Failure of Arab Society


Figure 1.--.

The Arabs today encompass a vast swath of territory from Iraq in the heart of the Middle East west to Morocco on the Atlantic coast. From the very beginning of the conflict between Palestinians and Isrealis, the Arab states without exception made the struggle a pan-Arab struggle with Israel. This raises the question of why such a large grouping of countries backed for a time with large quantities of Soviet arms have not been able to destroy tiny Israel. American diplomat Henry Kissenger succiently stated the question during secret talks with Iraqi diplomats in 1975. Kissenger said rather cinically, "We can't negotiate about the existence of Israel, but we can reduce its size to historical proportions. I don't agree that Israel is a permanent threat. How can a nation of three million be a permanent threat? They have a technical advantage now. But it is inconceivable that peoples with wealth and skill and the tradition of the Arabs won't develop the capacity that is needed. So I think in ten to fifteen years, Israel will be like Lebanon—struggling for existence, with no influence in the Arab world." [Stein] Kissenger was wrong about Israel's future. The question he poses, however, is very important. Why have the Arab states which mostly achieved their independence after World War I or World War II been such failures. The inability to destroy Israel is the most publicized failure. The more fundamental failure has been their inability to provide a decent living standard to their people. The only exception here has been the oil states. For years the Arabs blamed their failure on Ottoman rule. Thean for a brief time they blamed European colonialism. But most Arab states have been independent for more than 50 years. Why have they failed to participate in the global economic boom. Ironically while the Arabs who complain loudly about European colonialism, attempr in large numbers to emigrate to Europe, legally and illegally, because there is so little economic opportunity in their now independent homelands.

The Arab States

The Arabs today encompass a vast swath of territory from Iraq in the heart of the Middle East west to Morocco on the Atlantic coast.

Isreali-Palestinian Conflict

From the very beginning of the conflict between Palestinians and Isrealis, the Arab states without exception made the struggle a pan-Arab struggle with Israel. When Israel declared independence, a coalition of Arab armies invaded Israel (1948). And even those Arab countries not participating in the actual invasion, contributed a range of material and diplomatic support to the Palestinians. And this has continued throughout the conlflict. Only Egypt and Jordan have signed peace treaties with Israel and even in these countries, public opinion is very anti-Israel. The Isreali-Palestinian conflict has remained a Isreali-Arab conflict. And in recent years the Islamic extremists have to the forefront of the conflict.

Failure to Destroy Israel

This raises the question of why such a large grouping of countries backed for a time with large quantities of Soviet arms have not been able to destroy tiny Israel. American diplomat Henry Kissenger succiently stated the question during secret talks with Iraqi diplomats in 1975. Kissenger said rather cinically, "We can't negotiate about the existence of Israel, but we can reduce its size to historical proportions. I don't agree that Israel is a permanent threat. How can a nation of three million be a permanent threat? They have a technical advantage now. But it is inconceivable that peoples with wealth and skill and the tradition of the Arabs won't develop the capacity that is needed. So I think in ten to fifteen years, Israel will be like Lebanon—struggling for existence, with no influence in the Arab world." [Stein]

Impact of the Wars With Israel

Some Arab commentators blane the wars with Israel for the failure of the Arab world to develop modern economies. This is often accompsied with a criticism of Israel which most Arabs hold responsible for the conflict. One Egyptian commentator notes that the two Arab countries which made peace with Israel (Egypt and Jordan) has not enabled yhose countries to address their deep-seated problems. "You might think society would have evolved differently in the two countries thatvhave peace treaties with Israel--Egypt and Jordan--or that their treaties have rendered conflict out of thecquestion.Think again. Has Egypt or Jordan logged better records on human ruights or political freedoms because of those treaties? Has development or progress taken the place of war? Ask the thousands of political prisoners and the silenced dissidents of both countries." [Eltahawy] The lacl of economic progress is also notable.

Failed States

Kissenger was wrong about Israel's future. The question he poses, however, is very important. Why have the Arab states which mostly achieved their independence after World War I or World War II been such failures. The inability to destroy Israel is the most publicized failure. The more fundamental failure has been their inability to provide a decent living standard to their people. The only exception here has been the oil states.

Measuring Failed States

Some Arab readers have complained about labeling their countries failed states. Even in the Arab media, however, there is considerable criticism of Aran goverments. Our readers raise a fair question. How does one define a failed state and society. We need to estanlish metrics here so that we can fairly assess failed and successful states. Here the Arabs present a special problem. Several Arab states (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kiwait, and the Guld emirates) are endowed with vast quantities of oil. As a result of this oil these countries are able to finance a high standard of living. Our assessment of state failure relies heavily on living standards, but they are not the only metrics involved. Paricularly important here is measurable indicators so that an assessment can be made free of idelogical and theocratic beliefs. Even this is complicated, however, because a number of Arab states are such failures that they do not have reliable statistical systems which can provide us reliable statistics. We would suggest a range of factors, including ecomonic productivity, prosperity (percapita income), public health (infant mortality, longevity, sanitation, nutrition, etc.), education (literacy, school attendence--inclufing girls), political democracy, civil liberties (especially free speech), religious freedom, artistic achievement, transportation network (paved roads, mass transit, ect.), communications (telephones per capita, access to the internet, ect), and number of books published, These are some of the major indicators that we would look at in assessing countries and in ranking advanced and backward countries. A country that consistently ranks low in these areas might fairly be called a failed state.

Making Excuses

For years the Arabs blamed their failure on Ottoman rule. Thean for a brief time they blamed European colonialism. But most Arab states have been independent for more than 50 years. Why have they failed to participate in the global economic boom. The Arabs have consistently failed to undersand that economic and social development is based on the Western combination of free trade, democratic institutions, and free minds. The Arabs have consistently rejected these basic principles of the Western liberalism. Rather they have consistently turned to totalitarian, authoritarian approaches. Many Arabs during the 1930s and Workd War II era were attracted by the NAZIs. This was the framework in which the Bath was created. After World War II there was an attraction with Soviet supported Arab socialism. And now the old traditional totalitarian approach of theocracy. As with all totalitarian regimes, any problems in societies are blamed on the outside world. At first it was European colonialism. Ironically while the Arabs who complain loudly about European colonialism, attempt in large numbers to emigrate to Europe, legally and illegally, because there is so little economic opportunity in their now independent homelands. As the era of European colonialism is gone and the problems in the Arab and wider Muslim world continue, new culprits must be found. Arab leaders have proven incapable of solving problems. They have proven very adeoit at making excuses. The best example is President Nasser's excuse as to why Isreal defeated the much larger and well equipped Egyptian military in the Six Days War (1967), the American joined in on the air strikes. It was a lie, but an effective one. It was widely accepted by Egyptians and the wider Arab world. Since then the tendency is to blame problems on America and the Jews.

Sources

Eltahawy, Mona. "What use were all the wars, " The Washington Post (June 28, 2007), P. A19. Eltahawy is an Egytian commentator living in Germany.

Stein, Kennrth W. Preface to "Henry Kissinger to Iraq in 1975: "We Can Reduce Israel's Size," Middle East Quarterly (Fall 2006).





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Created: 5:23 PM 7/27/2007
Last updated: 5:23 PM 7/27/2007