REFORMING ARABS

Has it occurred to the Americans and other westerners that perhaps their way is not our way and perhaps we WANT to have a say in how we become democratic?

One aspect of human nature that I find strange is the mistaking of strength for morality. It's the same with the Americans now and the way they operate in Iraq. They speak in the name of freedom, justice and liberty, but in fact they serve their own interests at the expense of the Iraqi people.
In the Israeli example, there are different cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and geographical backgrounds involved. Religion is the common denominator for Israelis, but what does this suggest in terms of political interests?

Arabs And American Democracy
Faisal Abu Khadra Al-Hayat 2004/02/23
* Mr. Abu Khadra is a Palestinian writer.


It might be our right and duty to discuss American President George W. Bush's concepts of democracy, freedom, human rights, terrorism, independence, …Islam, especially that these concepts have unprecedented repercussions on the whole world.
We do not disagree with American democracy but we refuse the way it is tailored to suit president Bush alone. It is noteworthy that John Kerry accuses Bush of violating the essential rules of democracy and obliged the American citizen to pay the price of a war at the expense of his daily life.
Hence, Bush's democracy is a doubtful one, for he considers the U.S. as the master of the world and classifies the countries and religions according his concepts that are the same of Ariel Sharon's.
The Islamic danger is only formed of Arabs and Muslims who refuse Israeli hegemony on the Arab world, American hegemony on the Arab choices and fortunes and the occupation of the other's territories.
Democracy is a peaceful way to live together and progress and not a war way to impose one's opinion by force.

First: according to the dictionary, democracy means the rule of the people, i.e., the majority ruling the country through free voting. Hence, one can say, President Bush held the reins of power through the court and not voting.

Second: we should always remind that the U.S. was constituted of black slaves and free people until the slaves were declared free under Abraham Lincoln.

Third: President Abraham Lincoln said once that the cause the American nation defends is that all people are equal and free.

Fourth: American President James Monroe declared once a principle known as the Monroe Doctrine, in which he called for implementing the total independence principle and not intervening in the other's affairs.

Fifth: according to the principles set by good American people, one can doubt about the new trends the American policy is taking toward freedom, democracy and human rights.

Sixth: the Arab world and Muslims' problem is that the international community have wrong ideas about Islam and Arabs.

The truth is that president Bush always mixes between freedom, religion and democracy and he thinks that Islam denies Muslims freedom and democracy and pushes them to the only remaining choice of terror.
Sure, we cannot cancel Bush's wrong conviction because we do not have the military potential to do so.
President Bush considers that Arabs are terrorists because they live in a non-democratic nation according to the Western concept; instead of stating the real causes that hide behind terrorism, which did not exist before the establishment of Israel.

We still have Arab democracy called Shoura (counsel), which is a democratic way that suits our society and is far better than the American democracy. In fact, in the U.S. 51% of the votes can beat the remaining 49%. As for the Shoura, it is a consensus or a refusal, which explains why the Arab world does not witness real popular revolutions. We can assure President Bush and all those who have the same ideas that Islam is strong enough to resist. Arab history is full of telling examples. Sure, those who are now violating our territory will go out one day. Only fools think that Islam might be defeated because it is not only a religion but also a way of living, thinking, eating, drinking, educating and wearing.

This would not become a reality unless we, Arabs, work on clearing the way we want to follow. The days taught us that the U.S. has no friend and that it deals with the other countries in terms of buying and selling. This is what happened with Iran and Iraq.

Hence, we should work on carrying out some of our national, religious and social duties through the following measures:
1- Protect our tribal and familial system for the Shoura principle is far better than the model of Western democracy.
2- Open specialized institutes and provide them with the best teachers and experts in order to stop the migration of Arab minds.
3- Establish handicraft institutes in order to provide the Arab people with job opportunities.
4- Draft strict laws that forbid the Sheikhs from pretending they can do miracles and explain the Holy Koran.
5- Protect our borders with the neighbors.
6- Work hard and believe that we are a good nation that seeks only justice, love and peace. Hence, we would force the world to respect us.