The Islamists And US: The Prospects
Don't Seem Too Good
26 Dec 2011
By Khalid Amayreh
It is probably true that many within the American
political establishment would like to have good
relations with Islamist movements in the Arab world.
The reason for this unlikely propensity has nothing to
do with any sudden, infatuation or love affair with
political Islam on Washington's part.
The U.S. consistently viewed Islamist groups in the
Middle East and beyond with sullen hostility and
convulsive animosity, especially after the 9/11 events
in the United States.
The real reason for the developing but still fledgling
relations between Washington and Islamist groups,
including the Muslim Brotherhood, stems from
considerations of pragmatism and real politik.
The Islamists are becoming the leading ideological and
political force in several Arab countries. This fact
can't be ignored as American geo-political interests
in the Arab region would suffer immensely if
Washington viewed the "Arab Spring" with indifference.
Needless to say, the United States has always been
hostile to Islamic political movements that stand for
freedom, human rights and civil liberties. In fact,
the US has been especially inimical to some of the
most democratic Islamist movements, such as Hamas, for
daring to fight Israel.
The U.S. continues to consider Hamas, the Palestinian
Islamic Liberation movement, which was democratically
elected in 2006, as a terrorist organization, mainly
for exercising the inalienable legal and moral right
of resisting the Nazi-like Israeli occupation of
Palestine.
Now, it will be quite interesting to see how America's
perceptions and attitudes toward the Islamist
movements will evolve if these groups maintain a solid
and uncompromising stance vis-à-vis Israel.
None the less, it is hard to be hopeful about the
prospects of relations between Islamist-led Arab
regimes and the U.S. whose politics and policies are
controlled and determined to a large extent by an
American Congress that accords Israeli interests much
more importance than it does American interests.
There are many reasons for this pessimism. First of
all, the U.S. government will not be free to show any
significant amount of good will toward the Islamists.
The powerful Jewish lobby would overrule any
meaningful American effort to that effect.
Hence, it is unlikely that the U.S. government will be
able, even if willing, to offer the Islamists any
meaningful inducements that would lead to the creation
of fruitful working relations with Islamist-led
regimes. Besides, an arrogant Congress that is
accustomed to issuing orders and ultimatums to rulers
as well as states is unlikely to easily swallow the
fact that a new breed of rulers has appeared in the
Arab world, rulers who won't be intimidated by sticks
or induced be carrots and who won't be at America's
beck and call.
Apart from that, it is imperative to point out that
the Islamists themselves, especially in Egypt, have
their own pressing restraints. Any Islamist party,
including the Muslim Brotherhood, would suffer
immensely in terms of their popularity and public
standing if they showed any slackness with regard to
the principled Islamist stance on Israel.
A few days ago, the Egyptian Salafist Nour Party was
forced to deny reports alleging that some of its
members had met with Israeli representatives. A
spokesperson of the conservative Islamist group
emphasized that the party's position on Israel was
very clear and well known, namely that the Zionist
entity was and would remain an illegitimate state that
wouldn't be recognized by Muslims.
The strong defensive reaction was prompted by the
negative fallouts from the initial report about the
alleged Salafist willingness to have contacts with the
Israeli state.
In light, it is likely that any Islamist group,
however popular it may be now, will suffer an ultimate
political disaster if not suicide if it was seen
edging toward any accommodation with Israel, even
under American pressure.
Having said that, one ought to point out though that
the Islamists are unlikely to refuse and reject out of
hand any solicitations from the Washington.
Like Washington, the Islamists will have to accord the
American factor a lot of attention, which they will
have to do wisely and smartly.
However, the Islamists, who are answerable to the
people, at least the people who have elected them,
will make it abundantly clear to the Americans that
America's relations with them won't be "business as
usual" especially if America continues to embrace
Israeli Nazism.
As we all know, the US succeeded for decades in
maintaining its arguably criminal connections with
Israel while preserving its vital geopolitical
interests in the Arab world. Hence, Israel, with
active American support and backing, pursued her
Nazi-like policies against the Palestinians, including
stealing their land and narrowing their horizons, with
vital American interests throughout the Arab world
remaining effectively intact.
This equation, which reflected America's hegemony on
the one hand and the ignominious subservience of
defunct Arab regimes on the other, will have to be
rectified, possibly in a radical manner.
But since America won't be free to backtrack on its
umbilical connection with Israel even one centimeter,
thanks to the powerful Jewish lobby, it would be
similarly hard for the Islamists to appear as
submitting to American pressure or blackmail
especially on Israel-related issues, thanks to the
highly vigilant and politicized public which would
send the Islamists home when elections are held next
time..
There are those who might argue though that the right
thing to do is to pursue a pragmatic approach toward
Washington irrespective of the Palestinian issue. But
this would be the most lethal advice that one could
offer the Islamists.
Forgetting, ignoring or even not giving the
Palestinian issue the paramount attention it deserves,
would harm the Islamists' image for years to come. The
irreparable damage would be too colossal to contain
and too indelible to rectify.
Don't allow yourselves to fall into the trap.
©
EsinIslam.Com
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