What Would Happen?

Amazing article.

Disappointing, if compared to your first article.

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Inshallah, some day!

what would happen ???

......... let me add to what arjun said - diddly squat !

I like this idea in principle. However, my interactions with certain real-politik type folks here cause me to second guess my gut feel. So, realistically what would happen? Terrorist targets would conveniently be found next to your big peace parade, and nuked. ``The world`` would buy the story, and life would go on as usual...

wow, such positive reactions! Im very impressed.
Cynicism has taken over the Muslim psyche! Look back in history, and positve and peacefull methods were given equal scorn. However, can we put aside the conspiracy theories, the anti-West and anti-Jewish sentiment for just a while and try to take matters back in our own hands? I am a great believer in optimism, the fact that the next day can bring a better day, why cannot we focus our energies on productive solutions instead of giving up and allowing hate, anger and frustration to foster. I cannot understand it.
Though this article is shorter than the other two I have published, it deals with an issue which is very important to Muslims in general. If (many of us) are Pakistanis, we look to make this country a better place with our little contributions of ariticles, many as analogies and many as direct analysis. Palestine is one such issue that is etched in the hearts and minds of millions and millions of people world over, and this issue allows resentment to grow. We must counter it. Let us not leave our future in the hands of someone else. lets confront it head on with a pragmatic approach.
What would happen? who knows, but we wont know till we try. who would be willing to take up such a cause. I do wonder.

Gibran Bham

nothing..absolutely nothing. Fox would show Islamists are extremists, the world media would probably have a field day with ``EXPERTS`` (who don` know squat) commenting on the state of the world, Govts. will get edgier, and terrorists and enemies will decide that to bomb such a crowd will generate amazing headlines.

What Muslims need is economic superiority? That is the only way you deal with nations now. Not with guns, or marches. These don`t work anymore. What Israel provides USA is that money and expects its support politically in return. Which Muslim nation can come close to that level? Not even Saudia is as strong.

Unfortunately, we`re all too busy robbing our own people, to think about that. Everything wrong, is done by Muslim nations. Defective products, cheating, low quality items, you name it, we do it.

If there`s one thing i love about the west is this. Their laws of business work. They never compromise on their word or their products and if they do, they get punished for it. Far cry from Pakistan. It`s the only nation of the world, where you can sell the most dangerous of products, and still get away with it.

gibram

A good hearted article, I wish we could get this kind of unison. But with our state of autocracy and imposed imperialism, I doubt if we will ever get there. As Che Guevara Said, ``There is no revolution without a Gun.``

I hired a Palestinian Christian house painter. We had interesting discussions on Palestine and Israel, while he was painting and I was cooking. Palestinians are going through a virtual religious apartheid. Some of the rules and regulations imposed upon them, due to their religion, by Israel, that he explained were horrifying. They make the restrictions on Ahmedis in Pakistan, look like a coffee party. The poor guy wasn`t even allowed to add a room to his house, by the govt., if he were to get married.

I sympathized with him.

In the end, I mentioned Pakistan to him, and its issues. Interestingly he didn’t know a thing. Nor did he seem to bothered about Kashmir etc. At that time, it struck me: Why in the world are Pakistanis so bothered about issues and peoples who could care less about us? Our relationship with the, “Ummah” seems to be a one-way street. The Ummah being least pushed about us.

Not that I don’t sympathise with the Palestinians on a humanitarian basis. But why don’t they sympathise with Pakistan? When did Yasir Arafat ever give any kind of statement in favor of Pakistan. Should we then keep naming our kids after him? When India had its forces piled up on Pakistan’s borders recently, what did the Palestinians do? They sent an official delegation to Vajpayee, Quite a slap on Pakistan’s face.

And look at what Iran did during the nuclear scanadal.

I think Pakistan should recognize Israel, under the 67 borders. Palestine itself has recognized Israel. As has the Arab league, uptil 67 borders. Why cannot we? Would Palestine ever de-recognize India to support Pakistan? This is in no way to justify what Israel is doing. But if we can recognize India, with whom we have a direct conflict, why not recognize Israel?

As for Palestinians, all they need to do is to do what Muslims do best. Continue having kids. In fifteen years or so, Palestinians will outnumber Israelis, within the borders of Israel and the occupied terriroties. Till that time, Palestinians should just maintain status quo relations with Israel, and not cause any problems. Once the demographics change, Israel will have to accommodate Palestinians. The only way to counter it would be to carry out South Africa style official apartheid (as opposed to a virtual one). And I don’t think the world would tolerate that again.

