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| Africa North |
| Why is the Arab World drowning? |
| 2011-01-28 |
| [Asharq al-Aswat] The rapid stream of news in the Arab world today not only confuses people, but also causes them great frustration. Even Tunisia, whose spontaneous uprising was an inspiration to the Arab masses from the Ocean to the Gulf, now seems to fluctuate between falling into a security vacuum and chaos, and returning to the old regime once more, but with a new façade. The Tunisian masses are dissatisfied with the results of the change they demanded, a demand which they paid for with blood. They see attempts to abort their uprising, and circumvent their demands. The government reshuffle has been limited to replacing a few symbols of the past era, whilst the same old regime continues to dominate the transitional period. This is a phase which is supposed to prepare the country for new elections, to elevate it to a level of true pluralism, freedom of expression, and freedom of association. In the Arab domain, some interpreted the Tunisian uprising as a movement focussing on improved living standards. Some believed that the main demand was for economic concessions, such as aborting the decision to increase the price of basic commodities. This was thought to satisfy the angry masses, and return them to their deep slumber. However, The infamous However... a correct interpretation of the current situation, and the mood on the streets of a number of Arab countries, would show that people do not only seek to alleviate the economic burdens they shoulder, but rather they seek better political conditions, wider political participation, and genuine freedoms. The numerous political suicides committed by young protestors in several Arab countries, inspired by the young Tunisian man named Mohamed Bouazizi, perhaps reflect a state of desperation and despair, as a result of deteriorating conditions, a prevailing sense of frustration, and the lack of change on the horizon. If there are no real breakthroughs, the Tunisian case, despite the uncertainty of its results so far, will be repeated in other countries. Some nations suffer from a state of congestion far greater than that experienced by the Tunisians, prior to their outburst. The Arab citizen today no longer relies on the official press or official spokesmen, in order to be informed. There has been a credibility crisis regarding such sources, which dates back to Ahmed Saeed and Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf. The internet and social networks have become sources where people acquire information and exchange news. It is worth noting that in this arena, rumours are sometimes incorporated into the news, by those seeking disturbance rather than change, or destruction rather than reform. Frustrated by the state of affairs, the Arab citizen is filled with suppressed rage at the deplorable situation, and also at failing to make his voice heard. He feels defeated by the state of weakness and submission that has caused the Arabs to feel powerless and humiliated, in view of the prevailing state of fragmentation, rivalry and tension. There is a lack of Arab consensus, a lack of confidence, as well as a notable, rising sectarian tone. Official statements can no longer convince people that the situation has improved, whereas bad news is always competing to be at the forefront of our media. Anyone who follows a news bulletin on our screens will find a daily account of the number of victims of Iraqi bombings, a country ravaged by sectarian strife, or the corpse count resulting from militia wars in Somalia, which have been a constant sight for nearly 20 years. There is also news about the Arabia Felix [Latin term for modern Yemen, lit. 'Happy Arabia'] region, which unfortunately is no longer 'happy'. Internal wars have broken out, and al-Qaeda has managed to infiltrate its body, having decamped from the Tora Bora caves [in Afghanistan] in search of a new sanctuary where it can spread destruction, in the region and across the world. On the other hand, Sudan has shown the Arabs what can happen when a government fails to establish the principle of citizenship, and translate this into a reality on the ground. While the heart [Khartoum] drowns in a maze of politics, the other organs of the body feel marginalized and abused, which prompts them to bear arms, and seek secession. Sudan failed to achieve peaceful coexistence, and thus paid a heavy price, namely its unity. It may continue to pay even more if the situation does not change. Yet Leb is another example of how politicians fail to understand the need for tolerance and peaceful coexistence between ethnic or religious components, to maintain the unity of a country, and end the bloodshed of its people. Today the Lebanese seem to behave like the Bourbon Kings of La Belle France - "they neither forget anything nor learn anything". They are repeating the same mistakes that caused their small country to bleed, driving it towards civil war and a series of failed truces and constant quarrels, which are