‘Other-Politic’ vs. Politocracy.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, November 11^th 2012.

Since a new building cannot be built and solidly stand upon the same old foundations of the demolished one, otherwise it would risk a dramatic collapse at the first soil tremors and eventually would seriously jeopardise valuable human lives and definitely would entail uncontrollable economic damage; then renovating, or should I say completely changing our lazy, fat, corrupt, colluded and incompetent political élite would necessarily require a young new movement of “Other-Politic”, not anti-politic, to make that sharp, swift and radical breach with the old “Mono-Politocracy”*.

And in order to do so, we need to understand, and adhere to, a fundamental necessity without which nothing of our hopes for “Freedom, Bread and Social Justice” could be achieved in any near future; on the contrary, we will be driven further back in time to live in decline and vanish from the evolution charts of humanity.

This most important fundamental necessity is our ‘Unity’ as one healthy body enjoying the same equal sense of citizenship.. Muslim or Copt, Black or White, Lower Egyptian or Upper Egyptian, Nubian or Bedouin, Farmer or Mason, Trader or Industrial, Dealer or Wheeler.. All must come second to our being proudly Egyptian Citizens equally protected by the same Constitution and governed by the same equal laws, enjoying the same rights and responsible for the same duties. Without such solid sense of unity and belonging to one single entity none of us will go further than his house threshold, and we will continue to depend on others instead of ourselves.

This fundamental comes first on top of our list of priorities, because it is the only measure that could allow a charismatic patriotic citizen to freely come forward and lead the way for the reforms required to establish a durable and stable democracy, in a representative constitutional republic.. If we are able to reach together  such an advanced stage of equal identity to form a “United Citizens Front”, regardless of whatever differential pressures that might drive us elsewhere; a common front based on the very simple elements of respect, co-existence, tolerance, comprehension, participation and complicity; then Egypt’s chances to deliver that kind of a leader is favourably more than average.. And to that person I will take the liberty to give the following simple hints:

ü  Smile.. leave the long faces and the menacing dents to remain the symptoms characterising all professional politicians who degraded our country for long into that kind of primitive and controversial savagery.

ü  Force.. The Mitterand type of “Gentle and Tranquil Force”.. A serene, self aware and reassuring force, never to adopt the aggressive, offensive and anguishing tones to express your movement’s force. Otherwise you risk the certainty to create a wall separating you, along with your movement, from potential sympathisers/voters.

ü  Media.. Be understanding to the role of the modern free media (newspapers and TV).. Their duty is to inform, and to do so they must ask questions.. Your duty is to rationally answers them.. And use all possible media mediums to increase your reach, knowing that most of the Egyptian population is poor and deprived from any free access to modern technologies (PC, Internet…etc).. But don’t allow your fellow activists to participate in what I call ‘The Yellow Talk-Shows’ that would ignite any provocation to guarantee their high ratings. Just remember the maximum slogan of Arthur Bloch: “Never argue with an idiot, people may not note the difference”.

ü  Web.. Being an interactive tool of communication, thus it is a fast convincing tool, and as such it must be used to its utmost limits.. Remember that its users, mostly young students and frustrated unemployed still living and/or depending on parents, consist the bulk of vote abstention, yet if convinced will bring along many others.

ü  Program.. Don’t let your movement’s statute program charter be similar to all programs of the failing Politocracies, whether they were the majority or the opposition, that in their most promising versions were just long skinny listings of good intentions, void of valid explanations of the “How” and “What Cost”, lacking important voices like the precise measures needed for the fight against economic criminality, the fight against organized criminality and the fight against corruption all of which are the first cause of the ‘ZERO GROWTH’ of Egypt. And voices like “Justice Reforms” to render it more functional, productive and remunerating.

ü  Candidates.. Young revolutionary figures are important and essential, but are they functional? They will definitely be extremely effective in Parliament, but not in Government.. Bear this in mind when presenting your candidates to your constituents. Obviously a clean clear white record is an imperative.

These are only part of what I can list further in that regard, yet in the end aren’t they exactly what our Prophet taught us and by which He founded the basis of the Nation??!! Anyhow it would be a blessing if we can only reach that far.

Pass On The Word.

