Monday, March 01, 2004

Our dream...Their nightmare.

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Several days ago, the UN declared her report about development in the Middle East. This report raised a lot of clamor in the Arab world, and as usual, the so called (Arabic thinkers) stuck to their condemning attitude and criticized the report with the same old tone claiming that the report is trying to support America’s perspective and strengthen the grip of America over this rich and critical region.
Criticism focused on the withdrawal of 12 million $ by the US from the organization because the report contained phrases supporting the idea that says that (occupation retards the development process).
And I’d like here to concentrate on this point because our thinkers chose to do so and raised their voices in the media about it. I mean what occupation that the region is suffering from?
They claim that the Israeli occupation to some Arab lands and the American occupation of Iraq are retarding the ambitious plans of other Arabs to develop their countries and make them prosper.
Well, let’s imagine the opposite and let’s adopt their point of view. Will the full control and sovereignty of the national Palestinian authority on all the Palestinian land provide any economic development and progress? (If the answer is YES, then why do many Palestinians look for jobs inside Israel?).
Would Saddam and his regime in Iraq if he had the chance to remain in power support the (creative and ambitious Arabic development plans)?
We only criticize without offering solutions. I too have much criticism regarding this report, but what can I offer to diagnose the current crisis in the Arab world?
Where are the alternatives that the Arab media and regime would like to substitute what they call “imported ideologies”?
OK, they’re imported like all the other products of civilization we’re using in our daily life and all the scientific materials we’re studying in our schools and colleges.
So what’s wrong with that? Didn’t we export our ideology to the world at the time when we were creative and leading in science and culture?
Didn’t the European thinkers, for e.g., adopt many of the ways of thinking of Ibn Rushd, which were useful in limiting the domination of the church?
Now what? Will you provide an alternative?
Certainly not, as in the last decades we haven’t produce anything but (historical leaders), who allowed no methods of thinking other than theirs and no mature visions other than the ones they saw.
Those who call themselves thinkers are sadly nothing but tools in the hands of those (great historical leaders).
Certainly we do not lack thinkers, but sadly those found no suitable place, as if they expressed their minds they would be charged immediately as agents for the CIA or traitors who should be strictly monitored and may be imprisoned if not eliminated (which is the most usual fate).
I think I know why the Arab regimes criticize this report; it specifies dictatorship as the major element that hinders progress and development in the region, because it limits the space for free thinking and creativity to a minimum. They blame (Israeli and American occupation) of Arab lands as being the main obstacle to development in the region and they use these excuses to cover for their growing fears from the oncoming democratic changes that will happen sooner or later. They’re not even ready to see any tiny positive aspects in that report. After all, I think it's silly to ask or care about what would the Arab dictators or their media say about such reports, because this will look like asking a thief whether he's guilty or not.

The large M.E is a dream that worth working hard for. It’s for the benefit of the whole world and I believe that Iraq will be a keystone in this great project.
Iraq is going to change sooner or later and no one can stop this process, we can only act to accelerate it or hinder it. It’s just a matter of time and those who care for the world’s peace can and should help in minimizing the time, costs, and sacrifices needed to achieve this dream.

By Mohammed.

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