Three Worst Men
There were three men competing to see who was the worst one in the world.
The first one attacked a woman, beat her until her teeth fell out and she bled from
her nose and ears. He beat her so savagely that she fainted.
He turned to the others and said, "I am the worst one of all."
The second man stepped up to rape her and beat her further until she was almost dead.
He turned to the others and said, "No one can be worse than me."
The third one stepped up, smiled coldly, and said, "No, I am the worst one even though
I just stood by and watched, because this woman is my sister."
The woman is Iraq.
The first man is Saddam.
The second is the West.
The third is the Muslim world that stood by and did nothing.
even Dogs have more honour than arab governments
Last year, I wrote a piece called "The Arabs are Dogs," lamenting over the lack of
Arab political will to address the deplorable situation in Jenin and other West Bank
refugee camps. Not only did the Arabs do nothing about the plight of Palestinians, but
instead persisted in offering Israeli Prime Minister Sharon an olive branch in
recognizing Israel in return for political and territorial concessions. This marked
the first time the entire 22-member Arab League publicly offered to recognize Israel.
Sharon was not impressed.
The Arab world was privy to images of Palestinians spitting on the ground at the mere
mention of their Arab "brethren." "Oh, Arabs, where are you," one elderly woman
shouted at an Al-Jazeerah television crew.
So, here we are again, a year later, and the Arab League has just met (at the
heads-of-state level) to discuss Iraq and what now seems an inevitable war.
I would like to take this occasion and apologize for making a horrid statement like
"The Arabs are Dogs." I hereby, in a most sincere an austere manner, do apologize.
I promise never to insult the canine species by associating them with Arabs. Canines
adhere to loyalty and fealty in ways the Arabs never could. A dog will be by your
side, and if treated well, may lie over your grave once you are gone.
An Arab will dance over your grave.
And that is precisely what is happening; the Arabs are beginning to practice their
most saucy moves in anticipation of holding block parties over Iraqi mass graves.
Take, for example, the ineptitude of the current Arab League meeting. Libyan President
Qaddafi hurled insults at Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah who hurled his insults back.
Live transmission was immediately cut.
United Arab Emirates Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan delivered the message to the
Arab League that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein should resign. Al Nahyan's son,
Information Minister Sheik Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said the Arab League could
not match his father's courage in telling Saddam to step down.
Egypt, however, kept pressing for diplomacy. The Kuwaitis refused to sign any final
statement which called on Arab nations to refuse to assist the U.S. military. Syria
warned that all Arabs were in danger.
The Saudis, for their part, pressured Iraq to cooperate with the U.N. to stave off a
war. The Saudis have the most to lose. They fear a Shiite-led Iraq; they fear a
revitalized Iraqi oil infrastructure; they fear a democratic Iraq (if such a thing
could be envisioned) that would threaten to mobilize Saudi elements calling for
democratic reforms.
Arabs, or the infamous voices of the Arab street, are insulted by their leaders who
are not only uncouth, but also unsophisticated and uncultured as well. Sorry, but
harnessing the wealth of your oil wells for 50 years cannot a civilization make.
That's the problem, eh. Most readers do not realize that most Arabs were living in
tents and riding (or soliciting) camels a mere half century ago. Then came oil,
followed by the Chevy, the Asian tenured slave workers, the marbled palaces and the
bought-and-paid-for Oxford and Harvard education. Oh, and the spending sprees in
Vegas, Monaco, Nice, and Los Angeles.
There have been three traditional spheres of political, historical, cultural, and
intellectual power in the Arab Middle East: Egypt, Iraq, and Syria. These three helped
shape Arab music, poetry, art, literature, etc.
Then came oil and yesterday's camel herder became today's prince.
In the mid-1990s, an Iraqi dissident told me that if the United Nations sanctions were
not lifted soon, Iraqi civilians would turn on the rest of the Arab world and devour
them in a hunger of rage, revenge, and madness. However, such feelings have been
suppressed by the Iraqi government, which touts itself as a pan-Arabist beacon.
Today's Arab League meeting could not even muster the unity to pledge support for the
Iraqi people.
So much for Arabist anything.
Oh, yes, and Mr. Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan's message has nothing to do with
courage. Rather, it is the epitome of cowardice to address issues effectively,
complacency in the face of a war the rest of the Arabs dread, and hypocrisy from a
leader who is protected by the U.S. military.
Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to walk my trusted dog.
==================================================
"And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the Cause of Allah, and for those
weak, ill-treated and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our
Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You
one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help." (The Quran 4:75)
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