When Arab leaders become a disgrace [Archives:2002/16/Viewpoint]

I have received well over 50 messages from our readers, mostly Americans, responding to my last weeks editorial concerning what has gone wrong with the American way. I can confidently say that the response of American as well as Arab readers resulted in a common conclusion that their silence and hesitant condemnation of the massacres that are continuing, Arab leaders have disgraced all Arabs and Muslims.
The unfortunate reality here is that the American administration, European leaders, and others will not act in defense of the Palestinians if Arab leaders themselves are not doing so.
Hence, the problem may not lie in the American way, but rather in our own leaders. As one of the readers said, We cannot just blame the USA for everything while your oppressive regimes in our own countries are supporting the US stance directly by selling them our countries oil and purchasing their products, and indirectly by silencing any voices that come against the USA or Israel.
Another reader said, I just wish that those angry demonstrations would leave the US and Western embassies and instead march to the luxurious palaces of those disgraceful Arab leaders.
It is true that the USA is assisting Israel, encouraging it to commit the massacres that we see and hear. But as another reader said, Before we fight the external enemy, we must fight those Arab leaders who are the enemy within. Those individuals are working their best to oppress their people and secure their selfish interests even if that means jeopardizing the Palestinian cause.
The problem is complex. Nevertheless, the solution is straightforward. We need to change our interior before we start changing the exterior.
The solution does not lie in convincing the USA to stop its support to Israel. It starts from forcing our leaders to support their nations demands. Our leaders are now in a critical situation. They should either fulfill their peoples demands, including cutting off all links with Israel and its supporters, or face long-term consequences of worsening conditions in the occupied territories. Many of those leaders are beginning to feel the danger of possible loss of power. One cannot rule out the possibilities of a second independence from the dictatorships of certain Arab leaderships.
Arab leaders may continue to take their negative stance towards what is happening in the Middle East. They may continue to oppress their people and eliminate whoever wants to bring change. But anger is mounting and change is coming.The threat for those leaders is growing by the day, and if they continue to let their people down and become a disgrace in our recent history, then they may well be ultimately removed.
If there is anything to thank Sharon for, then it would be for waking us up and opening our eyes to the reality that we have ignored for so long.We have been living under the rule of many Arab leaders who did not deserve to take charge of our countries. We have now found out that they are one of the reasons of our backwardness and vulnerability. We are now in a time when most Arab leaders have become a disgrace to our nations. This is after years of illusion, believing that they were our source of pride. Now we know they are not!

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