*Mono-Politocracy: newly crafted lexicon in political terminology referring to a monopole created by lobbyists beneficiating from political careers and as such creating a closed clan of political élite similar to the medieval feudal aristocracy. 

Mathematics are not an opinion.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, November 10^th 2012.

In a report of the US State Department entitled “Democracy In Action” published in 2003, one can read this paragraph:

“In the wake of the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty in 1979. U.S. military aid to Egypt totals over $1.3 billion annually. In addition, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided over $25 billion in economic and development assistance to Egypt between 1975 and 2002. A shift in assistance from infrastructure, health, food supply, and agriculture toward market-based economic development, good governance, and training programs is reflected in the motto, "From Aid to Trade." The Commodity Import Program, through which USAID provides hundreds of millions of dollars in financing to enable the Egyptian private sector to import U.S. goods, remains one of the largest and most popular USAID programs. Since 2003, U.S. assistance is also focusing more on economic reform, education, civil society, and other programs supported by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)”.

So.. As arithmetic is not an opinion, then Egypt did receive, over a period of 32 years, some 41,6 billion US Dollars above another 25 Billion in economic and development assistance from USAID amounting the sum to 76,6 billion; apart from several multi billion dollars long term repeated loans or special loans with high or revised interest rates, that our ‘Governors’ knew well up front that Egypt cannot honour such a heavy burden.. A good figure indeed. But did all of that establish what it was meant for?

Let’s see..

Public Education, in the best case scenario, it continued its systematic catastrophic decline, while Private Education received all the merits.. Being connected to élite connections.

Food Supply is nothing but an improvised imports with no clear objective but speculations and quick gains for the very few well connected trade monopolising figures; while the needy segment of society must accept the lowest qualities of food products and out of date imports, that easily get customs clearance even though “Unfit For Human Consumption”!!

Agriculture?? We all know what Toshky means! And the long trail of bad seeds, hazardous pesticides and forbidden fertilisers were the main factors causing various cancer and other terminal deceases damaging our health and costing lots of money in terms of millions of lost working hours, and as well in terms of defective medical treatment and deteriorating medical facilities.. Except of course the very few lucky ones who can afford the private structures owned by fewer friends of connected friends accumulating wealth over fortunes, but out of which initial capital????..

Good Governance.. Indeed why else the January 25^th 2011 revolution burst out?? Certainly not because there is a Military General or a Police Officer on top of each governorate, each Public Sector Company, and in every Newspaper; whose task is anything else but governing or managing.. Just make the best money out of it, and if he’s caught? Better, he’ll be promoted as CEO of a bigger establishment to continue the corruption/corruptive cycle and close the circle.. And obviously it didn’t outburst because of the daily gentle humiliation in public service bureaucracies, or the kind torture and disrespect in the police stations by police officers!

And please don’t mention training or “Rehabilitative Apprenticeship for Mobilisation” to ease shifting careers as a measure to counter unemployment, because it simply doesn’t exist. (It is a non remunerative cost in any private business balance sheet).

If you’d mention the Armed Forces.. Then forget it.. It is a self sufficient institution with very special long term tight treaties with the Pentagon and the American Military Industrial Complex, therefore it is out of the equation. Of course it has devoured hundreds of billions of loans and aids, which of course we are paying along the rest of the package.

Infrastructure? Airports, with paid American Technical Assistance; Bridges, with paid European Enterprises; Subways, tunnels, bridges, and lots of other futile and useless projects aiming only at creating big industrial and construction monopolies to be well connected to the helm of the state, in its turn aggravates the gap widening between the Haves and the Have-Nots.

All the above can be easily summoned in a word: CORRUPTION.. 32 years of overwhelming corrupt system funnelling these enormous fortunes, along with its derives, into the pockets of very few selected individuals.. While reserving the interests bill to us.

As a result of all the above, today’s figures show that:

Ø  34.5% of the Egyptian able manpower is unemployed.

Ø  42% of the population is ignorant. Out of which 60% are females.

Ø  16% of the cultivated lands are irrigated by sewage waters.

Ø  Over 70% of the Egyptian Agro Expertise migrated either in urban centres to earn living as casuals handymen, or to the Petro-Dollar rich Gulf Countries to survive close to slaves, better than breaking the back all year long cultivating land for nothing.

