What future awaits the Arabs? [Archives:2006/1010/Opinion]
Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Maqaleh
Soaring and legendary are figures describing the money oil-producing Arabs spent throughout the second half of the 20th century via careless ways and primitive methods. Such funds were ample enough to make them the most powerful people on Earth. They could've been in a situation where nuclear bombs were their simplest weapons. They also could've built palaces on both near and remote planets, if they wished.
But such high figures regarding Arab spending have gone with the wind due to lack of strategy or thinking about the future and what remains is a feeling of regret for what has passed. If the situation continues in this manner, Arabs will lose what remains of their riches, which are dwindling without achieving the minimum degree of protection for their homelands, which are exposed to the threat of invasion and direct occupation.
I mention all of this because of the international fuss North Korea has aroused after forcing itself into the nuclear club, despite being one of the world's poorest nations. It proved that poverty doesn't just regard finances or material capabilities, but there's also poverty of intellect and poverty in national pride. Strategy and determination were involved in its departure from the realm of the weak and entering the nuclear club.
From there, it can move into the industrial club in order to ensure safety in the face of aggression and polarization in an age without moral coexistence, peaceful thinking or exchange of interests in accordance with the laws of justice because the powerful have transformed them into laws of transcontinental piracy. Thus, mutual fear has become the guarantee to protect the weak from being devoured.
We've lost the 20 centuries and we're about to lose the 21st century too. Arab efforts and their remaining riches are flying like the dust overshadowing their capitals, which are filled with ruins.
After a series of disappointments, it's not strange that this 'great' nation has converted from one afflicted by economic, health and military starvation and begging for the simplest components of life as a result of totally neglecting the future to concentrating on the here and now, as well as total dependence upon the enemy to be both protector and thief at the same time. Such is a trick disclosed by mad individuals among the Arabs before reasonable ones.
The utmost necessity is to reconsider everything we've done to ourselves and against our nations and immediately begin following the right path, which guarantees future generations dignity and survival in this world.
I and the bewildered masses wonder what prevents us from sincerely extending our hand to neighboring Iran to learn from it and participate with us in building up the required power to deter our aggressors, who have sentenced humiliation and deprivation against us and given our historical enemy all that makes it strongest, despite being the smallest, and putting it in control of the region's destiny?
The United States in particular and the West in general should realize that we stand with Iran regarding possessing nuclear power for peace or for war, just as they've stood with the Zionist entity to build its nuclear arsenal, which threatens all of us and the entire world too.
What future will Arabs have without possessing a deterrent power to protect them first from their protector-thief and then from their actual enemy, the Zionist entity, as well as other enemies?
I admit that this question is long, but its answer is even longer and supposes that those interested have comprehended the question and realized its dimensions in order to benefit from its answer. Since I'm one who's sure that those asked this question are too stupid and indifferent, there's no use indulging in an answer when those concerned don't understand the question.
Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Maqaleh is Yemen's prominent poet and intellectual. He is the director of the Yemeni Center for Studies.
Source: Al-Thori newspaper
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