THINKING ABOUT ARAB-AMERICAN RELATIONS: A NEW PERSPECTIVE By Khalid S. Al-Khater*

The relationship between Arabs and the United States must be seen as part of a wider challenge to Arab political rethinking. This article suggests that a new approach to Arab- American relations must come through internal political restructuring more than an analysis of specific issues. Such a change cannot happen as long as Arab debate is dominated by "sloganists" who apply predetermined ideologies and conclusions to this question.

To understand properly Arab-American review the employed intellectual relations requires a complex analysis that is tools for managing identities, contrary to the traditionalist belief and its merits, the construction of life and reliance on slogans and illusions. Those the production of facts. He who who embrace it are forced to swim against confronts such a task does not have the current and bear harsh criticism. any option other than to swim For Arabs, considering this issue against the current, by stripping the requires also confronting a number of other priorities that engage his mind and issues. Interpretation depends on the by adopting ontological ventures, in intellectual background of the interpreter, order to practice his free criticism as Immanuel Kant pointed out long ago. of axioms. Alternatively, he must More recently, Professor Fouad Ajami, a think differently from what is Lebanese-American who is director of the pervading and dominating the way Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Johns of viewing and contemplating Hopkins University School of Advanced occurrences and destinies. Without International Studies, emphasized that the that, there is no way for us to Arab dilemma, regarding this and other understand and diagnose crises or to questions, depends primarily on an mind and manage the defeats and intellectual and cultural mode of debacles in the Arab world or thinking.(1) worldwide.(2) There are many in the Arab world who understand this challenge to find a new Those who reject a rethinking about way of thinking, like the Lebanese writer Arab views regarding the United States, Ali Harb when he said: like Professor Hassan Naf'a, Head of the Political Science Department at the Faculty If the crisis is the exhaustion of the of Economics and Political Science of conceptual framework and work Cairo University, often take the historical methods, and the confrontation of relationship between the two parties out of the challenges and problems, the context.(3) Such argumentation, which first task of whoever takes the dominates Arab discourse about this issue, intellectual concern and confirms the statement of French epistemological fate is to deeply philosopher Jean Francois Revel, "The

Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 2 (June, 2003) 79 Khalid S. Al-Khater ideologist twists the neck of reality to suit Report for 2002, which was prepared by a his ideologies, whilst the seeker of truth team of top Arab intellectuals, shows gives up his ideologies to understand without a doubt that the Arabs are no better reality." off than are the Palestinians. The only To understand this phenomenon better, I difference is that the Palestinians are have coined the word "sloganist" to resisting oppression, deprivation, and describe someone who believes and repeats injustice, and as a price for their resistance, what has always been said, and is popular are being trampled by Sharon's tanks and among the Arabs, without examining the their houses demolished by his bulldozers. evidence or distorting it to a remarkable Poverty, deprivation, illiteracy, lack of degree. Illusions thus come to dominate freedom, injustice, female oppression and reality, an approach which fits with the disregard for human rights are predominant slogans and ideologies such as those that in the entire Arab world. These problems have been used by Arab governments and are imposed on the Arab world by its own some organized nationalist and religious tyrannical and oppressive governments. fundamentalist organizations for the past Were they to resist, it would result in the half-century in order to blind the Arab same fate as that of the Palestinians, except people from seeing their internal problems. the actions would be carried out by the Archaic slogans and illusions have tanks and bulldozers of the Arabs' own made the Arabs live daydreams of their despots. own making. These cocoons, which take The examples are plenty. For example, different masks in the forms of Arab there was the demonstration of almost one nationalism, one Arab nation, Arab unity, hundred thousand people in Cairo Stadium and Palestine being the first cause among two weeks before the war with Iraq began. Arabs, have little basis or occurrence in This was arranged by sloganists, chanting reality. Despite being the aspirations of all anti-war in Iraq slogans and pro-Palestine Arabs, they are closer to dreams than slogans; yet, they remained silent about the reality. One can liken them to the ambition extension of Egypt's emergency law by of someone who is trying to build a three years. This despite the law having pyramid starting from its summit, against already been imposed for the last twenty- the laws of physics. Those aspirations two years, and despite the tyranny, abuse, turned to dreams because of the Arabs' indignity and disrespect for their human inverted schedule of priorities, tending to rights which the Egyptian people have accept slogans and symbols, despite their suffered as a result. These abuses are terrible consequences. detailed by Dr. Mohammed Abbas in his The slogan of Palestine being the book I See the King Naked,(4) a book priority cause among Arabs has distracted whose contents are extremely depressing. them from their internal issues and Or one could cite the recent incident in problems. This practice has become which the Tunisian police attacked harmful to the Palestinians themselves authorized demonstrators because their because they are deluded by it into chants changed from authorized slogans to believing that the Arab nation--which, as a cry for genuine domestic reform. previously stated, is itself an illusion--is As if Arab nationalism, one Arab standing with them in deed and word nation, and united Arabs slogans were not despite a half-century of only words and no enough for sloganists, they constantly deeds. espouse new slogans that are even more The United Nations Development mythical than the previous ones. Program's Arab Human Development Specifically, the Organization of Islamic