But the most significant figure is the 2378,048US$ standing as the debt share per capita on the head of each Egyptian individual (including new births)! Cumulated from the loans/debts + long term interest rates and overdue penalties.

If you feel na…., and if you wonder where these amounts have gone, as I do; so the least you would do is to..

Pass On The Word.    

“Crisis Management & Situation Assessment”.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, November 8^th 2012.

Each modern government sponsors, and even engages, various types of expert bodies to analyse and assess different issues relevant to national security and socio-political interests. Those bodies are referred to as “Think Tanks”. They are very important for any administration, and their thesis are of vital necessity to the Button Rooms of any modern presidency.

Here is one of hundreds of such organs: ‘GLORIA’ the acronym for “Global Research for International Affairs”, a recognized panel of experts* holding seminars and meetings to funnel opinions into the Decision Making Centers in USA and Israel with regard to various issues of mutual interest to both countries.  

On April 6, 2006, the U.S. Department of State's International Information Programs in Washington D.C., the Public Affairs Office at the U.S. Embassy in Israel, and the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center jointly held an international videoconference seminar focusing on the current political and economic state of Egypt, the regime and opposition, and Egyptian foreign policy; setting emphasis on the recent legislation elections’ results giving the Muslim Brotherhood 70 seats in Parliament.

* PANEL PARTICIPANT BIOGRAPHIES

Dr. Israel Elad-Altman - is a Middle Eastern affairs analyst. He served in various positions in the Israeli government. He was also a lecturer at Tel Aviv University and a research fellow specializing in Middle Eastern issues, and Director of Studies at the Institute for Policy and Strategy, the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya.

Mr. Arie Gus - is a veteran "Kol Israel" (Israel State Radio) journalist, reporting on the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Arab Affairs. He reported and analyzed Middle East Affairs, hosting a weekly program, "The Middle East and Beyond." Upon retirement from Kol Israel in 2005, he became a Research Fellow at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya. He hosts a daily news hour on "All for Peace Radio," a joint Israeli-Palestinian radio station. Mr. Gus studied Arabic and Middle Eastern History at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

Prof. Barry Rubin - is Director of the Global Research for International Affairs Center (GLORIA) at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya. He is editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal and of Turkish Studies journal. Prof. Rubin has authored nearly twenty books on the region, including Islamic Fundamentalism in Egyptian Politics, The Tragedy of the Middle East, and The Long War for Freedom: The Arab Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East.

Ms. Ayellet Yehiav - is Director of Department at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Center for Political Research. A former spokesperson to the Israeli Embassy in Cairo (1998-2002), after working as an analyst specializing in Egypt and inter-Arab affairs in the CPA, since joining the MFA in 1995. A Haifa University M.A. graduate in Middle Eastern Studies, Ms.Yehiav's studies focused on Egypt, the Arab Press, and Contemporary Islam.

Ms. Amy Hawthorne - became the founding Director of the Hollings Center, a new NGO dedicated to dialogue between the United States and Muslim countries, in January 2006. She was previously at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she served as founding editor of the Arab Reform Bulletin. She holds a B.A. in History with honors from Yale University and an M.A. in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Cairo, and is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Ambassador Edward S. Walker, Jr. - has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Middle East Institute since 2001, following a distinguished diplomatic career which included: Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs (1999-2001), U.S. Ambassador to Israel (1997 99), the Arab Republic of Egypt (1994-97), and the United Arab Emirates (1989-92). He received a B.A. from Hamilton College and an M.A. from Boston University.

Today, I have chosen for you some meaningful excerpts from that debate, that I have no intention to comment as I think they are sufficiently self explanatory needing no further in depth analysis.. However, you can comment yourself.

>>>>><<<<< 

Ambassador Edward S. Walker, Jr.:

Absolutely critical here is the fact that there is such a large base of constituents for Mubarak and for the status quo that will resist change. the entire military and security structure could easily lose its privileges, its special treatment, its informal retirement benefits, and so on with a genuine democratic government and political reform.

There is also a huge bureaucracy which does not want to see major changes. In fact, they are happy to go along as they have been for the last 25 or 30 years. There are also many workers for state companies who would feel that change threatens them. I think the vast majority of people, particularly the ones that the government can round up to go to the polls, still will resist any significant democratic change in that country, and I think we're going to see a continuation of the status quo for some time to come.

