Colonialism is alive and well

What is happening to Sudan is absolutely ridiculous and completely unacceptable. Omar Bashir has been an unmitigated disaster for the country and weakened it to the point where its enemies are now seeking to disembowel it. By enemies I mean the United States, Israel and France in particular. You see the year 2003 saw not only a grab for the resources of Iraq but also those of Sudan. Yet it seems the dismemberment of Sudan is not very important for Western news sources anymore, nor is it so for any of the stupid people who wore Darfur rubber bands.

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The Economist on Iraq

The Economist is always an interesting newspaper to read. For myself I am especially fascinated with the uniquely Western perspective that it portrays as neutral and balanced. In their recent issue they ponder over Iraq's uncertain future and in one part of the article they say:

For their part, the people of Iraq never learned to trust, let alone like, the Americans. Yet public opinion has shifted remarkably in recent weeks. After countless American warnings of their imminent departure, all met with stubborn Iraqi insistence that the "occupiers" would never leave, the penny has suddenly dropped. [Emphasis added]

This is a nice paragraph: in one fell swoop it addresses that Arab mind and its love of conspiracies; it affirms the importance of America's invasion and occupation of Iraq; and it continues the enduring myth that the natives cannot go it alone without Western arms and brains.

But what does The Economist mean when it says "the penny has suddenly dropped"? Well, the answer is simple. It means that these pesky natives were always suspicious of the well-meaning White Man's intentions. It also means that these suspicions were fuelling insecurity but now the clever American has called this bluff and really done it - so the newspaper is effectively saying "let us see these children sort themselves out now" because the Arab will never be able to do anything on their own. It's the Arab mind you see...

Also interesting to note is that the public opinion which has "shifted remarkably" for The Economist is expressed in the piece by a single person, 'Wesam' who, it is claimed, is a junior army officer. While it is true that the fledgling Iraqi 'army' that the Americans have created will fear the loss of American troops, where is the public opinion? Does this one phrase mean that the entire Iraqi people now believe they were mistaken in opposing America's invasion and occupation of their country? Apparently that's what The Economist thinks. Fair enough; but wait, the "positive side" to the American invasion and occupation of Iraq, an occupation which the Economist always seems to put in quotation marks, is that the "tyrannical rule of Saddam Hussein" was ended. Yes, he was a thug, but for some reason it seems that the public opinion that shifted remarkably to remembering his rule with fondness compared with the effects of the American occupation is not something The Economist is interested in. No, it is far more important to read the musings of a single junior officer in an Iraqi "Vichy" army as the public opinion of the whole of Iraq.

Far more serious than the above is what The Economist views as progress in the country. Today, only the "tyrannical" Saddam's deputy, Izzat al Douri, has eluded capture. So that's a good thing apparently, le ancien regime is extinct. Also, American soldiers were "flexible enough to change tactics", by this The Economist means it "recruited local allies"; the Sahwa groups. The Sahwa groups were paid money to fight for the Americans and in fact some of their fighters used to be with al-Qaeda in Iraq. If somebody paid these men more then they would go fight for the otherside -therefore these are not allies but mercenaries, paid for by the Americans to do the dirty work. Apparently this is a good alternative to the "unadulterated fire power" that the American troops favoured at first which I suppose must be a good thing considering the effects we still see today in Falluja. The rest of the article just bashes the new Iraqi "straw-man" for being incompetent and not sorting out his security and politics fast enough for America's liking.

Things get more interesting in the newspaper's list of positives that the American "occupation" has brought out. Firstly Iraq is a "more open society" - wonderful news! Also, Iraqis are "no longer afraid to say what they think", and a "cacophony of shouted curses now assaults political leaders" with a press that is "nominally free". All this makes us think that Iraq is now with the same plucky English tradition of political liberalism as Britannia herself, complete with its own "Speaker's Corner". Far more importantly for a Western newspaper reporting on a Muslim country is with regards to alcohol; "Alcohol cannot be sold at certain times, in deference to Islamic hardliners, but is available nevertheless". This always strikes me as curious as it seems very important for the West that alcohol be freely available in Muslim countries, and that women and gay people in those countries be just like women and gay people in the West. I don't know why but that seems to be the case in most articles I read about the region.