often followed by armed festivities. Lebanese politicians could not fortify their country and so they sought assistance from abroad, thus opening the door for years of foreign interference. The country became subject to external considerations and quarrels, making Leb a mere piece on the Middle East's complex chessboard. Leb proved impossible for all mediators, and frustrated all those who cared for it. Today it is heading towards a new phase that could prompt an unprecedented conflict. Paleostine is in a continuous loop of frustration and fragmentation, between Gazoo and Ramallah. There is no hope for the stalled negotiations, as detailed in the recent damaging leaks. While the helpless Paleostinian citizen suffers, numerous reconciliation efforts take place, and leaderships dispute over a state that is yet to be born. This is a glimpse of the Arab vision that may help us understand why Bouazizi's suicide has been an inspiration to some young Arabs. We must listen to the voice of the masses and find a way out of this situation, before frustration wreaks havoc on everything. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #22 Re: Spain Philip II was so narrowminded he could see through a keyhole with both eyes. He drank in all the prejudices and fanaticism of Castile. Despite being king of half a dozen ethnic groups, he never learned another language, spent less than four of his seventy one years outside Castile, and by his pigheadedness drove the Netherlands into rebellion. He squandered the wealth of the New World in his dynastic wars. Why attempt to overcome near-peer adversaries in the deserts of North Africa when you can have free rein in an entire continent of Stone Age kingdoms? I think the Spanish made the right decision, and we are better off for it The Spaniards transferred the same narrow-minded, brutal Castilian attitudes to the New World. Why bother to develop industries, learn new ideas, create infrastructure, get out of the Middle Ages, when you have a steady stream of gold and silver coming in? Philip II set a pattern that doomed Spain to three extra centuries of medievalism, and transferred it to the New World. This is the sort of rigidity, pigheadedness, and government by corrupt caciques that turns people toward populist blowhards like Chavez and Morales. |
| Posted by: mom 2011-01-28 19:30 |
| #21 Oh: heavy government authoritarianism, religious sponsored paranoia, and both using ignorance as social control policy. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-01-28 18:43 |
| #20 Supplying an army large enough to win in North Africa would have been a challenge, as well as having enough desert beasts to defend territory. Now controlling the pillars and some surrounding area would have made sense, but I am hands-on unfamiliar with the terrain as it would affect military operations. No reason to control anything other than coastline and ports, but each garrison would invite an attack by overwhelming forces, and if each garrison had to be resupplied by sea better make sure they control the sea. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-01-28 18:37 |
| #19 Yet the Spanish had the money and manpower to dominate France and the Netherlands and support proxies in Germany during the 30 years war. I think the Idea of Protestant heretics drove them a bit nuts. |
| Posted by: Rjschwarz 2011-01-28 18:21 |
| #18 Spain didn't have the manpower to conquer North Africa. They wouldn't have had the manpower for the Americas, either, except that disease did so much to wipe out the population disparity, leaving the remainder of the natives in disarray and despair. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-01-28 17:37 |
| #17 I was thinking more along the lines of conquering, colonizing, and converting North Africa. I'm not thinking on those lines. The Muslims in that part of the world have fouled their own nest, and they can clean it up themselves for all I care. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-01-28 16:58 |
| #16 Procopius2k, thanks for the link. Still it seems defensive to me. Protect Rome from sea invasion and protect trade routes. I was thinking more along the lines of conquering, colonizing, and converting North Africa. Literally a continuation of reconquesta, a rollback of Islam from Morocco Eastward. Crusades should have done the same thing starting with reconquering Spain. It would have had easier logistics and likely had a longer term impact then the hail Mary conquer Jerusalem plan even if it wasn't as sexy. The reason the Spanish went no further in the Mediterranean was the discovery of the Americas. Why attempt to overcome near-peer adversaries in the deserts of North Africa when you can have free rein in an entire continent of Stone Age kingdoms? I think the Spanish made the right decision, and we are better off for it. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2011-01-28 16:44 |
