A Riddle: Guess The Country [Archives:2001/20/Focus]

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE
By Sharif Akram
Our Islamic world and nations are going through a hard time. We are being sieged not only by non-Muslim enemies who definitely would like to see us weak, but also being duped by our so-called brothers, who seem to be working in the name of Islam but are actually undermining the very existence of our nations.
As history has always proved, there is only one country in this world that can be such a menace for Islam and still claim that it is the sole protector of Islam. Whatever it does, whether backing up Hizbullah in Lebanon or organizing a conference for the Palestinians or trying to make counter-propaganda against Imperialists, it is basically serving its own interests rather than serving the interests of the nation of Islam.
If we glance at what it is doing in the other parts of the world, especially when we closely examine its relations with its northern and eastern neighbors, we will definitely see that the policies that it pursues has nothing to do with the way that its politicians talk.
For example, Armenia is occupying % 30 of the Azarbaijani lands, namely Nagorna-Karabagh for nearly ten years. Armenia has been condemned for of its atrocities by the sensible nations. The brutal attacks of Armenians have caused the Azarbaijanis to leave their homes and flee either to Azarbaijan or to their brother Turkey. The Muslims who remained in Nagorna-Karabagh have been butchered mercilessly and the Armenians ethnically cleansed the whole region. In the middle of this conflict we see our dearest sole protector of Islam, who does not even show sympathy to Azarbaijan, but financially and militarily supports Armenia. Why? Because it has a big Azari minority in its country and it is afraid that one day they might rebel and separate themselves from the country. Of course this is not the only reason. The other reason is that those Azaris are not from the same sect as the rest of the nation. So for them they are not really important!
Yet, another issue where we see our sole protector of Islam siding with the Christian Russia against the Muslim Central Asian States in deciding the status of the Hazar Sea. Why? Because the national interests push it that way with the other Muslims states and distribute the wealth of the Hazar Sea in equity among the coastal countries, yet it will not be as profitable as it will be if it is shared with Russia, the number two known enemy of Islam.
Not only these solid policies, but the rest is also interesting to investigate. Recently we have been witnessing that our brother the sole protector of Islam has embarked upon a very smooth policy towards us, Arabs. It pretends that it supports the Palestinians. It pretends it supports the Arab causes, but what it does actually is to support its own followers belonging to the same sect. At the same time it also tries to get our support, the Arabs, so that it can get rid of its loneliness in the International Foray. It is destroying and damaging our Arab world as much as the Israelis. It is supporting the discrimination among the Muslims and creating animosity between the Islamic sects. In the civil war in Lebanon, I have witnessed their crimes as much as the Israeli crimes. I have seen them killing innocent people for no reason, (their only guilt is not being from the same sect).
Its last attack on a weak and poor country has proved once again that its intentions are not honest and it basically uses the name of Islam for its own benefit. I do not think that brotherhood and common causes mean anything to this sole protector of Islam.
Could you now name this dear country?
Anyway, this sole protector of Islam recently has been showing a great deal of interest in our country as well. For the last couple of years, we have been witnessing intense efforts from their side to develop bilateral relations. Its officials have being visiting our country and signing agreements. I cannot stop myself thinking about this sudden interest in my country.
Their initial target seems to be economic, I basically have no objection to their investments in my country and developing trade relations with other nations. My objection is to their hidden intentions and to the real face of this so-called sole protector of Islam. We have a colorful society, in which all the sects coexist peacefully and we need to keep this delicate balance between the sects. We should not let menace destroy the beauty of our society by planting the seeds of hatred among our people. We need to choose our friends very carefully, as our Prophet (peace be upon him) said “Tell me your friend and I will tell you who you are”.

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