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Countries (OIC) and the phantom scheme scientific view that considers the universe of one Islamic nation and one Islamic as being a giant machine made up of small world. These slogans suppose that Muslims parts. To understand it requires taking it are united under one sect of Islam and apart and studying the parts in isolation, possess any of the common attributes that independent of each other, and without any other peoples share in order to achieve regard to their environment. That view, prosperity, development, freedom, and which has been proven a failure, has dignity. caused many of the world's environmental, In line with my previous statements, I social, and economic problems. will follow Ali Harb's recommendations This classical view has been replaced by and swim against the current by an inclusive and holistic view, which introducing a new intellectual platform considers everything in the universe as which is more realistic and does not depend interrelated and entangled systems which on archaic slogans or illusions but rather on cannot be understood unless looked at the logic of an epistemological holistically. This new view, when applied understanding of reality as elucidated by to history, considers daily events and news the present signs and indicators. It is an as parts of the historical processes that interpretation which hopefully will not be either support or oppose the trend of taken as being biased toward America in history; affecting it positively or particular, or the West in general, but as a negatively, being part of the process that personal endeavor to swim against the systems tend to go through in order to be current and to think outside the box. holistic. They are the constituents of the The intellectual foundations that I soup but not the soup. intend to lean upon comprise three major Second, the way in which we look at concepts that have shaped my view: ourselves. It is my deep belief that I am a First, the way in which we view history. human first, Qatari second, a Gulf citizen History can be viewed in two different third, and an Arab last--contrary to what ways. One is the classical view that the sloganists would have us believe. It considers daily events and news as history. also leans on my desire to live with the The second is the view of history that world and not only in the world. Only encompasses a much longer and wider animals have no choice but to live in the series of events. The great Arab world and not with the world. philosopher and scholar Ibn Khaldun Third, the System Theory view of the discusses this view of history in his Al- world. System theory, with overwhelming Muqaddimmah (an introduction to the evidence, has shown that everything in this philosophy of history), where he refers to universe should be looked at and viewed as this as "trends."(5) a system or a combination of systems, from These two different ways of viewing the smallest quarks to super-clusters of history give us completely different galaxies. These systems, from the big bang interpretations. The first way, which looks to the present and into the future, have been at and takes daily events and news as evolving by amalgamating and combining history, does not reflect the whole picture to form bigger and more complex systems, of what is taking place in the world. It only moving to unity but not uniformity. reflects a fragmented and simplified picture In my analysis of Arab-American that is limited by space and time. Relying relations, I will use these three concepts as on such a view always leads to wrong the platform and background of my conclusions and negative reactions. It is intellectual interpretations by considering similar to the old classical Newtonian

Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 2 (June, 2003) 81 Khalid S. Al-Khater that relationship from the following three and have sometimes been ridiculed since perspectives: then. 1. The dominant trend that is These three pillars of LTH are conquering the world, its structure and interconnected and constantly affect each constituents, is global, but with a Western other. Free trade requires peace, and peace flavor. Yet globalization still torments and in turn requires democracy, since alienates Westerners as much as everyone democratic countries do not go to war, as else in the world. the historical record shows.(7) 2. The non-viability of domination and The dominant power of this trend empire-building in today's world. asserted itself through the collapse of the 3. The nature of current and future Soviet Union without a single shot being conflicts in the world. fired. It gained further momentum This analysis requires, in addition to the afterward and has become evident in many new intellectual platform mentioned above, areas. getting rid of the xenophobia that has been For example, from the perspective of used by Arabs in general and intellectuals free trade: there was the establishment of in particular, as a hanger on which to put the World Trade Organization (WTO), the all their problems and backwardness. Arab boom in world markets, and 75 percent intellectuals, during the last half-century, growth in the gross domestic products have found it easier to believe in slogans (GDP) of countries across the world. and to use xenophobia. The motives may On the peace front: there has been the include personal interest and blowing off spread of regional agreements which have steam without annoying or clashing with worked to prevent war among European, their despots--thus avoiding their prison East Asian, and Latin American countries cells and whips--instead of coming forth in areas once beset by unrestrained conflict with the truth. Even though I genuinely and violence. realize the difficulty in getting rid of this From a democratic perspective: in 1900 complex, I could not proceed without there was not a single country in the world making it a condition for understanding my with unrestricted democracy, but by the analysis, since it blinds the vision and mid-twentieth century there were 22 constrains the mind from understanding democratic countries with 31 percent of the any new interpretation. world population, and by the end of that century there were 119 democracies, THE DOMINANT TREND THAT IS containing 58.2 percent of the world CONQUERING THE WORLD population, out of 192 existing countries. Today, the trend that is dominating the At least 85 of those countries, representing world is what Professor Michael 38 percent of the global population, are Mandelbaum, in his latest book The Ideas regarded as having democratic policies that that Conquered the World has called "The respect basic human rights and the rule of Liberal Theory of History (LTH)."(6) This law.(8) It is really sad and shameful that theory has three pillars: free trade, peace, not one Arab country is among those. and democracy. These three pillars are the To understand what is taking place in same ideas that U.S. President Woodrow the world, we should proceed by grasping Wilson called for at the 1919 Paris this theory and this trend. Yet even today Conference, subsequently becoming known most people still think traditionally and as "Wilsonianism," though they were view events only through the veil that has rejected by the U.S. Congress at that time been placed over their eyes during war and

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conflict-filled centuries, as tools for Religious revivalism among the people domination and influence, to satisfy greed. of the world is an important aspect of this People do not realize that the conflict is conflict from within. It is the only truly mostly within them, between their individualistic form of resistance available conscious and unconscious wants and to those wishing to fight the negative desires, between the local and the global, aspects of this trend. If viewed between progress and regression, between dialectically, the LTH trend can be development and stagnation, between considered the thesis and religious changing and joining the dominant and revivalism as the antithesis. In other words, beneficial trend or stagnating and keeping the world does not inevitably have to be the status quo. They are afraid of losing the stuck in this phase. On the contrary, a particular characteristics of their identities turbulent transition period eventually will if they become part of progress in the produce a synthesis that will lead to a world and do not realize that their fear is better world. But currently, of course, the not warranted or justified, as can be seen world is going through a difficult and by what has happened elsewhere in the agonizing "rebirth" because of this process. world and is explained by System Theory. This resentment of (and conflict with) Oxygen and hydrogen do not lose their the trend from within has been reinforced characteristics when they combine to make by the ambivalent policies of the current water. A man does not lose his identity U.S. administration. The administration when he gets married and has family or appears to have no clear vision on how to when a citizen becomes part of a reinforce it, even though the Americans society.(9) Similarly, by making beneficial themselves initiated it and--as the most changes and joining an international system economically and militarily powerful which is interactive and not dominating, nation in the world--are the most capable to Arabs and Muslims would not lose their strengthen and sustain it. The isolationist identity or special characteristics either. and parochial policy which the Bush But most of them reject this trend administration adopted before September because of the following: 11, 2001, was reflected in its withdrawal 1. Its feared effects on their culture, from the Kyoto protocol and ABM treaty, traditions and customs and their its imposition of trade barriers to protect unjustified worry about losing several U.S. products, and its post-9/11 them. arrogant behavior, as lucidly explained by 2. The conflict of the requirements of Fareed Zakaria in his Newsweek special this trend, such as freedom of report "Why America Scares the World and religion, pluralism, individualism, What to Do About it."(10) women's freedom, and a reduced However, it is important to keep in mind role for the state, with the status that America is democratic and the next quo. administration might follow a different 3. This trend's real negative aspects; path and adopt a different attitude, one for example, the triumph of the which supports this trend with a clear global market and its free trade vision, as the Clinton administration almost pillar often brings excessive did. It is also important to understand the consumption and corporate greed, values that underpin the American strategic which harms the environment and policy, which was best demonstrated by the degrades human values which answer President Harry Truman gave when evolved throughout centuries. Henry Kissinger asked him how he wished to be remembered. Truman answered: "We

Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 2 (June, 2003) 83 Khalid S. Al-Khater completely defeated our enemies and made the dominant culture and consciousness-- them surrender. Then we helped them to the way people's values and ethics respond recover, to become democratic, and to and change--determines the outcome of the rejoin the community of nations. Only system's chaos leap (the way its America could have done that."(11) development trajectory forks off). Naturally, these dramatic changes are 4A. The Possible Breakdown Phase: At not mere products of American will and first, the values, worldviews, and ethics of policy but are products of far broader and a critical mass of people in society are longer-term trends. Many of these are resistant to change, or change too slowly, involved with shifts in technology. The and the established institutions are too rigid digital revolution, which is the third major to allow for timely transformation. Social human revolution (after the agricultural and complexity, coupled with a degenerating industrial ones), requires new political, environment, creates unmanageable economic, and social arrangements, as did stresses. The social order is exposed to a the previous two, in order to better foster series of crises that degenerate into conflict human progress and avoid a breakdown and violence. phase of this human revolution. These 4B. The Possible Breakdown Phase: the revolutions are really macroshifts in human mindset of a critical mass of people evolves development. over time, shifting the culture of society Historically, such shifts in technology towards a better-adapted mode. As these and human society have shared common changes take hold, the improved social characteristics. They go through four order--governed by more adapted values, phases, with each one shorter than its worldviews, and associated ethics-- predecessor. These phases are: establishes itself. The social system 1. The Trigger Phase: Innovations in stabilizes itself in its changed "hard" technologies (tools, machines, conditions.(12) operational systems) bring about greater Most people in the world are still efficiency in the manipulation of nature for struggling with Phase 3, and some are human ends. either beginning to go through Phase 4B, or 2. The Transformation Phase: Hard fighting to avoid Phase 4A. There is no technology innovations irreversibly change doubt that this trend is a major part of that social and environmental relations and macroshift, because most people desire it, bring about, successively: consciously or unconsciously. They all -- a higher level of resource production surely desire peace, democracy, and the -- a faster growth of population ability to prosper through a free trade that -- a greater social complexity, and is just and is controlled by the rules of law, -- a growing impact on the social and as represented by globalization. the natural environments. But transitional resistance is sparked by 3. The Critical (or "Chaos") Phase: the fact, for example, that free trade does Changed social and environmental not seem to be fair or just and is biased relations put pressure on the established towards the rich countries of the world as a culture, putting into question time-honored consequence of the greed and domination values and worldviews and the ethics and of market fundamentalists and the ambitions associated with them. Society temptation of power. This domination will becomes chaotic in the Chaos Theory sense eventually be ended by the people of the of the term. Society does not lack order world, supported by their values--including but exhibits a subtle order that is extremely a genuine belief in the essence of religion, sensitive to fluctuations. The evolution of and not merely in dogma--which will

