January 13, 2006

Error against Terror

The so-called war on terror is turning out to be an error. This has become more apparent with the dawning of the New Year in 2006. We are now into the 5th year after 9/11 and the 3rd year after the invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003.
Unrest is on the rise and with no end in sight. The hope that Iraq would stabilize remains, to date, just a hope.
The continuing crisis in Iraq bodes ill not only for stability in the Middle East region but also for US influence in the Muslim world.
Iraq has revealed the limitations of military power. Might may be right but military might has not proven to be right in Iraq. The same is the case in another occupation situation which runs parallel to Iraq – the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. The larger lesson is that it is simply futile to use force against those who are not deterred by force.
The incontrovertible fact remains that, so long as the US-Israel nexus is not reassessed, there is little likelihood of things getting better.
More force means persistence with failed policies that are feeding the forces of zealotry and stiffening the resolve of those who are resisting occupation forces. Moreover, it is unleashing an endless cycle of revenge.
The signs for the Bush administration both at home and abroad are not good. A majority of Americans has lost confidence in President Bush’s Iraq adventure. This may have implications for the 2008 Presidential elections where the Democratic Party is eyeing electoral gains. Moreover, any suggestion of the US returning to the draft – wherein the youth are compulsorily conscripted into the military whether they want to go or not – can spark widespread protest. Elsewhere, in the Western hemisphere itself, anti-American noises can be discerned from leaders of Canada, Venezuela, and Bolivia.
The end result for the Bush administration is that its friends no longer respect it and its enemies no longer fear it.
Meanwhile, the Muslim world itself is at a crossroads, facing a choice. On the one hand, it can continue to cling to a discredited political culture where opportunities are for the favored few rather than a legitimate expectation for the many and where, under the hijab of democracy, oligarchy frequently flourishes. Or, with clarity and courage, it can identify its key weaknesses and take self-corrective measures.
The unrepresentative character and unfair conduct of the elites ensures that the common yearnings of the masses are not projected – adding yet another dimension to instability. It is one of the key sources of despair and desperation amongst Muslim youth. It is also a recurrent theme of those who attack the status quo in the Muslim world.
Overall, the restless striving for fairness against pervasive injustice continues to fuel unrest. In a globalized world, the rapid acceleration towards awareness can no longer be curbed or contained. Bad actions lead to bad consequences. Not changing the course is no longer an option.