Arabs urged not to blame the West

The Australian ^ | January 24 2004 | The Times

[knighthawk]

THE Arab world should stop blaming others and accept responsibility for its own failings, a panel of reformist Arab political and business leaders urged yesterday.

The speakers at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos said many Arab governments were "in denial" about the need for real political reform.

The statements are likely to cause anger in conservative Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, which have been resisting calls to become more democratic.

They were also a swipe at Arab leaders, including Islamic militants, who blame the West for problems in the Arab world.

"Arab governments have failed to act over the last few years. Arab governments need to rethink their models of development," said Bassem Awadallah, Jordan's Minister of International Co-operation.

Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties of the United Arab Emirates, said Arabs should stop blaming others for their plight. "The state of victimhood in the Arab world should stop."

Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the crown prince of Bahrain, one of the more progressive Arab states, said: "All across the Arab world, barriers are erected. There are barriers to trade, barriers to ideas -- people are too sensitive and people are expected to conform to a norm. Stability is maintained, but innovation and entrepreneurship is strangled and destroyed."

Much of the Arab world suffers poverty, high unemployment, lack of democracy, oppression of women and abuse of human rights.

Mr Awadallah said demand for reform would grow, as the young became more aware of what they were missing through increased access to media.

However, Gamal Mubarak, head of policy of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party, and the son and heir apparent of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, insisted reforms were taking place.

"We have been engaged in a comprehensive economic and political reform program for two decades. We've more and more opened society up for debate and dissent. We still have a long way ahead of us."

[knighthawk]

Ping

[Redleg Duke]

"Dead men talking"

[PBRSTREETGANG]

No sh*t, Sheikh.

[antiRepublicrat]

"We have been engaged in a comprehensive economic and political reform program for two decades. We've more and more opened society up for debate and dissent. We still have a long way ahead of us."

Good luck, I hope your movement grows. This is the real way for peace between the Arabs and the West -- actually stopping them from hatings us by them realizing that their problems are of their own making.

[rickmichaels]

The statements are likely to cause anger in conservative Arab states such as Saudi Arabia...

The following facts also cause anger in Arab states: Night follows day; the sky is blue; people breathe air; grass is green; the sun is bright; the universe is big; and water is wet.

[gcruse]

Stability is maintained, but innovation and entrepreneurship is strangled and destroyed

Someone needs to tell this to the Vatican.  Elevating world peace to the very top of the To Do list while people still live in conditions of servitude and terror gives stability, but at a price someone else is forced to pay.

[Cicero]

The Vatican is in the difficult position of trying to protect the lives and (limited) religious freedoms of Catholics and other Christians who have the bad luck to be stuck in Muslim countries all over the world. Unlike the United States, the Pope has no armies with which to threaten retribution for bad behavior. That pretty much means that he must try to foster good relations with Islam, insofar as that is possible.

I wish it were otherwise. But the western powers, who have the armies, have shown little or no inclination to come to the rescue of Christian martyrs. In fact countries like France--or clinton and NATO in Yugoslavia--actively help the Muslim extremists.

Yes, the Pope has considerable moral authority in the world, but little if any leverage over Arabs and other Muslims.

[gcruse]

The Vatican is in the difficult position of trying to protect the lives and (limited) religious freedoms of Catholics and other Christians

So that's the deal. I have been laboring under the starry-eyed belief that undermining US efforts to liberate Iraq and joining in the Euro press's demonization of the US as a threat to world peace came under an umbrella such that it was for the good of mankind.  I had no idea the focus was so narrow.  'Tis better a million Iraqis croak than stir up anti-Christian antagonism by marching on Baghad.  Interesting.

[Cicero]

Sorry, I misunderstood your comment. I think you're referring to that jerk Cardinal Martino or Martini, and a couple of other officials in Rome. He doesn't speak for me and I don't think he speaks for the Church. He's an embarrassment. He should be removed from office, but the Vatican moves exceedingly slowly to do such things.

The Pope called for peace and for pursuing all possible diplomatic initiatives before resorting to war, but that's very different from blaming America. And in fact that's just what Bush did.

[Mr. Mojo]

Not going to happen. It's a helluva lot easier to point the blame elsewhere than to take an honest look in the mirror.