84 Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 2 (June, 2003) Thinking About Arab-American Relations: A New Perspective undercut the materialistic nature of resources from other countries. Adopting a globalization. The rising number of local win-win strategy is less costly in terms of and global NGO's will surely be one factor loss of human lives and material costs. This that plays a big role in reducing the is especially true at this time and age from injustice of globalization. the perspective of the West in general, and The Arabs, especially after the war in America in particular, when one considers Iraq, are at the bifurcation point of Phase 4. their advances in technologies, efficient Either they can take advantage of this management, and other tools for gaining turning point in history and break through, competitive advantage. This strategy can or reject it and break down. Deciding to guarantee sustainable common interests travel one of these roads or the other is while domination cannot. Japan and very important at this time, especially for Germany are the best examples from the the Palestinians. past, and Qatar and Kuwait from the If the Palestinians had understood this present. The traditionalists conclude that trend and abandoned the one Arab nation, since America has established military Arab nationalism, and Palestine the first bases in these countries, the intention is Arab cause slogans, especially after Oslo, domination and control of their resources, they would not have fallen into Sharon's while reality reflects exactly the opposite trap when he visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and confirms at least a partial application igniting the second Intifada, which unified of the Liberal Theory of History. the Israelis against peace. Sharon was well In Qatar's case, the Americans do not aware that Israel would disintegrate have a monopoly over Qatar's most because its nature is such that it does not important resources, oil and gas. There are concord with this trend. Israel, although other non-American companies working in democratic, is a state built on ethnic and that field in Qatar, such as Maersk religious principals, which surely make it a (Danish), Total-Fina-Elf (French), Philips racist and a bigoted state. And unless it (Dutch), and, in the near future, Shell and changes its principles to coincide with other companies from Canada and LTH, it surely will not be able to survive Australia. Qatar also has the Japanese and its forces. others as partners for developing its huge gas reserve. The same applies to Qatar's THE NON-VIABILITY OF capital projects. Although Qatar has DOMINATION AND EMPIRE- allocated more than 10 billion Riyals BUILDING ($2.75 billion) for capital projects for the In this age, domination and empire year 2003, the American share of that is nil building are no longer pursued for many because of the absence of their companies reasons. As Rousseau said, "Beware of in that field. The same could be said about listening to the imposter. You are lost if trade. The amount of trade between Qatar you forget that the fruits of the earth belong and the U.S. is not the highest on Qatar's to everyone and that the earth itself belongs trade chart. to no one!"(13) In the case of Kuwait, despite the These traditional concepts of presence of American military forces since domination and empire building go against liberation, and the special relations that the pillars of this new trend of history. Free have existed since that time, America has trade requires peace, and peace in turn not gained any favorable economical requires freedom and democracy. It status. On the contrary, the Kuwaiti provides a more viable way of achieving parliament refused to grant any oil common and mutual interest than seizing production concessions for its northern oil

Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 2 (June, 2003) 85 Khalid S. Al-Khater fields to any foreign companies, including to be the hidden hands behind America's Americans, or sign any production sharing desire for "domination" and "empire agreements as Qatar did. The same applies building." This is surely paradoxical since to the Kuwaiti market for power generation American companies have become multi- and equipment, which is mainly controlled nationals which would not belong to a by Japanese and European firms. single empire even if such an empire For whom would a president, who is existed. democratically elected for only a limited Advanced economies no longer depend period, build an empire? This illusion on the raw materials which were once the stems from our mistaken view of history main object for domination, imperialism and our belief in the immortality of our and empire-building. Advanced economies oppressors. Empire-building requires an such as America's depend mostly on the oppressor who can conscript whomsoever service sectors, which constitute up to 80 he wishes to fight for him in order to percent of their GDPs. Companies like increase his wealth and satisfy his greed. Microsoft, Sun, and McDonald's are the Democratically ruled countries do not main constituents of the American sacrifice their sons for the sake of their economy. Raw material is no longer the president's ambitions or ideologies, as the biggest share of the value of manufactured protests that ultimately forced the U.S. goods as before. The raw material value of withdrawal from Vietnam showed. a car such as a BMW is very small indeed. The American "empire" already exists Its value is mainly in its engineering, which and the sun does not set over it. It is a new requires more brains and technology than kind of empire that is represented by material: brains and technology that do not companies like McDonald's, Microsoft, require military domination. General Motors and similar ones, none of It follows that advanced capitalist which require military dominance for their economies desire and opt for bigger growth and sustainability. These companies markets with strong purchasing powers to also welcome and thrive on competition, help them grow and prosper. It is in their contrary to the belief of traditionalists who interest to see the rest of the world's perceive competition as a reason for economies become healthier and not domination. dependent on aid that comes mainly from The danger of the terrorism that is used those advanced economies themselves. nowadays to fight and oppose dominations This attitude is in alignment with the spirit is that it is too high a price to pay. Terrorist of capitalism and not against it. acts such as that of September 11 and other incidents around the world prove beyond THE NATURE OF CURRENT AND any doubt that terrorism is very difficult to FUTURE CONFLICTS predict or fight. It is also worth noting that Many theories and scenarios show terrorism is no longer restricted to acts of unawareness of the extent to which the violence. A computer hacker sitting in front current conflict is played out along of his home computer a world away could ontological and epistemological lines create havoc in another country's military within the individual, be he Westerner or or financial systems, especially in a country Easterner, poor or rich, Christian or highly dependent on the digital revolution Muslim, or of any other religion or ethnic to run its systems like the United States. origin. The world has become a small The rest of the world owns $6.5 trillion village where everyone can reach, worth of American companies, which, influence, and communicate with everyone based on traditional thinking, are supposed else. As a result, everyone is faced with an

