Who Hates America in the Arab and Muslim World, and Why

Against the backdrop of the September 2005 tour of the Middle East by U.S. State Department official and presidential advisor Karen Hughes, who is heading the effort to improve the U.S.'s image abroad, in a recent article liberal Bahraini journalist 'Omran Salman presents two explanations for the hatred towards America: Arab and Muslim culture, and a post 9/11 coalition of Islamists, Pan Arab Ba'athists and nationalists, and Arab regimes.

The following are excerpts from the article:

Hatred is a General Phenomenon in the Arab and Muslim World, and Not Limited to Americans "...Hatred in the Arab and Muslim world is a general phenomenon that is not limited only to the Americans. It is possible that the Arabs and Muslims hate each other no less than they hate others...

"In the 1990s, over 200,000 citizens were killed in Algeria –– most of them by extremist Islamic groups. What was the response of most of the Arabs and Muslims? A mixture of amusement and of presenting justifications for the murderers and terrorists. During those years, the Taliban movement also abused Shi'ites, Azeris, Tajikis, and other minorities, and no one did anything [to stop it].

"In 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, occupied it, and expelled its residents. What was the response of the Arabs and Muslims? Nothing. On the contrary: Most Arabs and Muslims supported Saddam... And in 1991, Saddam murdered hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shi'ites and Kurds, and most Arabs and Muslims did not condemn it.

"These days, the Arab Janjaweed militias, which are supported by the Khartoum government, are continuing their racist campaign of annihilation against the African Muslims in Darfour.

"In Iraq, Al-Zarqawi and the terror groups affiliated with him are slaughtering Shi'ites and blowing up their mosques and their schools, after declaring war on them. In both cases, none of the Arabs or the Muslims are acting to prevent this, or even to condemn the deeds.

"In total, during a single decade alone no less than half a million Arab and Muslim victims were murdered by Arabs and Muslims.

"In addition, the religious, ethnic, and national minorities in the Arab world, such as the Shi'ites, Isma'ilis, Zaidis, Christians, and Jews, have been subject to humiliation characterized by racism... The U.S.'s Powerful Response to 9/11 Infuriates the Extremist Muslims and Pan-Arabs as well as the Arab Governments

"American policy in the [Arab and Muslim] region did not change essentially for over 50 years, until 2000. So what new thing happened to arouse the hatred [towards the U.S.] in its current broad scope?...

"The new element in the American-Arab-Islamic arena was the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, and the U.S. 's powerful and decisive response. This response was aimed at accomplishing three goals simultaneously.

"First, to strike a crushing blow against the Al-Qaeda organization and its allies in the Taliban movement in Afghanistan. This goal was accomplished.

"Second, to destroy the despotic regime of Saddam Hussein and of the fascist Ba'th party in Iraq. This goal too was accomplished.

"Third, to spread democracy and freedom in the Middle East. This project will continue for decades to come.

"The first blow infuriated the Islamists; the second blow infuriated the pan-Arab nationalists; and the third blow infuriated the Arab regimes.

"Gradually, an unofficial alliance emerged between these three parties, with the long-term goal to thwart the new American policy. [But] since this alliance is too weak to respond militarily to the American policy, it responds in the media and with propaganda.

"Its first goal was to distort the image of the U.S. in order to make the Arab citizens loathe everything American.

"The main means which they are using to distort the image of the U.S. are:

"1. The printed and electronic media, which are for the most part subject to the control of the Arab governments (whether via funding or via influence), beginning with Al-Jazeera in Qatar and including the national papers in Egypt.

"2. Educational programs, all of which are subject to control by the Arab governments and to the influence of the Islamic groups.

"3. The mosques, which are also subject to the control of governments and the Islamic groups, via the Ministries of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs in the Arab countries. Exceptions are the Shiite mosques, because the Shi'ites are usually economically independent from the governments of their countries.

"This [propaganda] machine operated at full power in order to brainwash the Arab citizens, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in order to fan the hatred against the U.S....

"[The Islamists, the pan-Arab nationalists, and the Arab regimes] are the ones who hate America. The ordinary Arab and Muslim citizens are mere blindfolded hostages in the hands of this alliance.

"The U.S. must respond [to the hatred against it] not by appealing to the hostages and convincing them of the good things in the U.S. –– because they are incapable of seeing them even if they wanted to.

"They must be helped first of all by freeing them of their [Islamist, pan-Arab, and Arab government] abductors."

(From the "The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)" P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837)

Muslims, speak out!

Opinion by Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat.

I am inclined to believe, especially in the aftermath of the London bombings a fortnight ago, that British Muslims live on a different island! Indeed the Muslims population in Britain has separated itself, psychologically, culturally, and communally from mainstream society. Typically, a British passport holder watches the television of his home country, adheres the morality of his village, and is unconcerned about developments around him in London , whether positive or negative. Muslim immigrant populations remain on the margins of European societies, especially regarding matters that concern them, in the United Kingdom .

How else can one explain their demonstrations against the war in Iraq and their silence when their national identity as British citizens is put into question? Protest is, after all, a legitimate and effective way to show opposition in London .

The war on terror has reached London . Undoubtedly, its first victim is the Muslim population. Why it then that, unlike the run up to the war in Iraq, no one single soul, not even a British Muslim, has taken to streets in protest against the spread of terrorism in the capital?

Silence is increasingly dangerous. It establishes a link between British Muslims and those who condone terrorism and violence around the world, even if, so far, the latter have spared the capital from their poisonous religious edicts. Incitement, however, does not differentiate between color, race, and geography; some of the victims of Black Thursday 7/7 were Muslim and Arab.

In the last few days, prominent figures in the British Muslim community, form across Britain have come out and condemned terrorism in editorials published in the national press. This is not enough. We expect more from Britain ’s Muslims: those who marched in their thousands against intervention in Iraq ought to march, once more, against violence and terrorism.

Without wishing to stir trouble, I feel it is important to warn against this continued silence that could be understood as an implicit support for extremist voices in the Arab and Muslim Worlds. I write this from London because it is necessary to discuss events where one lives. Sadly, I see others around me ungrateful for the quality of life they enjoy in Britain . Instead, they continue to support, even if tacitly, those who believe they speak exclusively in the name of all Muslims and only bring about destruction.

I call on all British Muslims to speak loudly, and in the language of the adopted country, “No to terrorism, not in our name!”, instead of permitting the imams of the internet and foreign satellite channels, to speak on your behalf. I urge you to follow the media in London because foreign channels, in your native tongues, encourage you to commit suicide and extol the virtues of martyrdom. Think of your present and your future. Do not transform yourselves into a press office for al Qaeda when discussing events in Iraq . The citizens of Baghdad themselves view this breed that cries on behalf with curiosity and say, “With friends like these, who needs enemies?”