As for the USA, it is Israel, and not any other country, which is causing the USA so many problems. The only two politicians openly highlighting this are Pat Buchanan and Ralph Nader (is he of Arabic decent?). But sooner or later, most Americans will recognize this also.

Gibram Bham:

Recently read Eqbal Ahmed`s comments on the time he met Yasser Arafat back in the 70`s. He had advised him to make use of the contradiction that exists in Israel`s stance. And more importantly, reveal that contradiction to the western audience - he probably stated the western audience specifically as those of the East and Muslim countries were living under a non-democratic dictatorial set up. The strategy Eqbal Ahmed advised (and others too have advised) was that the Palestineans embark on a completely non-violent struggle. No act of violence should be done whatsoever. This will reveal to the world the contradiction in Israel`s stance - of its false claim that it is trying to defend itself. According ot Edward Said, Yasser Arafat listened intently and took notes. But did nothing.

Many years later, after the PLO had been discredited by the Western media particularly in line of violent actions by its members, Eqbal Ahmed met Yasser Arafat again (in Tunis I think). By then it seemed it was too late. Yasser Arafat did not even bother taking notes that time.

Anyhow, even today that same strategy can work - perhaps even on a grander scale. As you wonder, ``what would happen?``. Indeed, what would...

Romair - I am sure Yasser Arafat and the people of Palestine have a lot of things to worry about then analysing and condeming the Kashmir issue. Not to mention the illiteracy rates and controls on the press. So I think you shouldnt jump the gun there!

But what you have spoken is partly true, most Arabs (not Iranians) - are highly ignorant of the Kashmir issue, and that is because frankly, they do not really give a damn. Having lived in the Arab world for over 13 years (growing up) - I can safely say that the Arabs (not all nations - i mean mainly Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria) - are quite introverted, and are only really concerned about one major global issue - war on iraq and the occupation in Palestine.

Pakistan is the most powerfrull Muslim nation interms of military capacity and it is growing economically. So the decision to recognize Israel....I cant agree with your notion that we should accept it now, as there is an ongoing occupation, if Israel reverts to 1967 borders, then it would make sense to renue diplomatic ties. - I also like your solution, so what the Palestinians dont need is bullets, bombs and more bombs, instead they should just carry on having sex. You give new meaning to the term `make love not war!`nice one mate.

Gibran Bham

Nothing will happen if Muslim nations don`t realize once and for all that the world is now being run on market forces. If we have to get our rights, we need to improve our economy and build solid institutions which are corruption free and credible enough to be heard. The dictators which rule our Muslim nations right now don`t seem to realize this. If Palestinians want a separate homeland, Muslim nations need to be economically powerful enough to make the US think twice before supporting Israel.

Might is right. As long as Israel has power to do whatever it wants, it will. Its power is derived from a strong support from US which is due in large part to economic power that Israelis wield. As a result, Muslim nations need to become more powerful, more supportive and more cooperative with each other.

#10 by Romair

[At that time, it struck me: Why in the world are Pakistanis so bothered about issues and peoples who could care less about us? Our relationship with the, “Ummah” seems to be a one-way street. The Ummah being least pushed about us.]

Enlightenment at last for our resident MUAE (Muslim and Ummah Affairs Expert).

[When India had its forces piled up on Pakistan’s borders recently, what did the Palestinians do? They sent an official delegation to Vajpayee, Quite a slap on Pakistan’s face.]

LOL!

#10 by Romair

[At that time, it struck me: Why in the world are Pakistanis so bothered about issues and peoples who could care less about us? Our relationship with the, “Ummah” seems to be a one-way street. The Ummah being least pushed about us.]

Enlightenment at last for our resident Muslim (rather, Ummah) Affairs expert.

[When India had its forces piled up on Pakistan’s borders recently, what did the Palestinians do? They sent an official delegation to Vajpayee, Quite a slap on Pakistan’s face.]

LOL!

Rozaiba #11

Being a great admirer of both Eqbal ahmed and Edward Said, I just wanted to ask you whether your really think that the Gandhiesque Non Violence by Palestinians and Muslims in general will ever work, even implored on whatever grand scales. As the Ummah, a word I hate to use, can we realise that the Violent Antagonism from the West is not based upon our Violence, Although this is used as a fig leaf. Most of the time it boils down to the Resource (Oil) or Demographic (Giving the Displaced Europeon Jews a place to go rather than have them emigrate in large numbers to the West) question.

The Muslim Side of the Violence is a reaction here of the onslaught from the West. Non Violence is a noble aspiration, but unfortunately, it will just not work in our terrible world.