Barack Obama, a name that emerged as a ray of hope at a time when then US President George W. Bush’s hawkish policies had placed the planet particularly the Middle East on a powder keg and the world was prepping for a massive economic breakdown. The name became a symbol of hope. It were not only the Americans but people all across the globe saw in him a man who had the audacity to steer the world away from the crisis.
Understandably
though, taking the reins of the sole superpower plunged into a
frightening morass of lies and deceit was an uphill task. Americans had
grown weary of wars in the Middle East. Apart from the loss of innocent
lives in this part of the world, Americans saw their own children
fighting and getting killed in a far-flung region unknown to them. In
addition to the caskets flying back home, thousands of war veterans
returned with serious psychological disorders only to add to the woes of
an average American.
In
Obama, they saw a leader who could simply say no to wars and pull his
troops from the region without further delay. Perhaps that was one of
the reasons that helped Obama propel to the top spot.
However,
by the time Obama took over, the Middle East had already turned into a
maze of conflicting interests wherein it is easy to enter but very
difficult to find one’s way out. Political observers knew that with huge
investments like oil and weapons agreements, establishment of military
bases throughout the region and the ruinous state of Iraq and
Afghanistan would not make US pullout easy. Yet the Obama administration
pulled out US troops from Iraq. The consequence of the withdrawal,
however, is another debate and this writer does not wish to digress. It
would not be an exaggeration to claim that so-called Arab Spring not
only aggravated the situation in the region but also added to the
problems of the US. Despite being the sole superpower and enjoying
considerable leverage in the region, the US apparently chose to stay
away from the quagmire and did not intervene directly and only time will
tell, whether this approach is correct or not.
Countries
like Egypt, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Pakistan have
been turned into cauldrons of chaos. The Middle East has never been
polarized to the current extent. Militant groups from the Bush era are
forging alliances and emerging as stronger militias ready to deface the
region.
Many
in the region blame the US for the current mess. Anti-US sentiments
have reached to such an extent that America comes to the minds of many
whenever the word “enemy” is mentioned.
Al-Qaeda’s
activities in Iraq are almost always linked with the US invasion of
Iraq. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, there is a view that the US actually
supports the Taleban. Drone attacks that kill innocent people have
turned popular hatred against America, not the Taleban.
The
idea of “let us withdraw our troops, minimize spending and control the
region with drones” in an increasingly tumultuous Middle East has today
rocked America’s superpower status.
Unfortunately,
Obama repeated the mistake committed by his predecessor. He tried to
counter violence by violence. Obama and his advisers failed in
understanding the psychology of radicalism. It feeds off aggression and
violence. It is directly proportional to the number of drone attacks and
civilian casualties.
Obama,
undoubtedly, world’s most powerful leader appears to be a reasonable
and rational man. He can still play his role in cleaning up the mess. In
order for him to do that, he must understand the psychology of
radicalism and radicals. As mentioned above it thrives on violence and
hatred. Religion, in this case Islam, is being used to further selfish
interests of a few. Unfortunately, such ideas gain popularity very fast
and earn diehard supporters in no time.
Religious extremists follow skewed interpretation of their sacred texts. It is said: It’s all in the head.
Instead
of resorting to violence one needs to take measures to educate them. In
case of our part of the world, the extremists claim to be following the
teachings of Islam. Well, they are wrong. Whatever they are doing is in
contrast with the teachings of Islam. It is a religion of peace and
love and advocates coexistence.
Hatred
toward others, the rage and urge to kill so conveniently cannot be
described as Islam. Propagation of true teachings of Islam is the only
weapon to defeat these elements. If Obama desires peace in the world, he
must shun the current tactics apparently an extension of the “shock and
awe” era. The US must support enlightened Muslims who believe in the
true essence of the Qur’an to educate their deviated brethren. The
Muslim world and the Middle East in particular also want to get rid of
extremist elements. All kind of extremist tendencies and extremists from
all religions can be tackled through a comprehensive educational
policy.
There
is no need for piling up arms or establishment of bases in far-flung
areas. A comprehensive educational policy devised with the help of
enlightened and sensible Muslims and people of other faiths can do
wonders. This is the only option for Obama and the US. Heeding this call
can make the world a much better place.
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