***May edit later for clarity and fix typos, typing it off and publishing it instantly for now**
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I am running short on time to update this blog often. But I will definitely continue to update this blog especially when I feel compelled to by some flaming concerns or ideas. And this one was inspired by an article ”Genesis of Suicide Terrorism” by Scott Atran published in an excellent collection of essays called ”The best American Science and Nature Writing” edited by Steven Pinker. I certainly have some ideas about this terror about terrorism that is heard about everywhere from Presidential/ Prime Ministerial or Congressional/ Parliamentary speeches to mass media outlets, internet webpages, books etc.
I jotted down these points in a hurry last night after reading the article. The purpose of this post is not to write an article high on statistics but to offer some insights based on common sense.
I am trying to focus on crucial issues that maybe considered irrelevant, trivial or abstract by foreign policy institutes and academics who are more interested in explaining away things through reason and statistics. Indeed most people in Middle East and even in West are not looking for psychoanalysis, politics or statistics as they behave in much simpler and subtler ways. They neither read nor are interested in reading press releases and statements by the US State Department, thesis or papers by academics, books by specialists or journalists.
I hope this post will help anyone reading it to understand the issue or at least reflect on it. Please note that the terrorism that I mention is that of Islamic extremism.
Why Suicide Terrorism exists?
1.) Poverty and religious/ideological Extremism– The article by Scott Atran undermines poverty as the major cause of suicide terrorism. I strongly disagree. Poverty produces suicide terrorism on many levels: poor or nonexistent education that results in dogmatism, unemployment because of shattered economy, frustration, desperation, bitterness, disturbed family life; all these factors in turn make young individuals very vulnerable to religious fundamentalism, fatalism, charismatic fundamentalist spiritual leaders.
Ideological extremism is created in part because of poverty as mentioned above but it also exists on its own. As Scott Atran mentions that many of the suicide bombers have been fairly educated young men with respectable jobs. Culture and religion play powerful roles. I’m sure academic degrees do not represent education. If it did Islamic society won’t be riddled with messed up theocratic governments, women won’t face inhuman restrictions and even bigger threats of domestic violence and honor killings. I think Bushites and American conservatives got it right when they talk about opening up of the markets and liberalizing economies.
In the absence of healthy interaction with the West and Islamic countries extremism spreads and pervades all sections of society. But unfortunately Bushites and Conservatives also don’t give a damn about sincerely liberalizing or educating Islamic societies as they seem to be more interested in money$$$$$$ as the pattern of American trade and diplomatic links with countries like Saudi Arabia shows.
2.) Big Egos and let’s admit we all love this big game-- Another huge reason that feeds terrorism is that leaders both in the West and Islamic nations are more worried about flaunting their egos than pursuing peace. Nobody wants to make concessions, in their hearts the power wielding leaders know that they will always have power and money and do not see how bringing peace at the expense of their egos will benefit them. So, both calls for Jihad and Crusade feed each other.
What is even worse most of the common folks, the masses themselves show this trend. Thanks to media and populists this whole ”clash of civilizations’ thing has become a fun game for West and the East. When suicide bombers blow themselves up, CNN and other Networks are dumb enough to broadcast videos of rejoicing Muslims. You bet Al Jazeera does the same when it shows the images of Muslims getting slaughtered by Israeli or Western forces, their homes getting blown up by powerful weapons. People’s emotions are stirred against each other to fuel hatred. This tit for tat game becomes addictive and people want to keep on playing it both for fun and vindictiveness. Peace is out of the question when people don’t want it in the first place.
3.) Terrorism is a massive business for both sides– As already mentioned leaders in the Islamic world as well as in the West derive their support from the same source- Terrorism- that they both accuse each other of. Osama Bin Laden becomes a Islamic hero because he claims to fight Crusaders. George W. Bush etc. win votes for fighting Jihadists. The West even creates enormous new bureaucratic departments, intelligence agencies to fight this new threat. Armies are deployed in foreign countries. Weapons companies make billions of dollars which I’m sure are shared by government agencies who give out contracts. Can you guess Why Donald Rumsfeld was so much in love with the war thing? It was his business as in money maker and power justifier.
SOLUTIONS.