So the question is, is this it? Does Iraq really look so rosy today and are these things really worth celebrating as triumphs? A country like Iraq had the GDP of Portugal, albeit under a dictator, and with the highest living standards, in terms of health, education and quality of life, in the region, yet within twenty years it has been bombed back to the Stone-Age by the most advanced army in history; but that is OK, according to The Economist, because these people now have alcohol, the internet, mobile phones and gay pride. Absolutely remarkable.

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Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"

There are few writers I enjoy reading for more than Joseph Conrad. The style he pursues in some of his stories is one of abandoning the modern, along with the illusion of safety that it gives us. Today our Twitter, Facebook and Ipod-toting world seeks excitement, life and drama through the misery of others - viewed comfortably through a television screen. We have no feelings of our own so we want others to live those feelings for us. Yet when those things that give us security aren't there anymore, we're faced with something rather uncomfortable. It is this discomfort that seemed to fascinate Conrad and he explores it in his writings in a number of ways. In one story, urbane and quite mild-mannered individuals gradually descend into madness as they squabble and fight; in another the superstitions of the native become real and vivid the more immersed you are in his world. Conrad builds on a theme that is quite prevalent for writers of his time; the primitive has always had a certain romance for Western writers, as if modernity had stolen some vital part of their humanity, and they seek to recapture this lost emotion through their writings - hence the fascination with the original human; the noble savage.

Yet in times like these one must be careful in admiring the simplicity and raw honesty of the noble savage - especially if that savage is in a cave in the Tora Bora mountains or pirating off the coast of Somalia. When that happens it is almost as if we are ourselves part of a story; we become the backdrop of the story. This uncaring, easily shocked majority who do not understand or care for the discoveries made by the protagonist refuse to recognise heroism or bravery in the backward and unfashionable. It is amazing how quickly people revert back to such positions when they are made uncomfortable. In a way, writers like Conrad are not just exploring vague ideas of human nature; they are actually narrating a reality. They are telling us that this is what people are like and this is how they behave.

The famous film, "Apocalypse Now", was an adaptation of Joseph Conrad's short story, "Heart of Darkness". I liked that film before I knew why I should and today I like that film still. As part of the generation that has seen the attacks of September the 11th, the "War on Terror" and "Shock and Awe", I can't help but wonder whether we are sailing up our own river, back to a primordial and savage past that we thought we left forever and that was far away. To some, feelings like this become terrifying and the finality of everything in such a realm bring out the best and worst in people. I remember reading once about a US senator who was shot down over North Korea. He later reminisced that as he parachuted into the darkness, he thought to himself, "You are entering the land of Epictetus (a Stoic philosopher)". What he meant is that life here is no longer about your loved ones, or about the things you did when life was good. He knew that here it is about victory or defeat - not even death - for it is possible to be victorious even whilst losing your life. I think from these mixed feelings of despair, hopelessness and futility heroism can be born. Look at the classical world - whether Greek, Persian, Indian or Chinese - and you see how this terrifying and unpredictable world produced utter villains or heroic champions, characters that have shaped our world today. Yet I talk about these things and I am neither; but it comforts me to know that I'm not the only one fascinated by the savage cruelty of such a real world.

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خواطر 6 الحلقة 4 - khawater 6

A friend of mine introduced me to this new series which is being aired during Ramadan. I think the guy who is presenting this programme is a fantastic person with lots of enthusiasm and talent. The series itself is excellent and touches on some great issues. Enjoy.

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Reflections

Today I helped somebody sad feel a little bit happier, somebody angry feel a little bit calmer, and somebody lost to find their way. It was a very strange day. I also had several discussions with somebody and wisdom came from my lips this time. They actually shook my hand in gratitude for showing them something - gratitude! Me? I don't know anything, what could I possibly give and I'm blind myself? I ask this question and hear only a silence which is deafening, a silence which leaves me unsettled.