Arie Gus:

the real problem of Egypt right now is the gap between the lack of government reforms after the elections and growing support for the reformers. In the economy there is a huge and growing gap between the haves and the have-nots

Ambassador Edward S. Walker, Jr.:

Egyptians spoke of their intensifying frustration about the deterioration of their standard of living and quality of life, A second point is there are growing sectarian tensions

Prof. Barry Rubin:

Egypt will have economic reforms but no political change.

Dr. Israel Elad-Altman:

The Muslim Brotherhood tends to accommodate as many views as possible in order to widen its public appeal. But if al-Azhar radicalizes, and the movement is attacked from the right--from al- Qa'ida and similar trends--on the ground that it is too moderate, cooperating too much with the authorities--it could be constrained to adopt more radical positions. So if the economic situation is not improving, and if the religious milieu continues to radicalize, then the Brotherhood could be more radical than it is now.

The Brotherhood is a very hierarchal organization, and it has a state-like structure, in which the older generation represents the traditional approach of focusing on da'wa and on proselytizing, and is reserved about attacking the regime, collaborating with other parties, etc.

the second generation much more willing to say, "We are already beyond the stage of da'wa, we are already in the stage of politics, we should move and start cooperating with other parties, we should attack the regime on special issues." An outspoken figure in the "second generation" group of leaders is Abd al-Mun'im Abu al-Futuh. He is the one who a year ago organized the Brotherhood's alliance with other opposition groups to boycott the presidential elections. Eventually what happened was that the regime arrested 3,000 members. The deal was that if the government released the members, the Brotherhood would not boycott the elections. This is what eventually happened.

Amy Hawthorne:

One of the more interesting developments in Egypt are these new non-Islamist, I would even say to a certain extent liberal, media outlets--al-Masry al-Yowm being the most interesting. These reach only a very small elite audience, but that audience is growing, and they are a very new platform that didn't exist before for expressing critiques of the status quo, The second is the judges, the so-called judicial independence movement. They did not succeed in convincing the regime to agree to their demands for the elections and they have not yet achieved a new judicial independence law. But what they have been able to do is begin to link long-standing demands for reforms within the judiciary with a broader political agenda shared by many people within the Brotherhood and other opposition groups as well as among civil society.

They have a constituency within the judiciary, support of different opposition groups within Egypt, and the sympathy of the public. They have passive support, but can they actually turn themselves into a political force?

The legal or "secular" opposition parties are a product of the environment in which they exist. The fact that they have existed in a very repressive environment for a long time has absolutely affected their internal organizational structure in a very negative way. It has made their leadership often more interested in maintaining good relations with the regime, receiving favors and patronage from it, and manipulating their position for their own benefit, than with building their party as a true opposition force. These are not real political parties in the sense that they exist in democracies. They serve a different purpose.

Dr. Israel Elad-Altman:

About the parties, one shouldn't be mistaken, the significance of the small civilian secular parties is not in how many supporters they have, or organizational branches, but in their "soft power" outside Egypt, because what plays in Egyptian politics is not only Egyptian parties, but the outside constituencies, the Washington constituency, for example.

The concept of focusing on enabling or empowering the Islamists to take power is not going to solve the problems very soon, and there is a need to solve problems such as the economic and gap problem very soon. Maybe the direction should be to try to explain to the new economic leadership, the people around Gamal, all of his ministers trained in America, that there should be a better way to spread wealth, to let wealth filter

much wider and much lower than so far. Privatization does not create many more new businesses; it creates a very small number of huge businesses.

This is going to bring more advantages than waiting for the Islamists to take over and for them to decide which way they are going to go.

Edward S. Walker, Jr.:

If we are looking at Egyptian foreign policy, it seems to me that they have two primary focuses, quite different, and in some ways contrary to one another. The first focus is the United States. The Egyptian economy, Egyptian military assistance--the long-term relationship with the United States is very important to the leadership, important to Mubarak, very important to the military.

The second is that Egypt is expected to be a leader in the Arab and non-aligned worlds. People's memories go back to the Nasser period.

