commentary from sheenid.blogspot.com
I think a close examination of US foreign policy is in order if we want to understand why murderers like bin Laden enjoy wide sympathy in the Middle East--even among people who don't agree with his tactics. The US is perceived as propping up corrupt dictatorships throughout the region--regimes which ordinary Arabs suffer under daily. Generally, moves towards representative government are blocked by the US as being "anti-democratic," meaning they preclude access to markets and resources on behalf of American businesses and investors. A passing familiarity with American foreign policy reveals a very consistent record of undermining popular, democratic movements (Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua, Cuba, Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, Haiti, El Salvador, the Philipines, etc., etc.) in favor of dictators who will protect US business interests in their countries at the expense of their own populations. The state department calls it "democracy" because it preserves private property rights for the people who matter.
5 comments:
For what it's worth, I agree.
That's very bold of you.
Nice pun, Ryan! Don't think I can top that one. :-)
It's not clear to me that bin Laden enjoys wide sympathy in the Middle East. I do agree with your principal point that people in the Middle East (and elsewhere) know hypocrisy when they see it. How can the U.S. claim that they stand for freedom and democracy while looking the other way when it comes to Saudi Arabia. The "Arab on the street" is not likely to know anything about Guatemala, Chile, etc. But he or she does know about our schmoozing Saudia Arabia and Israel. They also do know about the history of Iran and how the U.S. overthrew a popularly elected official (Mossadegh) and replaced him with the Shah. --Tatler
I don't think they identify with Islamic fundamentalism or terrorism. But to the extent that most ordinary people share the same basic grievance towards the West, bin Laden remains a symbol of resistance--something that that shouldn't be understated in these contexts. The Wall Street Journal did a series of articles after 9/11 featuring interviews with people in the region, including wealthy, Western-friendly business-types, etc., with some surprising confessions to this end.
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