For two nights in a row there have been strange dreams. The meaning eludes me, if there is any meaning in the first place. In the first we are driving past the home of someone I used to know. The people I am with know something hurtful had happened there, something I blamed them for, yet they still drive past and wave to say hello. I am seething, but I choose not to say anything. One of the people in the car knows this, yet says nothing. That makes me angrier.

In the second dream, I had not seen or heard from her in almost four years. She has done something to herself, something I feel is hideous. She did not realise what she was doing, it was not her fault, but I am furious with her. I know she feels awful, but I want to make it even worse. The permanence of what she's done fuels a rage within me. A feeling of denial and refusal, tinged with sorrow.

Today the world is a cacophony of politics and religion, wise or ignorant people. All shouting, arguing, calming or provoking. Terrible and primeval. Do not come here looking for answers for you will find only madness. Ramadan Kareem.

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Faith schools and Richard Dawkins, a quick word

I think you'd have to have been living in a cave to not hear about Richard Dawkins and his famous book The God Delusion. The man is a respected scientist and he has written some highly successful books on popular science but he attacks religion with a ferocity that I find unsettling. At some point I will make the time to read what he has to say and digest it thoroughly. On the one hand, I don't think he's a crackpot and anybody fiercely dedicated to the truth and only the truth is someone I respect, even if he has different beliefs. I'm like that because we all don't know. We're trying to do our best - well, some of us are - and we are all trying to pick our way through this maze called life with the most reliable pointers and signs we can find, in my case it is the Qur'an. Still, his quixotic stance in promoting atheism as if it is a religion in itself, or as if it is synonymous with free thinkers, makes me wonder how different he is from those dogmatic people he so thoroughly dislikes. Faith schools in the UK are particularly known for offering excellent educational curriculums for students and are highly sought after, so he's being a bit unfair when he attempts to maul them.

I'm not going to comment further on the man and his work until I've had a chance to review it but I will say unequivocally that I have no problem as a Muslim with evolution, with the fact that there are billions of stars and other worlds; that the universe is expanding, collapsing, or infinite; or that we are all programmed by our genes. There is simply no contradiction between an intelligent, non-superstitious reading of Islamic beliefs and proper scientific evidence. More importantly, crackpots like Adnan Oktam, aka Harun Yahya do not represent me and are hardly what I consider to be credible authorities on anything at all. Yet it astounds me how people put me in a box with a label as soon as they realise I'm Muslim. Anyway, I rest my case, for now...

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Zeev Tene - I bombed Beirut every day

I first heard this song when I watched Waltz with Bashir. The song is quite catchy, but it struck me how there are some people today who live their life like it is an MTV video clip. By this I mean both Israeli and Arab people that I have met. I don't even know if what I just wrote makes any sense. Maybe these things are both one and the same. I don't know anymore.

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The Arab citizen

I had a strange dream last night. I dreamt that I was back in Syria and that I was in a government building trying to pay a bill. I waited for ages before the person spoke to me and then he told me he was finishing for the day and to come back tomorrow. I asked him if he could just do this small thing for me. He told me to go to another window and that the person there can help me.

When I went to the next person, I was told I needed to have two stamps from another office in Damascus. I left there and was walking down the road looking for a micro or taxi to take me, then I realised that by the time I get there the office I was in will close. I was not happy.

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American soldiers unceremoniously end combat operations in Iraq

Well it seems that the American army's "combat operations" phase is now finally over. No victory parades, no fancy speeches or handing over ceremonies, instead the thief slips away quietly during the night. Or seems to slip away. There is still a strong American presence in Iraq and the US Embassy complex in Baghdad is apparently bigger than the Vatican. But if you read these stories and believe that this is about the United States leaving Iraq for good, or that this is even about Iraq, then you are gravely mistaken.

