Saudi Columnist to Palestinians: Do Something Useful
Via Frontpagemag I found this interesting column from a Saudi (!) columnist named Yusuf Nasir Al-Suweidan, where he tells the Palestinians to quit whining and quit making war and start doing something useful:
"The main mistake lies in the fact that the Palestinian organizations did not respond correctly to the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza... and its consequences. Instead of beating their swords into plowshares, pens, and other things that are needed for the development of Palestinian society - in terms of the economy, society, culture, and so on - most of them read the developments incorrectly and immaturely. This was exploited by the terrorist networks, that are funded and run by the regimes of the ayatollahs in Tehran and the Ba'th [party] in Syria, and [people] have been taken in by delusions and empty slogans like 'liberation from the river to the sea' [that are heard] among the poor, hungry, and desperate Palestinian masses. At present, what [these masses] need most is food, medicines, clothing, and other essentials - not explosive belts, car bombs, and the slogan, 'Congratulations, oh Martyr, the black-eyed virgin awaits you.'"
He's absolutely right, of course. As long as the Palestinians use all of their available resources and all of their energy to acquiring and shooting Quassam-rockets, suicide bomber belts and other weapons that are only bound to invite the kind of Israeli retaliation they now whine about, why should we pity them and give them the consumer goods they could have produced instead of Quassam-rockets?
"The main mistake lies in the fact that the Palestinian organizations did not respond correctly to the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza... and its consequences. Instead of beating their swords into plowshares, pens, and other things that are needed for the development of Palestinian society - in terms of the economy, society, culture, and so on - most of them read the developments incorrectly and immaturely. This was exploited by the terrorist networks, that are funded and run by the regimes of the ayatollahs in Tehran and the Ba'th [party] in Syria, and [people] have been taken in by delusions and empty slogans like 'liberation from the river to the sea' [that are heard] among the poor, hungry, and desperate Palestinian masses. At present, what [these masses] need most is food, medicines, clothing, and other essentials - not explosive belts, car bombs, and the slogan, 'Congratulations, oh Martyr, the black-eyed virgin awaits you.'"
He's absolutely right, of course. As long as the Palestinians use all of their available resources and all of their energy to acquiring and shooting Quassam-rockets, suicide bomber belts and other weapons that are only bound to invite the kind of Israeli retaliation they now whine about, why should we pity them and give them the consumer goods they could have produced instead of Quassam-rockets?
posted by stefankarlsson at 10:57 PM
1 Comments:
Islamic terror and its parallel to the 60s
Just as the 60s transformed America's social and political landscape, Jihad activism has caught the febrile imagination of Muslim youth around the world.
The 60s generation rebelled against everything their parents' generation stood for- they eschewed the mainstream, were radical, wanted a revolution of sorts, wanted society to transform. They latched onto every social and political cause. Vietnam galvanized and radicalized a generation of Americans like nothing else could. The Blacks struggle for equality was also another rallying point. The assassinations of the two Kennedy's, Martin Luther King and a slew of others convinced America's lost and deeply disturbed generation that they had to do something. Demonstrations, rallies, fleeing into communes in remote mountains in California. Others took refuge in the poetry of Alan Ginsburg, the music of Bob Dylan and scores of literature.
Hundreds of thousands fled the draft, some landed in Canada, others on the beaches of Goa where they hoped to find the elusive peace they craved by inhaling marijuana.
Now juxtapose that era with the era of Islamic terror now sweeping the world.
This is the moment of a Muslim youth revolution of sorts. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, they do not have the liberty to indulge in alcohol which would have had a sobering effect or rather a dampening effect on their urge to blow themselves up. Angry Americans in the 60s calmed themselves by shooting up drugs or inhaling them or imbibing vast quantities of alcohol.
The angry Muslim decides to strap up and blow himself up in the middle of some happy or innocent people.
The objective of the Muslim young man is the transformation of society. To them the world led by America is Godless and needs to return to an era of sobriety, chastity and reverence to Allah.
With missionary zeal that beats the Crusaders, the movement is flourishing, primarlily because large swaths of Muslims around the world give silent approval and tacit encouragement.
The 60s generation too wanted to transform the materialistic society of their parents' but the movement was tempered and not allowed to go too far because of law enforcement, the FBI and the fact that most Americans would never tolerate wanton violence and destruction for too long. Yes the 60s revolution was often violent and destructive and history will show, but it fizzled out in the face of equally strong reaction from mainstream America.
Unfortunately, mainstream Muslims are either unable or unwilling to take a stand against wanton terrorism. While many of the terrorists' objectives may resonate on the Arab street, there is muted silence on the means used to achieve these objectives. The silence and the unwillingness of mainstream Muslim societies to take a stand will one day consume them before it is ever allowed to consume the West.
I do hope that Islamic terrorism fizzles out and young Muslims around the world find the peace that young Americans in the 60s looked for. Some found it, others didn't. But the 60s social and political revolution ended positively and a lot of change occured for the better.
Islamic terrorists also have an objective to overthrow their own governments and transform them into a Caliphate. But in order to overthrow their own governments they have to intimidate the Western powers, chiefly America. America and the rest of the world find their economies tied to reliable energy which lies in the lands terrorists hope to control.
So with the stakes too high, America is destined to be the lightening rod for Islamic terror. And that only fuels the anger of Islamic youth who see America attempting to control their destiny.
The only thing in common between the 60s revolution and Islamic Jihad revolution now sweeping Muslim societies in every country they live in is their deep hatred for the American establishment.
More on my theory later.
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