Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

American Confusion | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Bush is displeased with Muslims, just as a father is displeased with his sons, because they do not listen to his words. He expressed his dissatisfaction by calling them fascists and freedom haters. Humanity needed thousands of years to discover, in the 19th century, that children have their own mental and psychological entity that is responsible for their behavior. The same applies to criminals, murderers, robbers and thieves. Each has his own personality, suffering and experience that inflict on them their behavior.

This is a painful and tragic discussion as it leads me to believe that humanity needs another ten thousand years to understand that violence also has its causes and that educated and affluent young men who blow themselves up and kill innocent people around them do not do so because they are fascists or freedom haters.

As I have closely followed the details of the so-called war on terror, I have rarely heard any mention of the root causes of this terrorism. I know there is no way we can ask a heap of human limbs why you blew yourself up and killed innocent people. But, we can at least ask detainees what attracted them to this fire. I have yet to hear western officials, commentators and investigators report the terrorists’ explanation. What drew them to violence? There is a global conspiracy to prevent these young people from voicing their ideas and fears and to block what they are saying; it is aimed at separating the reasons from the motives.

Fortunately, Bush and Blair have not yet monopolized the entire stage. Liberals have considered the causes of terrorism, leading to a strange alliance between secular leftists and devout Muslims. The Muslim population has suffered enough from Western tyranny and random disposition of their fate and resources. The west bears most of the responsibility for the suffering of the developing world, particularly Muslim countries. Its politicians have covered their eyes, buried their heads in the sand and swept the causes of terrorism under the carpet. However, this will not save them from terrorism and neither will their security and intelligence services.

It appears from their statements that western leaders want Muslims to acquiesce to them, salute them and say, yes your honor! This will simply not happen. The future appears bleak as black clouds can be seen in the distance. Muslims are no longer illiterate and camel herders. They are educated and technologically savvy; they will now use the same technologies the west has used to enslave them if it doesn’t hurry to understand terrorism and tackle its root causes. Until then, the deprived will remain eager to spoil the affluence of the rich.