86 Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 2 (June, 2003) Thinking About Arab-American Relations: A New Perspective internal conflict to find one's identity, are improved in their own localities. which has been torn apart by the speed and No country wants 300 million poor shock of change of the digital revolution, and impoverished people as its the entanglement and mixing of cultures neighbors or as additional residents. and traditions, and shortened distances. 3. It is in the spirit of capitalism, In this context, most Arab intellectuals which depends on creating and and analysts rely on their perceptions of an sustaining consumer societies with outdated, classical, traditional intellectual strong purchasing powers, to make platform and shabby culture (politically, them grow instead of allowing them economically, and socially) when to become needy societies, always analyzing Arab-American relations or their dependent on aid and charities. relations with each other or with the rest of Instead of the Arabs ridding themselves the world. Because of that outdated mode of that outdated way of thinking which is of thinking, they invariably conclude, only making them fall behind in progress incorrectly, that the objective of the and development, we still find them Americans is domination, control, neo- twisting the neck of truth to suit their imperialism, and empire-building. Hence, ideologies and slogans. At the same time, they have only taken, out of all of the many they tend to accuse whoever tries to forget theories developed regarding the present his ideologies in order to understand the situation, Samuel Huntington's theory of truth and live with reality, as a traitor or a the clash of civilizations and upgraded it servant of the American prince. into a prophecy. They have accepted it, It is not then difficult to understand the believe in it, and work hard to convince cause of those who harshly attack the their people to see the West through it. smaller countries of the Gulf for having If there were to be any serious conflict, American military bases on their soil. it would surely not be between the strong Those countries relied on Saudi Arabia for Americans and the weak Arabs or a long time to defend them and discovered Muslims, because the weak cannot threaten the fallacy of that belief after Saddam or compete with the strong. Muslims in invaded Kuwait. This discovery made them general and Arabs in particular are weak turn, logically, to the strong to help them politically, economically, technologically, defend themselves against aggression from socially, and most important, militarily. neighbors who either already have weapons Rather, it would be between America and of mass destruction (WMD) or strive to other rising power centers such as Europe have them. These countries realized that and China. their oil and gas wealth makes them It is highly logical to conclude that it is vulnerable and a focus of greed. They face in no one's interest for the Arab or Muslim demographic problems as a result of that worlds to be backward and left behind, wealth, and they cannot build strong contaminated by repression, poverty, and military forces even if they unite. They are illiteracy for the following reasons: very wise not to listen to or accept the 1. Poverty, ignorance, and repression sloganists' call to rely on slogans and myth. give birth to terrorism, especially The sloganists' claim that the West hates among those infected with Arabs and Muslims has no foundation xenophobia. whatsoever. If that were the case, France 2. Migration to search for food and would not have over 1500 mosques, Britain freedom is an enormous problem over 2000, and a similar number in facing the West and which can only America. The West would not have be stopped if people's conditions established so many centers specializing in