The third is that they are going to be careful about how they manage the Palestinian issue, because it is a very popular issue in Egypt. However, the U.S. military is a major advocate for Egypt because of its importance for our logistic supply line to the Gulf, Iraq, and so on.

So I think we are going to see a continuation of this kind of pulling and tugging with the United States, frustration on both sides with each other's behavior, but a marriage which neither can afford, at this point in history, to break, because we both gain from that marriage.

Barry Rubin:

I think we really need serious rethinking of our view of Egypt in foreign policy. I have to say that in real terms I think that the U.S. angle is more important than the Arab leadership angle.

role in the Arab world and region is in deep decline. Moreover, the next leader is going to be someone with less international experience and Arab world presence. So Egypt may want to keep the United States happy but it does so by rendering lip service on several issues while showing its domestic audience that it is standing up to America and even using anti-Americanism to mobilize support for itself.

What is the Egyptian role on Iraq? Virtually nothing. What is the Egyptian position on Iran? It is of no real importance. What is the Egyptian position in having any real influence on Syria, on Lebanon, on the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, the Egyptian relationship with Saudi Arabia, and even on the Palestinians? These are things which aren't really very important and don't have much effect on events, although the image of Egypt as Arab leader may still exist. We have to pull ourselves out of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, and say things are very different. We know Egyptian ambitions are less; the Egyptians are a bit fed up with what they feel to be other Arabs' ingratitude. They may want to think of themselves as Arab leaders but they are not ready to pay a real price for such a status.

Egypt has a generally good relationship with the United States and gets benefits from that relationship. The regime blames all its shortcomings on imperialism, Zionism, the West, and the United States and uses that to build domestic support. Egyptian textbooks still claim that the American Air Force attacked Egypt in 1967. Egypt plays this game very well. They really get away with it with virtually no cost in terms of U.S. or Western relations and to a large extent—not completely--their audience still accepts it. It is a brilliant, well- handled maneuver. But in practical terms, therefore in policy in the Middle East is just not very important, it is not going to have a big impact.

If we look at the Palestinian issue, We will continue to read articles about Egypt attempting to influence Hamas, work out a ceasefire, but in practical terms I think the Egyptian role is pretty close to zero.

Obviously domestic and economic issues, internal stability, dealing with the opposition, dealing with the United States, these are all the issues that occupy Egyptian leaders and I think this is even going to be truer in the future. So whatever pretense is going on, let us see that as a secondary and not as main substance.

>>>>><<<<< 

Just two considerations to ponder about:

1.      It took place almost five years before the January 25^th 2011 revolution, and

2.      Five out of six participants are Jews.

Pass On The Word.

The above highlights are chosen from the “Panel Discussion” treating ‘The Future of Egypt’ that was Published by the GLORIA Center, on The Middle East Review of International Affairs – MERIA - (vol.10, No.2, Article 3 – June 2006).

Don’t Forget: the Master’s Will is Our Mandate.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, November 5^th 2012.

I doubt that a single person embracing Islam, regardless of his or her level of belief, practice or even disbelief; doesn’t know, or haven’t even heard about, the last sermon of Prophet Mohammad (may prayers, peace and benedictions be on him). The Sermon by which He did synthesise the Islamic Doctrine in very few lines meant to be His will to the entire human race until the Judgment day. However I am sure that most of us have forgotten the contents of that address which doesn’t exceed a simple half of a single A4 page.

That is why I am bringing the translation of that Sermon as a reminder.. A reminder that we have become so stupid as to complicate what was/is meant to be very simple.. A reminder that we have become more ignorant than our illiterate forefathers.. A reminder that we blew our progressive united brotherhood turning it into an eternal dividing regressive nemesis.. A reminder of our blunt hypocrisy of saying other than what we’re doing. Even worse, just saying and not doing anything at all.

Read it yourself, teach it to your children, pass it to your neighbours, to your friends, and remind the Imam in the Mosque near home of his duty to urge the worshipers to fulfil our prophets last request to ALL of us, “All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly”.

On the 9^th of the month of Thul Hejjah of the 10^th year of the Hijrah, in the valley of Uranah at the slope of Mount Arafat, our Master and Teacher delivered this last sermon as his will to humanity:

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I don't know whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (Interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep .You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequality. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest.

Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabiah ibn al-Harithiah.