1.) Foreign direct investment and free trade relations with Islamic countries, industrialization, development of service based economies in the Islamic societies that in turn will open up their societies; expose them to liberal ideas, education, culture, tolerance and in the long run- hopefully- civil liberties, religious freedom. Prosperity indeed makes people too busy and too happy to go off to foreign lands as suicide bombers to get a comfortable place in heaven with 72 virgins (male or female). Smaller prosperous nations like UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and in South East Asia, Malaysia are too busy doing the business and interested in progressive pursuits to bother about suicide bombings against people who they have nothing against in the first place.
2.) Counter extremist education and media outlets– For once we need good quality TV, Radio stations that emphasize the importance of peace, tolerance, free trade, mutual understanding between Islam and Western Christianity/ West and East. These TV and Radio channels should also have lots of non news entertainment (like dubbed and subtitled movies, Sitcoms, TV dramas) and infotainment (modeled after History channel, National Geographic, Discovery channel etc. that should have Middle East history, culture, public affairs, society, civil liberties and East-West harmony as their focus) content. Propagandist short wave radio stations are not very good models.
3.) Marketing peace– Peace must be marketed as a great incentive not preached as a chore. In Islamic countries people should be made aware of the fruits of peace: prosperity, stability, free trade, better quality of life for families and future generations.
Peace will indubitably make Islamist leaders jobless. Their leadership, energy, intelligence and influence must be channeled in different directions. They can head democratic, civil governments. They can share power like Hamas (governing Hamas will prove to be a good thing in the long run and it also makes it easy for West to do business with it that way) In no way, should these leaders and rulers be rendered unemployed. The result will be the same as the devastating effects in Iraq after firing Baathist bureaucracy, disbanding army and police.
In the West where huge counter-terrorism agencies have become great employers… those jobs should be transfered to diplomatic and trade departments, peace and inter-cultural study centers and institutions. Weapons companies should invest their capital and technical prowess in civil ventures, technologies and developing infrastructure in less developed Middle Eastern countries.
4.) Promotion of religious tolerance and harmony between two civilizations- Both religious and civil organizations in East and West should promote religious tolerance and harmony. Islam, Judaism and Christianity have striking similarities and similar origins. The attempt must not be to enmesh these religions but to come to an understanding that they have equal right to exist individually. Fundamentalist Christians who spread Islamophobia should be embarrassed by peace institutes and responsible press and media. Same job should be done in Islamic countries by their media, press and peace organizations. West should seriously ask Islamic countries to accept religious freedoms. Apostasy and anti- conversion laws must be abolished in Islamic countries. Christians should be able to promote Christianity (on agreed terms) and operate churches just as Muslims are allowed to promote Islam and operate Mosques in the West.
Exchange of quality classic and modern Literature- There is already good appreciation of Sufi Islam, ancient Persian Literature in the West (poetry of Rumi and Robayat of Omar Khayyam), Arabian Nights. But unlike other non Western countries (especially non English speaking) -like India, Japan, Russia, Eastern Europe, African countries- there is not much exchange taking place in the field of Literature. It would be great to have increased number of translated works of quality literature from Arab World, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and rest of the Muslim world. Similarly great works of English literature must be translated into good literary Arabic and Persian. I’m sure works like Tess of D’ubervilles, The great Gatsby, To kill a mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, Anne of Green Gables, Wuthering Heights, Les Miserables, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Middlesex, works of Shakespeare, Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, Philip Roth, Ellie Wiesel, James Michener etc. -to name a few- translated into Arabic and Persian would be appreciated on different levels and give Islamic world insights into Western culture, civilization and values.
Liberal religious organizations like Quakers, Unitarians, other liberal Christian churches should unite to increase cross religious and cross cultural links. Governments should provide funding and grants to such ventures.
The Western countries must take a very strong stand on human rights violations in Islamic countries, oppression of minorities and women, honor killings. Surely if Christian conservatives can do multi- billion dollar business with the Royal family of Saudi Arabia they can also make it clear that they should finally normalize the status of women and recognize them as free human beings.
5.) If there are still loony folks around they must be thrown into loony bins and prisons. If these loonies are in public offices or government they must be forced to resign or voted out of power.
6.) USE HUMOR- Clue: Publishing Mohammad cartoons in newspapers may not be a very good idea. By the way, those newspapers claim that it is brave to do so are wrong. They are just playing. If they were serious about screwed up Islamic societies they would also be publishing well researched and stimulating articles on Female Genital mutilation, honor killings and execution of LGBT communities in Islamic countries.
Well, good on him. I might be a teetotaler but I will still toast a black coffee to his blessed soul. May he rest in peace.
