Blaming the enemy

To sum up,  Part I  and  II  of Blaming the Enemy have briefly discussed American, Western and Zionists contempt for Arab and Muslim rights, aspiration and consequently blood – I stress here that I am referring to are the governments, power elites and greedy Multi-billion corporations and not the people of the West. I have also shown that Arab regimes and very large segments of the so called Arab and Muslim intellectuals especially of the old establishment are mostly content in preserving their ill gotten rules and privileges. These powers both master and puppets across the spectrum of both divides work hard at preserving their powers in whichever way possible including, empty heated rhetoric while overflowing the US, the West and the Zionists investment houses with Arab and Muslim dollars desperately needed in Arab and Muslim native lands. Shedding crocodile tears over the loss of Palestine in 1967 while sneaking into Tel Aviv for rendezvous to hatch treacherous schemes to preserve and strengthen the Zionist entity; conducting elaborate high profile theatrics such as Oslo accord while allowing the Zionist state to take more land, more resources and tighten their grip on Jerusalem, Haram El-Shreef and Arab land – Israel stole more Arab land in 7 years of “Oslo peace” theatrics than in 26 years of occupation; Allowing their nation to be used as western tool to weaken and subdue the first truly modern Islamic republic only to be later baited by their neighbors’ accomplices for the destruction of their own country (Iraq), the most industrialized and developed Arab state before the Gulf Wars; The magic was turned on the magicians. These are but few samples of corrupt, decayed Arab agent regimes that have lead us to the current decrypt state of affair.

All this while the vast majority of our “esteemed” Arab and Muslim intellectuals and thinkers go on for ever debating the Million different ways one may interpret successive US administrations political moves, uttering and their flagrant contempt for Arab and Muslim blood, double speak, hand shakes, smiles, diplomatic leaks, CIA implants and so on. Meanwhile ignoring the most critical issue of all. Namely, leading the Ummah in building a strategy of Islah that deals with the root causes of our weakness and coming up with credible plan of action to rectify these root causes. I must exclude the excellent social, cultural and religious reforms of Hizb Allah in Lebanon, their track record and leadership are by far the best role model we have had in modern Arab and Islamic history.

Having addressed the roles of Western powers, Zionists, Arab regimes and their mostly subservient intellectuals in parts (I) and (II), that leave us with the Arab and Muslim masses which are our trump card. Not only are they our true and real allies for Islah (reform), but their lot is very much tied up with this Islah and they must be made to understand, appreciate and ACT on that. To be successful, any Islah strategy must address short, intermediate and long term plans to effect positive change. Whatever plans we come up with, it must focus parents, teachers, educators and the media with all its forms on the indoctrination of our children on the universal code of ethics and value system as embedded in Islam (for Muslims) and in Christianity (for Christians) including sharing, giving, loyalty, scarifies, hard work, honesty, fairness, selflessness, dedication, commitment, integrity, forgiveness, bravery, fairness, obedience to the rule of law and to a just regime and system ….. These principles must be adhered to in practice and in every day life and not just be talked about as an abstract concepts in mosques, churches, schools, TV shows, conferences and homes.

After living in the west for most of my adult life (25 out of 42 years) and after lengthy and close observation and analysis. I must say that although in theory our social and ethical value system is superior to that in the west, in practice we hardly apply it and we are very far from it. As painful as it may be, in fact we are much further away from much of our own ideal and currently theoretical code of ethics than the West is. In my view, this remarkable absence of our code of ethics in our day to day life (i.e. practiced social values and system) is the single most contributing factor to our social, economical and political regression and our ultimate weakness. Western interference and our Technological backwardness are significant but much less important factors that could be rectified with reasonable effort. The Arab Muslim scholars, Ibn Taimeya said “Allah will make victorious a just Ummah over an unjust one even if they were unbelievers” Not only is this Allah’s universal law, it would not make sense to be otherwise. Cause and effect is the basic universal constant that governs not only science but also social and political discourse.

It will take more than one generation to install and promote this sound value system but the work must begin if we are ever to become masters of our destiny and every one has a role to play. But in the absence of the state, the religious, intellectual and community leadership must spearhead this reform movement. Our Arab and Muslim masses must act on their own and move to pressure these regimes to take minimal survival steps. These must include: mass protest, boycott, teach-ins, individual participation and above all for each one of us to hold himself responsible and accountable within his/her sphere of influence. The parent, the teacher, the student, the father the mother the leader each one has his/her role and can only be responsible and accountable for what he/she can do.

Our Arab and Muslim masses must understand and move to act according to the principle of an attack on one segment is an attack on all. This should not be viewed from purely sympathetic prism but from the fact that if one state or group is oppressed or dispossessed it will eventually spread to all. Just look at Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Sudan, Chechnya, Kashmir, Afghanistan and now Pakistan. Whether as individuals, groups or states, Arabs and Muslim are now the easiest target on earth for oppression, racism and dispossession within and without their homelands. We can not simply blame that on the west. Doing so will Conveniently and wrongly absolve ourselves of our individual responsibly but does nothing to advance our cause. We must understand that, if Palestine completely goes then so will Jordan, if it not has not already, Lebanon and Syria will not be far behind and the new Zionist frontiers (if it is not already there VIA the USA) will be the oil fields of Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The Zionists will then be asking for their direct share of the oil fields. Make no mistake about it, the day may be coming sooner than you think. If they can successfully claim Palestine based on a 3,000 years bogus deed, at the right time and with the right circumstances they will not hesitate to start acting on their 1,500 years old “claim”.

