No sooner than U.S. President Donald Trump announced the Muslim Ban order and
chaos was everywhere with legal actions and international criticism. The ban
of citizens of seven Muslim countries from entering the U.S is technically a
suspension since it is temporary.
The truth is that you cant defend the presidents decision, but this is not
the issue here.
What should concern us as Muslims, Arabs, journalists, and politicians is the
fact that Trumps decision to ban citizens of certain Muslim countries from
entering the UززS, including Iran, Iraq and Yemen, is an indication to the
failure of those states.
Iran named the U.S. Satan and declared hatred towards it for years. Tehran is
now saying that it will treat Washington the same and ban its citizens from
entering Iran, so why did then Iran seek enmity with the U.S? And why do its
supporters in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Syria raise the slogan ''Death to
America'' and are angered by the ban?
Why are the followers of the radical Islam in the region, who promoted hate
against the U.S for decades, are now enraged by Trumps order?
Isnt Trumps ban an indication that our region had failed to become
attractive, especially that they rush to enter the United States?
The new presidents decision is surely populist, but he recanted his campaign
pledges and is now resorting to a temporary order that only includes seven
countries. This shows the chaotic and not racist state of the coming U.S.
foreign policy.
How will Trump fight ISIS in Iraq while he bans all Iraqi citizens from
entering his country? How does he plan to end ISIS presence in Syria and
impose safe zone when he is equalizing between the victim and the aggressor?
This is not the issue. Our concern is what is being said in our region and the
west, especially from those who claim are human rights supporters and
concerned with fighting racism.
The matter in question here is about those who claim they are human rights
advocates and against racism in the media, the west and precisely those from
Iraq or other Islamic countries and some of the Shiite sect. Those who wonder
why seven countries have been banned, while other countries whose citizens
were involved in the September 11 attacks, were not banned.
Are they defending principles? Declaring their rejection for racism? Or do
they simply hate Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and UAE? This means they are just like
Trump, whom they describe as racist and bigoted. This is not right.
Did they forget that Saudi Arabia and Egypt suffered from terrorism just like
the U.S. did?
It is evident that Trumps order unveiled the gravity of populism, but it also
revealed the atrocious claims of resistance and rights activists, especially
of Iranians who declared once that U.S is the Satan.
Tariq Alhomayed is the former
editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat. Mr. Alhomyed has been a guest analyst and
commentator on numerous news and current affair programs, and during his
distinguished career has held numerous positions at Asharq Al-Awsat, amongst
other newspapers. Notably, he was the first journalist to interview Osama Bin
Ladin's mother. Mr. Alhomayed holds a bachelor's degree in media studies from
King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah. He is based in London.
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