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Middle Eastern studies, in an effort to democratic process, not only from within understand its people's problems and help but also internationally, and to restrict it them find solutions. It is also worth from unilateralism. We have to reinforce mentioning that the first and strongest the principles of common interests and opposition to a war against Iraq came from common securities by offering our support the Catholic Church and the Church of to that leader instead of resenting it. To England. encourage the United States to be Based on all the above ideas, I strongly isolationist or unilateralist, as some believe that the American intention beyond traditionalists inside and outside America invading Iraq and freeing its people from preach, would be a heinous act. A bipolar Saddam's repression is to bring peace, or multi-polar world will only lead to more stability, and prosperity to the area. conflicts that are more dangerous and could However, I do have my doubts that they have a critical impact on the survival of can bring democracy to the area because humanity. The twentieth century stands as democracy is a human value that can only witness to the horror of that kind of world. flourish if the people embrace it. It is time for us to trust the world and Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the learn how to live with it and not only in it. Americans can initiate the right It is also time to give those who are trying environment for it. to help us a chance and deal with them not I view the war with Iraq as a coin, both on the presumption of "Everyone is guilty faces of which are for the good of the until proven innocent," as we presume Iraqis. One face can be seen to reflect when we deal with each other within the Americans as liberators. The other face Arab world and beyond. We have to reflects Americans as occupiers--a situation change our own minds and societies and which would be easier for the Iraqis to open them up, because as long as they resist and defeat later. It is always easier to remain closed they will decay. This is in fight a foreign enemy than to fight an accordance with the universal second law enemy that is from within. A man can fight of thermodynamics, which says that every a vicious tiger but he is incapable of closed system will eventually decay. fighting even the smallest cancer from Our civilization reached its apex when it within. This metaphor can also be used to opened its doors to other cultures, illustrate my belief that the entire Arab translated their books, and took the benefit world has become so weak and sickly from their intellect and philosophy. It because of those tumors from within that it flourished by participating in the is no longer able to help itself. development and progress of humanity and The United States is in tune with many not by rejecting new ideas because they did of the requirements of the contemporary not come from us. We should not reject world, and if there is going to be any everything that is not originally Arabic or leading power at all, it is the best qualified try to twist it to look or sound Arabic as the to play that role. Any such state must be Moroccan philosopher Taha Abdurrahman democratic, law-abiding and sometimes did when he claimed that Descartes' needs to utilize force to implement that famous conclusion "I think, therefore I am" law. Only the United States with its strong came from the Arab saying "Look and you economy, technology, and military power shall find." This sort of attitude does not has that capability and the will to sacrifice. help us participate in the human voyage of By the same token, though, it is the task progress and development as did some of of others as members of the world society our great scholars such as Averroes, to make sure that it follows and applies Avicenna, Ibn Khaldun, Al-Farabi, and

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many others; those for whom the West has 9. Ervin Laszlo, The Systems View of the great respect and whose part in history it World: A Holistic Vision for Our Time does not deny--as we do their ideas and (Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, Fourth values. printing, 2002). 10. Fareed Zakaria, "Why America Scares *Khalid S. Al-Khater is a Qatari writer, the World and What to Do About It," Fellow of the American Society of Civil Newsweek, March 24, 2003. Engineers. This essay has its origin in a 11. Quoted in Kissinger, Diplomacy (New March 2003 debate sponsored by Qatar's York, 1994), p. 425. National Council for Culture and Heritage 12. Ervin Laszlo, Macroshift: Navigating on Arab-American relations as part of the the Transformation to a Sustainable World second Doha Cultural Festival. Tojan (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Faisal, an ex-member of the Jordanian Inc., 2001). Parliament, was the other participant in 13. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the debate, representing the traditional the Origin of Inequality. Arab view.

NOTES 1. Fouad Ajami, "Iraq and the Arabs' Future," Foreign Affairs, January/February 2003. 2. Ali Harb, The World and its Plight: The Logic of Conflict and the Language of Dialogue, (Beirut: Arab Cultural Center, 2002), p. 11. 3. Hassan Naf'a, "The Intellectual Arab and the American Prince: Fouad Ajami as an Exemplar," Al Mustaqbal Al Arabi (The Arab Future), No. 289, March 2003. Also, published in Wojhat Nadher Al-Kotob, March 2003 issue. 4. Mohammed Abbas, I See the King Naked (Cairo: Madbooli, 1999). 5. Ibn Khaldun, Al-Muqaddimmah (Beirut, Dar Al-Fikr Al-Arabi, First Printing: 1997) 6. Michael Mandelbaum, The Ideas that Conquered the World: Peace, Democracy, and Free Markets in the Twenty-first Century (Oxford: Public Affairs, a member of the Perseus Group, 2002). 7. See for example, Bruce Russett. Grasping the Democratic Peace: Principles for a Post-Cold War World (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1993). 8. Freedom House (http://www.freedomhouse.org/reports/cent ury.html).

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