The Arab and Muslim masses need to be made highly motivated to rise up to defend themselves from a western/Zionist domination, which if allowed is destined to economically, culturally and politically enslave them till judgment day. In much the same way Zionist managed to turn university educated Palestinians with Master’s and PhD’s into street sweepers of Haifa, Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem, where their forefathers dwelled for thousands of years, Arabs and Muslims enslavement will follow which is already showing in some nations. Just few years ago, Malaysia and Indonesia had very vibrant and promising economies along with what is called the Asian tigers. The IMF and Zionist money houses interfered and made sure that their progress is thwarted.

We need insightful, dedicated, strong willed, competent and incorruptible Arab and Muslim (especially Palestinians) leadership that is capable of mobilizing our Arab and Muslim masses for a number of Arab and Muslim causes, Arab dignity and Muslim awakening. I know it is not easy, but it is NOT far from impossible to do with squeaky clean and competent leadership. Look at what Hizb Allah has been able to achieve and look at their standing within the Arab and Muslim masses. In the case of Palestine, with the right Palestinian leadership we can mobilize the masses 1000 folds more than Hizb Allah ever could. We have the cause of Palestine, JERUSALEM and Al-Aqsa and for that more Arab and Muslim masses will identify with the cause. It pains me to say that the Palestinian cause and especially the foreign occupation of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa were never utilized in their full capacity to mobilize the Arab and Muslim masses. The western-puppets and corrupt Palestinian and Arab regimes have been more interested in preservation of their privileges than with the liberation of Palestine or the dignity of their people. They pay lib services to these causes while in effect serving the objective of their western and Zionist masters.

Had we, the Palestinians, had decent leadership, it would have bypassed the corrupt Arab and Muslim regimes and directly engaged freedom and dignity-hungry Arab and Muslim masses. If it can do that successfully, it will then be able to gain their respect and their unending support. We will then be able to leverage this support not only to pressure the Arab regimes into adopting a more dignified and liberated policies but to effect a substantial change in western policy as it relates to the Arab and Muslim world. At minimum, we may be able to gain western respect which is most certainly lacking as is evident from their current policies and actions. This is one of the Arab world’s hope to get out of the rut it has been living in for hundreds of years. Such strategy coupled with loosening of western and Zionist stranglehold on the area will eventually lead to the true resurrection of Islam. The Islam that was able to preserve, respect and protect other faiths while living in peace with its Neighbors and contributing vastly to human civilization on all fronts. Western civilization and advances would have not been possible without Islam. Islam where Arabs (both Muslims and Christians) and Muslims will be able to live as liberated individuals without the shackles of these despotic, morally corrupt and decayed regimes.

I am reminded with a conversation I had with a dear friend of mine as he lamented about past glories, while satirically saying “could it be that all this glories history of ours have been all fabricated.” What he meant was, how can one explain the humiliated and miserable existence we lead today. How can any one believe that we are the children and successors of Omar Bin El-khatab, Haroon Al Rashheed, Al Mutasam, Salah El Dine, Jaber Bin Hayan, Al Razzy, Ibn Rushed…. The questions that begs for answers are: Who are these people ruling us? Where are they from? Do they have any true red Arab blood running in their veins? who ever they are, they are there for themselves and for their masters!! At present these regimes have made their interest diametrically opposed to that of their masses. The central questions becomes what the Arab and Muslim masses are going to do about it?

In short Palestine and Jerusalem more than any other Arab or Muslim cause can and should be the most effective cause to rally Arabs and Muslims. This should be the corner stone of our strategy. This strategy can work and restore freedom, dignity and rights to the Arab and the Muslim masses. The American knows that, the Zionist dread it and the Arab regimes are frightened of it. Thus the corruption of the PLO and its leadership from its beginning and turning it into an economical enterprise through pouring Billions of Oil dollars into it. These dollars were for the benefit of few and in exchange for their co-operation for not rocking the boat and preserve the status qua and the decayed and oppressive Arab regimes. And in the process it discredit large section of the Palestinian movement, muddied the cause and finally made it an Israeli-Palestinian issue with the predictable results we see today. These were and continue to be the plans and objectives of the Arab regimes including the top PLO leadership. Will they work? I think NOT! But they do make our work of truly reshaping our destiny and liberating ourselves that much harder.

But such strategic approach would always run counter to the short and immediate survival objective of the Arab regimes including the PA. Thus the Arab regimes and the PA preoccupation with tactical rather than strategic planning. Going against the master strategist, the Zionist and their Western allies, with such half baked tactical and survivalist maneuvers will always ensure short and long term failure and loss. But they let these regimes survive and that is their end game. I have no doubt that their day of reckoning is coming soon and sooner than people think. But only if the Arab and Muslim masses assume their role and ready themselves for some scarifies.

Mr. Salah Musa is a Palestinian activist and IT strategist.