Arab grievances lend to conspiracy theories

By Kesava Menon

MANAMA (BAHRAIN), SEPT. 17. While almost all the West Asian and North African

governments have, at least in principle, agreed to support the U.S. campaign against global jihad, the Osama mystique continues to be a powerful element among the people. This tendency feeds some weird conspiracy theories to explain the developments that have occurred since last Tuesday and is also sought to be justified by a deep-rooted sense of grievance. But while regional governments have to be sensitive to this factor it does not appear, to go by the lack of open demonstrations against the U.S., that these governments will be swayed by the sentiments.

A belief that there is some justification for global terrorism can be traced back to a sense that the West has treated the Arab and Muslim world very unjustly. The strongest evidence of this is found to be in the fact that the West, especially the U.S., has consistently supported Israel, which is considered an artificial entity, foisted on the Arab homeland.

Israel has been created and supported, so runs the belief, in order to keep the Arabs forever subjugated and their assets under the West's control. Piled on top of this grievance is the fact that Israel continues to occupy Palestinian and Syrian territory in violation of international law. The West's failure to persuade Israel to give up its illegal occupation is considered the most current cause for the deep sense of grievance.

An outsider to the Arab world finds it difficult to appreciate the thesis in its entirety. Whether Israel's creation could be justified or not is a matter that can be debated till eternity.

The fact is that two of Israel's Arab neighbours have, by signing peace treaties with it, recognised Israel's right to exist in the region. Virtually every other Arab Government (Iraq being the exception for understandable reasons) was till a year ago, getting ready to follow suit once Israel withdrew from the Palestinian and Syrian territories. Similarly, the Arab world is incensed at the measures Israel has taken to crush the on-going Intifada, including the use of air power, assassinations, use of excessive force and the tough strictures imposed on the Palestinian economy and the movements of its civilians. Yet at the same time, the Arab governments have not given up their attempts to deal with Israel either directly or indirectly even if it is for the limited purpose of bringing an end to the current violent conflict.

Analysts have a tendency to play up the dichotomy between the approaches of the Arab governments and the elite and that of the people. But it is not as if the people are completely and irrevocably hostile to the West while the governments are friendly. If the hostility was so strong and intense how does it explain the spread of not just Western consumer culture but also the tendency to look on the West as the fountainhead of much that is good in the world.

This tendency is not unaccompanied by a tendency to look down on much of the East. Even in terms of employment and remuneration - or even personal treatment for that matter - the manner in which a Westerner is treated in the Arab world is totally different from how an easterner is.

Even in respect of security vis-a-vis each other, the Arab nations would rather depend on the West than work out mutually satisfactory arrangements.

In sum, the Arab sense of grievance appears to consist of a stew of unsorted out emotions that have been triggered off or topped off by facts produced by their interaction with the West. This sense of grievance is in the current situation leading to credence being paid to some weird conspiracy theories.

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Section  : International
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