I think the timing of this withdrawal is interesting because in a few days Iran's Bushehr reactor will become operational; and a week after that? Well, we can talk about that when it happens. When a bull is expected to come crashing through your living room the first thing you do is pack up all your belongings so nothing is damaged. It would be very bad indeed for the Americans if they had all those American soldiers running around Iraq and Israel decides to bomb Iran before this reactor is activated. We all know the tit-for-tat kidnapping saga that the Americans had went through previously so I guess somebody in the American administration decided they didn't need that, or worse, happening to American soldiers on a mass scale. The clock is ticking, but for what?

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"A Muslim should be like a jar of honey"

It was difficult to find parking and my friend and I were worried that we would be late for the taraweeh prayers. As we drove past the simple community centre housing the mosque we noted people prostrating in lines outside. "Damn," my friend muttered as he manouevred the car between the parked cars, "we're going to have to pray outside. We should have just gone to the mosque that was near us."

Taking leave from M I went in to wash before joining the prayers. Picking my way carefully through the throngs of people crammed into the small centre, I made my way to where the basins were, avoiding the odd person prostrating here and there. That evening I prayed the Isha whilst standing, it was that crowded, although I was fortunate to find a gap in the lines for me to continue the taraweeh with everybody else. Just over a year ago, I had wandered into this particular mosque, hurt, lost and confused. It was then that I met the wonderful Abu Salem, an experience that I wrote a post about. I was not sure if I would find him and I had already lost M in the throng. In fact part of the reason why we were there was because I had spoken so much about this old man and M wanted to meet him. I liked that about him, he was always looking for wisdom, always seeking Allah. As I began to make my way outside I spotted Abu Salem talking to a young man. He had a few days worth of stubble on his chin, probably because it was Ramadan, and was looking a little bit older than I remembered him - but there was no mistaking those remarkable eyes. They always sparkled with intelligence and life.

I gently touched his shoulder, "How are you Uncle?"

"My boy! How are you? Ramadan kareem!", he remembered me even though I had not seen him in over a year. The other young man shifted over as I squatted beside them. I did not want to intrude, but I also made it clear I was there to stay and not just passing by.

"You see my son," he was talking to the young man, touching his hand or shoulder to emphasise the point sometimes, "if people are walking past a department store and see a SALE sign, they'd walk in even if they didn't need anything. Right? Well this is Ramadan, do you understand how much forgiveness and blessing there is for everyone in this month? This isn't just at a discount, Allah has opened his bounty to us for all to take. What fool would miss out on such a bounty?" The young man nodded his head, murmuring an approval. Yet as I sat quietly there, I marvelled at how I was learning something from this human being and I had only sat down seconds ago. What well sprung from deep within this man, and with such knowledge. The young man got up and bade us farewell and Abu Salem was getting up. "Come" he waved at me to join a group of people sitting near the minbar. The mosque was run by Sheikh Abdul Hadi, a stern looking man with a strong gaze. To my surprise I would later be told that this man is a Sufi and had nothing to do with the Muslim Brotherhood, as the worry usually is when you meet religious Syrians abroad. He was also remarkably gentle.

We sat down as the group exchanged banter and laughter, they all knew each other and the Sheikh was just finishing telling a young Egyptian man a joke about Mubarak. Something about the intelligence services being able to know everything about a man before he even opened his mouth. The punchline was when the poor man told them that his children went to bed hungry the night before, and if they knew that as well? We all laughed, noting the sad truth in the story.

By then M had found me, and he had come and squatted right between Abu Salem and myself. One side of M's shirt collar was pointing upwards, he buttoned his shirt all the way up like Iranians did, and I pushed it down for him. This was a moment I had been waiting for, two men with enormous knowledge and piety, meeting one another for the first time. "Maysaloon had told me so much about you Haji, I've been meaning to talk to you for a very long time" This seemed to make the old man slightly embarrassed, and he smiled humbly and mumbled how it was all from Allah's grace. The others continued their conversations in the background whilst we talked on.