| #15 Arab journalists are part of the reason for the problem. For decades they pushed Arabism, even when only 2% of the Arab world believed in it, they pretended it was the dominant ideology. Arab journalists have also led the way with anti Zionism. They basically ignored the depravities of the arab dictators until a few years before the US ousted Hussain. Even then it was only lightly covered. And, as noted above, the Arab journalists have, to this day, never (with a few exceptions) honestly reported on the cruelty of Islam as practiced in the Arab world. To see why the Arab world has problems, the Asharq al Aswat (the middle east) needs to look in the mirror. In Arabia, there is no such thing as a free press. Any criticism of other Arab governments would eventually lead to criticism of the journalist's own government. This is why al Jazeera is pretty unique. The problem is blowback. I think Qatar's emir will come to regret his decision to unleash al Jazeera. On the other side of the coin, the Arab countries don't have a journalist problem. They have an audience problem. Western-oriented views are seen as treasonous and akin to apostasy. What is the audience for a samizdata publisher / blogger like Sand Monkey? Mainly Westerners who see what they want to see. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2011-01-28 16:38 |
| #14 I'm gonna go with because they are Arabs with no sense of honor and they follow isalm. |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2011-01-28 15:48 |
| #13 Procopius2k, thanks for the link. Still it seems defensive to me. Protect Rome from sea invasion and protect trade routes. I was thinking more along the lines of conquering, colonizing, and converting North Africa. Literally a continuation of reconquesta, a rollback of Islam from Morocco Eastward. Crusades should have done the same thing starting with reconquering Spain. It would have had easier logistics and likely had a longer term impact then the hail Mary conquer Jerusalem plan even if it wasn't as sexy. |
| Posted by: Rjschwarz 2011-01-28 15:11 |
| #12 See previous article titled: Lurid moonbat fantasies, and what they leave out Much of what is wrong with the left is also wrong with the Arab world. Andrew McCarthy has an interesting book entitled: The Grand Jihad; How the Islam and the Left Sabotage America that draws a nexus between the two. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2011-01-28 10:31 |
| #11 Arab journalists are part of the reason for the problem. For decades they pushed Arabism, even when only 2% of the Arab world believed in it, they pretended it was the dominant ideology. Arab journalists have also led the way with anti Zionism. They basically ignored the depravities of the arab dictators until a few years before the US ousted Hussain. Even then it was only lightly covered. And, as noted above, the Arab journalists have, to this day, never (with a few exceptions) honestly reported on the cruelty of Islam as practiced in the Arab world. To see why the Arab world has problems, the Asharq al Aswat (the middle east) needs to look in the mirror. |
| Posted by: Lord Garth 2011-01-28 10:28 |
| #10 rjschwarz... The Portuguese were the grand planners of that... they were going to sack Mecca via the ocean and Red Sea... but got sidetracked when they gazed on the wealth they could get by hijacking the spice trade.... |
| Posted by: Water Modem 2011-01-28 09:36 |
| #9 I've always wondered what would have happened if the Spanish,.. You mean these Spanish? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2011-01-28 08:20 |
| #8 Why is the Arab World drowning? Because ALLAN wills it.. |
| Posted by: armyguy 2011-01-28 08:11 |
| #7 Why is the Arab World drowning? Because they are not adapted to sharing the World with the rest of us? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-01-28 05:03 |
| #6 The Spanish did spend a lot of their treasure both fighting the Turks in the Balkans and in various colonial ventures in N. Africa, most of which weren't very successful in the long term. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2011-01-28 02:41 |
| #5 Ataturkism tried, and has fading but not yet lost effects in Turkey. He at least eliminated the caliphate. It would take another leader to continue secularization, a leader so far absent, but likely to arise from a fringe or small offshoot. A small hope, but a hope. |
| Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2011-01-28 02:39 |
| #4 The Arab world is drowning because the Mullahs forbid them to swim, and Muhammed forbids they even consider removing the weights from their feet. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2011-01-28 01:54 |
| #3 I've always wondered what would have happened if the Spanish, flush with gold from the New World had continued the reconquesta across North Africa instead of attacking the Heretics in Northern Europe. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2011-01-28 00:53 |
| #2 The Roman Empire didn't go far enough |
| Posted by: Beavis 2011-01-28 00:24 |
| #1 What is wrong with the Arab world? One could wax eloquent, but in a nutshell: Islam. Fix Islam and you are home free. But good luck with that! |
| Posted by: SteveS 2011-01-28 00:17 |