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Revolutionizing the King:
US in troubles mobilizing the Arabs
Posted By Dr. Sattar Kassem
Both Israel and America are interested in mobilizing the Arabs against Iran, and the Sunnis against the Shiites. America is facing tremendous problems in the region, from Somalia to Afghanistan, and Israel has lit the red light after its failure in Lebanon. If one's power isn't that helpful, then the weakness of the enemy might be.
Moslems are resisting, some pan Arab elements are awakening, and some countries like Iran are posing a real challenge. For most Arab regimes, Hezbollah, the Iraqi resistance and Iran are real threats although they are not menacing the Arab nations. Most Arab regimes care about their own security regardless of their people's interests. Therefore, they maintain good secret and official relations with Israel, which threatens the security of the Arabs but not that of their regimes.
Arab regimes are dialectically and practically Israel's allies. They sided with Israel in its war against Hezbollah, and most Arab regimes are excellent instruments to carry out American and Israeli policies. These regimes waged a war against Iran in the early 1980's, sided with the U.S. in driving Saddam out of Kuwait, and have been an important element in financially besieging the Palestinians.
The situation in the Middle East is now more complicated than ever. The Iraqi resistance is relentless and is expected to escalate, Hezbollah is armed to the teeth
and well-organized, and Iran is making major technological achievements. The Arab regimes are trembling, the U.S. feels that a regional power is about to challenge its dominance in the area. Israel is also forced to reconsider its arrogance.
In such conditions, cooperation between the three troubled parties is more than necessary. The best possible path is to strengthen the Arab regimes, which can divert the attention of the Arabs toward Iran instead of Israel. Following such a path requires the emergence of an Arab leader who should receive all encouragement and
assistance so as to be able to mobilize the Arab public. King Abdullah of
Saudi Arabia is the nominee.
The U.S. has been trying to revolutionize the traditional, almost illiterate, tribal king and has paved the road for him through these previous actions:
1. Allowing the Palestinian and Lebanese internal situations to slightly settle down, so that the king could hammer out the Mecca agreement between Fatah and Hamas. The US and Israel are now showing unreal opposition to the accord so as to give the king the image of a hero who challenges both countries.
2. Trying to lead the Arab summit in Riyadh to the reactivation of an Arab
initiative that doesn't insist on the return of the Palestinian refugees and tacitly
accepts resettlement in the Arab countries. Both Israel and the US are still
talking about amending (negotiating) the initiative.
3. Giving the king a margin of rhetoric expression such as the call for Arab unity, making self-critique, and describing the US presence in Iraq as an occupation. These statements and the like are met with highly positive reaction in the Arab street.
Recent developments in the Middle East, as detailed above, show that Israel and the US are now trying to make of King Abdullah the Guevara of the Arabs, which should contend a growing opposition and assist Israel and the US in their regional policy.
* Professor of political science at al Najah university in the West Bank city of Nablus. |
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