. Despite the followed prolonged procedure Obama is trying to change the US International policy from aircraft carriers to reconciled diplomacy. He is repairing the fragmented US regulatory system and health care which has the greatest vulnerability for working family. It is a big dream for mankind to achieve women´s right, economic development, end of religious oppression and democracy in the Muslim majority countries. Is it possible to draw a common line from the triangle of holy Quran, Talmud and Bible?
After the demise of the Ottoman Empire, there has been no such Islamic or Muslim world. In 1920, Kemal Ataturk abolished the caliphate and made Turkey a secular state. Islam in Arab countries developed and shaped on the ancient Arab Bedouin culture and tradition. Political polarization and long-standing divisions set and established a pattern based on their need by regime or religious groups turned religion into instruments in the hands of ruling classes and many Muslims are falling into it. In reality, tradition supersedes religion and mostly it follows the interpretation of individuals. They hold a very narrow view of life which has given potency to an obscurantist strand of the religion.
There are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world which makes Islam perhaps the world's most heterodox faith. Islam has nothing to do with America. Quran says in verse 109:6, "To you is your religion, and to me is my religion." Obama turned the page and telling the truth what went wrong with US and other countries. Most of the Middle East and Asian Muslim majority governments are either military dictators or absolute monarchy. These ruler or dictator for their security, economy and political stability are more flexible toward a relationship with the US. Today money and big brothers blessings are the threat around the world of militancy, Wahibbism, Talibanisation and Shiatiie of God fearing Muslim society.
The core pillars of US foreign policy are supposed to raise democracy and human rights. Most of the US supports the Muslim majority governments that institutionalized corruption, have poorly developed economy, extreme conservative social practices, intolerance towards assortment in certain sphere, and unemployment. They all represent the well-bred facets of cumulated agony of their nationals. Whom to blame for imposing the authoritative Islam´s theo-political program through stealthy means? The anvil of resistance concept is randomly practices by Jamaat-e-Islami, Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, Sunni organization, Lebanon's Shiite militia and more.
Ranging the United Nations Security Council mediator, Folke Bernadotte, in the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1947-1948 to two-state solutions at the Annapolis Conference in November 2007 didn´t bring peace. The problem is that the Muslim majority countries are not confined to the Arab Israeli conflict only. Perhaps the Middle East is the same today as it was in 1948, long before settlements developed into an issue. Islamic dictators and mullahs manipulated ideas in the name of religion, and the US-Israel all feed on each other´s fears and embrace the certitude of a conflict of civilization. I believe it is the honest effort of Obama to re-establish a positive diplomacy with various communities.
Leaving all the rhetoric questions, what could one see if we go beyond? The administration of American President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, dispatched the first military mission to Saudi Arabia in 1943 by declaring that the defense of the kingdom was a vital interest of United States. Today Saudi is the household name of military weaponry purchasers, the cradle of exporting the Wahabbi fundamentalism, and the financer of religious madrasahs (seminaries). Egypt is in powerlessness of the satraps, with a state of emergency that has been in effect for 30 years. They cannot even open their sovereign border without the permission from Washington. US hegemonic politics towards the autocratic alliance and democracy promotion could not be the ideal-model when dealing with an autocratic regime.
Saudi King Abdullah is probably tolerant of other religions but is apparently unable to alter the views of more conservative members of the kingdom's religious elite. They already have injected a disturbing tendency to Islamic fundamentalism to measure one´s own faith by the nixing of another. Did we know what Al-Qaida, Taliban, fundamentalists abusing religion using Qisas, Diyya, Hudud, Tazir or Rajim- stoning to death (not mentioned in Quran) or abusing economy and environment was? The fundamental question is that the Taliban or Al-Qaida by name did not address the power of the militants, then who does? The Eastern Europe-style velvet revolution backed by the West for Mir-Hossein Mousavi draws larger crowds in Tehran; moreover, still millions of Iranians strongly supporting Ahmadinejad. Iranian constitution has given the unfettered power to the supreme leader to run the country and shape policy.
Synthesis connects Scriptures on the same subject with each other to form a doctrine, but the internal connection should characterize a useful confession. Religion cannot achieve a productive and peaceful chapter in the relationship with any countries in the world. Ranging the battle of Camel (656 a.d) to present the Islamic Republic of Pakistan fighting with Islamic militants for their existence remains the best example. Wrong decisions and bad policies do not always result in negative consequence. It takes time to produce the corrosive effects such as the creation of Al-Qaida and Mujahedeen. Obama realized that the Americans are feeling the pinch as he sees the present world. No one knows how far he could go, when there is real linking between American policy and strategic interests.
Beyond the facade Saudi Arabia, Pakistan or Iran support Islamic militants in various ways, either through financing, providing safe havens, military training, supplying materials or intelligent support. Plausible deniability has been discovered by Pakistan and Afghanistan establishment that the effectiveness of militancy to breed stronger. Democracy in the Middle East means asking for more confrontation with conservative clerics. All the authoritarian rulers´ rhetoric has not matched their record, simply focusing on modernization rather than democratization. Authoritarian state with elements of democracy results in Saudi Arabia, Wahabbi would be the elected government. Same for Jordan and Egypt would attempt more harm to the US and its interests. That´s the reasons despotism of these governments was always supported by Washington.
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan for sixty years have fostered mutual suspicions about their intensions. Circumstances made Mr. Karzai of Afghanistan and Mr. Zardari of Pakistan staunch allies of America. In fact, neither president has Obama´s full confidence. The United States has primarily left tools to reshape Pakistan´s behavior due to decreased credibility in the region. Again it is doubtful that Pakistan would ever support or execute any US plan whole heartily. The Taliban is a creation of the Pakistan's military intelligence and with distant tribal areas in terrorist hands. Iran may have highly-enriched uranium, but the conventional concept about Pakistan has been that it is a vacillating nuclear power; the greatest fear is that it might fall into the wrong hands.
If anyone wants to say anything about peace and militancy, obviously the name of Pakistan cannot be denied. A nation in search of an identity undoubtedly is passing though the worse crucial stage after its independence. Most Pakistanis look for clues of militancy to find the explanation for being an international conspiracy and the reason for the presence of the US troops in Afghanistan. Fact remains that their societal trends, economic conditions, lack of democracy and increased seminary education are the contributors to empowerment of militancy. A feudal society of many poor Pakistanis believe education will not improve their lives and finds seminaries as a safely net of food and housing for their children. People are suffering because of the folly of their military dictators and politicians who have an illusion of grandeur. They want to become the champion of Islam without any feasible concept to shape the nation and its behavior.
Canadian Defense Minister, Peter Gordon MacKay, long before expressed his view that the instability in Pakistan makes Pakistan the most dangerous country in the world. Canada is not a major player in NATO; however, it has already deployed 2800 troops in Afghanistan. The recruiting and rearming Taliban in Pakistan is the problem that remains very real, and very intricate. If the people support extremism then they must see the consequences. Pakistan is entangled into another chaos, much of it by its own creation and already undermined the formative sectarian rationale as a Muslim country.
In the global economy, manufacturing continues to trend down. Shipments are falling than inventories of finished goods, where new orders for exports and capital goods remain in question. Despite the followed prolonged procedure Obama is trying to change the US International policy from aircraft carriers to reconciled diplomacy. He is repairing the fragmented US regulatory system and health care which has the greatest vulnerability for working family. It is a big dream for mankind to achieve women´s right, economic development, end of religious oppression and democracy in the Muslim majority countries. Is it possible to draw a common line from the triangle of holy Quran, Talmud and Bible?
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