18 - 24 October 2001
Issue No.556
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 18 - 24 October 2001 Issue No.556 |
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Misplaced punditry
The anti-Egyptian tone adopted by much of the American media is both ludicrous and dangerous, writes Ibrahim Nafie
Egypt has long argued for a comprehensive battle against terrorism and, following the terrorist attacks in America it declared its sympathy with Washington's desire to bring the perpetrators to justice and to wage an all-out war on terrorism. Yet once again Egypt has become the target of vicious criticism in the US press.
The Washington Post and New York Times are among the newspapers that have joined forces in what appears to be a deliberate campaign to stir tensions between Washington and Cairo. The Washington Post, for example, attacked President Mubarak for linking his support for US actions against terrorism to the need to promote a Middle East settlement and for dragging his feet in announcing his support for the measures the Bush administration has taken against terrorism. More insidiously, it charged that the government of Egypt was a dictatorship, one, moreover, that implicitly supported Bin Laden because it holds that the terrorist acts against the US were a response to Washington's absolute support for Israel.
Such accusations would be laughable were it not for the fact that they reflect profound insensitivity, if not ignorance. The authors seem oblivious to the irony that Washington's "either you're with us or against us" ultimatum is, itself, a dictatorial policy intended to pressure governments around the world to adopt the dictatorial practices they condemn.
US pundits appear reluctant to take on board the fact that had they been more receptive to President Mubarak's arguments the US may well have averted the tragedy of 11 September and stemmed the tide of anti-US feeling in the Arab world and elsewhere.
The US media, it seems, is determined to remain oblivious to the fact that the true tyrant in the Middle East is the current head of the Israeli government. Sharon's brutal repression of the Palestinian people, his attacks against PA officials and institutions, his determination to hold on to the occupied territories, his persistent attempts to obstruct the resumption of the peace process have escalated the spiral of violence. Yet Sharon's tactics receive barely a mention in a media heavily influenced by the powerful American Jewish lobby.
It is curious how Egypt's intentions could have been so grossly misconstrued. Egypt's condemnation of the events of 11 September was unequivocal. Simultaneously, it urged the US to proceed with prudence, stressing that the war against terrorism should not place innocent civilians at risk in Afghanistan or elsewhere, or target Arab or Islamic countries, which would only benefit Israel and further inflame Arab and Islamic opinion. Egypt has also stressed that terrorism should not be confused with the internationally sanctioned right to resist foreign occupation, and rejected Sharon's attempts to capitalise on the atmosphere in the US to brand the Palestinian Intifada as "terrorist."
Egypt's emphasis on the need to reach a just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is based on the realisation that as long as this wound remains open, it will continue to fuel the rancour that provides so fertile a breeding ground for extremists. Fortunately, recent developments suggest that the US administration is coming around to this belated realisation. President Bush has recognised the Palestinians' right to an independent state and his administration has pressured Israel to lift the blockade on PA controlled areas.
Yet, as important as this progress is, it is not enough. Washington stopped short of an unequivocal recognition of the Palestinian state. Nor has it placed sufficient pressure on Israel to implement agreements already reached. It took too much time for Peres and Arafat to meet, and even then Sharon refused to implement points agreed on. Sharon has consistently used the same ploy for wriggling out of a cease-fire agreement. When Israeli forces open fire on Palestinians it is preemptive self-defence. When Palestinians respond, it is a breach of the cease- fire. And Sharon's reaction to the assassination of the former Israeli Minister of Tourism in retaliation for Israel's continuing campaign of assassinations of Palestinian leaders is the latest example of this warped logic.
Developments in Afghanistan have given credence to the fears Mubarak voiced all along. Initially, it was presumed that the air strikes would last no more than a few days since the objective was to secure control over Afghani airspace and target the few military installations that existed. Now, well into the second week of the assault, missiles have struck residential neighbourhoods in Afghanistan's major cities and already claimed a high civilian death toll.
The US has gone to lengths to show that its military action is not intended to target the Afghani people. It has air-dropped humanitarian and food relief packages as planes and missiles bombarded other areas of the country. Unfortunately, these packages are being dropped on the most heavily mined country on earth.
The tendentious attack on Egypt in the US press is clearly a form of blackmail that simultaneously seeks to divert attention away from the crimes Israel is committing against the Palestinian people. And though opinions voiced in the press do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the US government, they can influence policy, particularly in times of crisis. The timing of this campaign is particularly suspicious. It suggests a concerted campaign against Egypt and other Arab countries at a time when Washington could most benefit from their advice on ways to address the root causes of terrorism without risk to civilian lives.
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