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.
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.
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.