O men! The unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to prohibit what Allah has made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve in number. Four of them are holy, they are successive, except one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban [meaning Rajab].

Beware of Satan, for your safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have right over you. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship ALLAH, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a White has no superiority over a Black nor does a Black have any superiority over a White except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly.

Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand my words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QUR'AN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. BE MY WITNESS O ALLAH THAT I HAVE CONVEYED YOUR MESSAGE TO YOUR PEOPLE."

Once we will succeed to abide by His will, or at least part of it, we should honestly remind ourselves every single morning that we are destined to die.. Whoever is born has to die someday.. So isn’t that valid enough to wake us up and invite us to reunite once more.

Maybe this could be the only good deed to leave behind for generations to come; instead of the long trails of hate, hurt and blood we are inflicting every day among ourselves.. As if we deliberately wish to deepen, and widen, the gap separating and dividing our wretched existence into the actual shabby scattered tribal fragments.. Like crumbs destined to the darkness of amnesia at the bottom of the waste bin of Human History.

Pass On The Word.     

In the name of the Sovereign People rise a Federal Republic.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, November 04^th 2012.

Our major handicap is superficiality.. Having abdicated our brains for a long time, we lost that critical sense which allow us to analyse, chose, and decide.. That's why we still shout at each other instead of talk.. We offend instead of argue.. We hurt instead of heal.. What are we doing to ourselves? Or should I say what are we letting others to do to us?

Lots of cultural and economic factors determine the impatience to hear the ‘other’ or the intolerance to accept him. These factors induce primitive superficial egos to adopt old tribal slogans like: “Who’s not with me is definitely against me”.. or “if you don’t agree you’re my enemy”!!

The most effective factor is ‘Social Frustration’ deriving straight from poverty, lack of opportunities, unemployment, injustice, or simply mere ignorance and plain incompetence; that if/when cleverly manipulated and blown-out would generate rebellions, unrests, chaos and revolutions.. That’s how Secret Services, and sometimes even local opposition groups, could trigger political unrests and overthrow governments.

Having said that, let me draw your attention to a statement I dug out from the minutes of NATO’s Defence Ministers extraordinary meeting in Brussels regarding the Libyan Revolution, following two weeks of its outburst; a statement which I believe is the key to unlock the closed door (signed Free World) behind which the ‘Colonial Powers’ hid for long; whereas the French Defence Secretary invited the participants to endorse “…urgent Humanitarian Aids, large financing and generous logistic supplies in support of a population in need of freedom, self determination and longing for a ‘Democratic Federation’.”!

The term ‘Democratic Federation’ means nothing else then the plan to divide Libya was already there!! Same way as they did to the Balkans some two decades ago, or Sudan and Iraq.. Equal fate awaits other nations like Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and maybe even Egypt.

How easy it could be? Very easy and even little costly.. But in the end, who cares about cost, the Libyan oil will settle the bill (isn’t it settling the accumulated debts from Three Gulf Wars??!!).. So, dividing Libya needs:

1.      To magnify the people’s grievances through a hammering media campaign,

2.      Use tribal rivalries to propose the idea of separatism,

3.      Convince the oil rich areas younger population that it is theirs’ and no one else should share its revenues or benefits,

4.      Provide arms and training to all fighting ethnic and religious fractions in order to submerge the country into an abyss of pure chaos.

All this, and while NATO’s bombardment demolishes the country’s fragile infra-structures, will enable foreign (and domestic as well) interests to dismantle the revolution’s objectives, and to seed the ‘appropriate’ government, that in its turn and in time will concede to the Federation Plan, only purpose of which is to divide Libya into three provinces same as it was in a far away history. But above all to mortgage its oil reserves for the benefit of NATO’s Big Financial Institutions.

The unconditional obedience to the tribe/clan/cult leader that still controls our dominant agro-nomad culture (the father, the older brother, the mayor, the omda, the imam, the priest, the teacher, the guru, the employer, or in many cases the Emir of the so called Jihadist Cell) explains that superficial and emotional approach to all issues of our lives is the one and only reason for all our failures.

I wonder when we will regain our critical sense and start reasoning..

I didn’t forget that the first word the Archangel Gabriel taught The Prophet was ‘IQRA’..

And you?

Pass On The Word.