Of Saudi Prince, Obama, Osama & Robin Hood

What is common between Saudi and Chinese officials/leaders? Whenever they speak be prepared to leave a lot of room for interpretations. So let’s see what it means when Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal (the long-time director general of Saudi Arabia’s intelligence service, the Al Mukhabarat Al Aamah, and the Saudi ambassador to the US) finds similarities between Osama bin-Laden and Robin Hood, a hero in English folklore.

In an article in the Oped page of the Christian Science Monitor, Prince Turki says that merely disabling Osama bin Laden is not enough, as some suggest. “He (Osama bin-Laden) has become not only the symbol of opposition to the world order, in general, and the US, in particular, but he is looked upon by disaffected youth – and not just Muslims – as the indomitable, untouchable, and indestructible Robin Hood.

“Even if he did not organize and execute terrorist acts, the fact that he survives, every day, reinforces that appeal and adds to his charisma.” But in the same breath, the Prince adds that “bringing him to account is a necessity, not a choice, whether by capture or by death.”

Is the Prince’s assertion a warning that the capture/killing of the nightmare incarnate of the American establishment would engulf the Muslim and rest of the world in flames? Was the second part of the statement of “bringing him to account” just to clarify that Osama is not a Robin Hood for the Saudi establishment?

Interestingly, Osama bin Laden was the hero in the eyes of both Saudi and American establishment when he took on the might of the Soviet establishment in Afghanistan. While the rulers have changed their perception, Osama’s role has not been forgotten by the Arab/Muslim world.

Let us not forget that Saudi princely order, like the Americans, have used him and then treated him with real contempt until he became a formidable adversary, and a living legend, not only in the Muslim but the entire world.

Even if one decides to recall only the worst aspects of Osama, it is difficult to forget that the American administration under G. W. Bush conducted the domestic and foreign policies in highly questionable manner that has endangered world peace and economy. If Osama bin Laden “must be brought to justice” then the former president G.W. Bush also be held accountable for starting an unending “war on terror” that has hurt and killed millions of innocent people.

Read the Saudi Prince’s full article here…

Unfortunately, like many Americans of this century, the Arabs too believe in “revenge”. Many hurt feelings could be assuaged if legal proceedings were started against former president Bush and his cronies. This is happening in Pakistan where the darling dictator of Bush/America has been charged with the murder of charismatic Baloch leader. See here…

In an earlier post, I had quoted: “British-educated Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was in his 80s and had played a major role in the politics of Balochistan for five decades, was relatively a late entrant to the cause of Baloch nationalism and till his recent falling out with the Pakistani establishment; he had been one of the pillars of Pakistani government in the region.

“He was not only the first Baloch to be nominated to the Pakistani cabinet, but also a former chief minister of the province. He had also been the governor of the province and Islamabad’s point man during the last major conflagration in Balochistan from 1973 to 1979.”

Musharraf had issued open threats to Bugti, and then allegedly ordered an air assault on him. His then mentor in the White House must have nodded his approval because the the latter was doing similar, or worse, things elsewhere. By ordering a trial against Musharraf, a democratic Pakistan has shown its has more open and democratic society. While The US administration drags its feet in scrutinizing the glaring acts of omission and commission, some outright criminal, of its former president.

More here….

I wrote another post on the killing…Read here…

In conclusion, one would like to see an end to the double talk if president Barack Obama wishes to make a positive beginning in this highly complicated scenario. One can’t talk of the condition of people/women/democracy, etc., in Afghanistan/Iraq without bringing into discussion the political/cultural/society issues that exist in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the world.

It is good that the new American president is trying to establish the credibility of US establishment which simply evaporated under previous administration. But half of his mission would be completed if he can find a cure for the schizophrenia that continues to afflict the US administration even in the post-Bush era. Finally, diplomacy needs to take precedence over military arm flexing.