That night the conversation between M and the old man was long and varied, and we covered more topics than I have time to write about today. One story in particular caught my imagination. M had been having family problems for some time, particularly with his twenty year old son, and watching the old man patiently advising M was simply inspiring. "You know, children will always do what you forbid them to do. Eventually curiosity gets the better of them, and us. It's human you see, being inquisitive. And we should encourage it. Yes! Encourage it!" He put his hand on M's when he sensed his disapproval.

"I remember I once went to my father and told him I wanted to go to the cinema, back then that wasn't a respectable thing to do you see." He leaned against the pillar and stretched his leg. "I remember my father say sure, I'll come with you. I still remember the film, it was called 'The Prisoner of Zenda' and we talked about it a lot when we came out. The next day he bought me the book, which I read voraciously. A week later he asked me which I thought was better, and I told him the book was incredibly more colourful and with greater depth. You see, my father didn't try to forbid me from going - he knew I would have gone anyway. Instead he joined me and I got so used to him coming with me to the cinema that it became our thing. I could never go to the cinema without him eventually. The other thing he did was he helped encourage me to read. I'll never forget that..."

I did less talking and more listening whilst M and Abu Salem spoke. Listening to him tell us about the Prisoner of Zenda and his days with his father felt like he was sharing a precious and secret moment from a time that had long gone. A window to the past had been opened in my mind, and I peered in like a hungry man in front of a restaurant. I only just remembered this particular story though it happened a few days ago. I don't know why. If that old man didn't tell us this story, it might forever have remained a secret, hidden away - and that would have been a terrible shame. I guess some treasures must be known... .

رمضان جانا

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Ramadan

I will be posting less during the month of Ramadan as I intend to spend a lot of time in reflection and thought. I wish you all a blessed month and inner peace.

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Weekly roundup

Well what is there to say about this week? The week of calamities more like. It seems like everytime I turn to the news there is another story of flooding, death and destruction. And I haven't even started with news from Iraq yet. The flooding in Pakistan was the most prominent in my attention, mainly because Mr 10% is now visiting London whilst his people are suffering. Apparently the problem is being taken care of, so he did not think it worth his time to come back and be a leader to his people. What can you say of a person like this? A man who was in prison for nine years and is now ruler of the same country? Not much that hasn't already been said. Truly fortune is a fickle creature.

In Lebanon the army finally fired back at an Israeli incursion, killing an Israeli Lieutenant Colonel but at the tragic cost of three soldiers and a journalist. Sadly this might not be a new trend on the part of the Lebanese army but more likely that the commander in that area is loyal to Hezbullah and therefore prepared to defend his country. Some suspect he will be quietly transferred away and the issue will be quitened down. Rather than the start of a new war, it seems this little event caught everybody by surprise and both the Israelis and the Lebanese were quick to downplay the incident.

In Iraq a series of bombings over the past two days remain 'unexplained' according to al Jazeera. The hiatus over forming an Iraqi government continues and I heard smatterings about Obama ending combat operations for the United States Army by the 31st of August. I think for all extents and purposes the "occupation" of Iraq is over. At least formally. There are new actors now the dust has settled considerably. What is interesting is to see Iraq becoming the "new Lebanon", that is a country that is totally compromised, fluid and insecure, meaning it is the perfect playground for intelligence services. Maliki is clinging on to the floating debris of his former authority but I don't know what to expect there to be honest. Knowing the Iraqi temperament it is unlikely that some strongman will not try to seize power and send all these politicians to the gallows. When is the question.

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Rocket attacks on Eilat

The BBC coverage of the rocket attack on Eilat was 'interesting'. Somebody seemed to think it a good idea to bring in an expert on tourism to discuss the impact for British travellers?! No questions were asked as to the motive or timing - so soon after the rumours of implicating Hezbullah in the assassination of Rafiq al Hariri and so soon after the visit of President Assad and King Abdullah to Beirut on Friday.

If Israel and America start another war against Hezbullah, or even Iran, the conflict will engulf all of Israel's borders and not just its northern ones.

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محمـد عبد الوهاب - النهـر الخــالـد

Chilling out to the amazing Muhammad Abd el Wahhab...The Eternal River is one of my favourite songs by the man.

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