Time to establish a Christian Arabic State in the Middle East - 2

I now want to explain why American politicians don't seem to care about the plight of Christian Arabs. In our system, politicians don't act on any issue unless there is adequate pressure and lobbying to force them to. Christian Arabs to my knowledge have no centralized organization that speaks on their behalf. There is no one lobbying on their behalf with the exception of a few voices from religious corners. There is no large voting constituency that politicians need to be concerned about. Christian-Arabs in America lack organizational, financial and political might. The Arab-American institute run by James Zogby is an organization that is mostly funded by Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia and the emirate states. Even though it is run mostly by Christian Arabs of Lebanese descent, the organizations tends not to rock the boat on the status quo. You will not see James Zogby criticizing Saudi Arabia human rights record or religious freedom record. In fact, where does the Arab-American Institute stand on Christians being ethnically cleansed and oppressed in practically all of the Arab states? Another challenge is identity. Many Christian Arabs identify more with their country of origin than their religion. Christian Egyptians, Christian Lebanese, Christian Syrian, Christian Iraqi's or Christian Palestinian all put their nationality above their religion in terms of identity. This cannot continue and it has to change in order to create a new reality in the Middle East. You can't create a new reality without first creating a new way of thinking. Currently there is no such thing as the " Christian-Arab people". To create such a people and a new way of thinking, it requires an ideology that can speak to their highest aspirations. A good idea is mightier than a sword they say and history proves it to be true. Christian-Arabs can only look forward to either continue living as second-class citizens or in the worst case scenario, which I argue is unfolding now, become extinct in their own lands. Not unlike what early Jewish Zionists had to do, basically carve a "Jewish people" out of the Jewish diaspora, Christian Arabs need to follow that example. Jews came from different parts of the world and they spoke different languages. Arab-Christians need to start thinking about establishing a state of their own. Christian Arabs have a similar language, religion, geography and culture. On paper this should be easier to pull off than Zionism. Nevertheless, it is an undertaking of biblical proportion to gather all the Christian-Arabs and create a state of their own in that tinder box called the Middle East.

Time to establish a Christian Arabic State in the Middle East

The stories of immeasurable horror continue to pour in. Christians all across the Middle East are facing an existential threat that can no longer be ignored. They are being ethnically cleansed from Iraq and Syria and oppressed and threatened all across the Middle East. For too long, the plight of Christian Arabs has gone completely under the radar from any political discourse in this country and it begs the question as to why? I have my theory but not sure I can completely understand why Christian loving Americans don't express the same passion about protecting Christians as they do about Jews in that region? Let me back up and start with answering why the media ignores Christians in the Arab world. Then I will explore why American politicians don't express support for Christians in the Arab world. Finally, get to the question why American religious groups are not as passionate at protecting Christians as they are about protecting the Jews in Israel. I should point out, it should not be mutually exclusive. Wanting to see Israel secure and wanting to see Christians secure is not a case of one or the other. Both groups deserve to enjoy security, peace and prosperity. I have always believed that the media ignores the plight of Christians in the Arab world because it best serves the Israeli narrative. Which is in simple terms, David versus Goliath. The small tiny Jewish state facing the large "uncivilized", "backward", "non-western" Muslim hordes of the Arab world. To inject Christians into this narrative would not serve Israeli interest. Why complicate matters when it's so much easier to show the "other" as being homogeneous. This tactic is not new when it comes to having an effective propaganda campaign. During the heat of the battle, always the case, the "enemy" is viewed in the most narrowest stereotypical fashion. A few examples would be showing all Indians as "savages" or all Germans as Nazi's or all Russians as "Commies". Again, this is not new but unfortunately for the Christian Arabs they have become casualties of this propaganda war. I will continue to focus on this topic more in depth in the days and months ahead as time permits. This blog started back in 2007 and there is no doubt my views have shifted over time. I had to expand my thinking - to think beyond the norm - as unfortunately reality intruded into my way of thinking. In that, the Palestinian struggle cannot be detached from the bigger plight of other oppressed and tormented Arabs - who find their oppressors and tormentors to be other Arabs. Therefore, I now view the Palestinian/Israeli conflict through a different prism and new reality. The collapse of the remaining secular Arab states - Iraq under Saddam, Syria under Assad and Libya under Qaddafi - and the rise of Islamic extremism - and the creation of the Islamic State - forced me to rethink everything on the Palestinian issue. It is clear, Christians are the endangered species in this shifting new world order.

What needs to be discussed regarding ISIS

Much has been talked about regarding the ISIS phenomena but I argue not enough focus has been on the true culprits behind this scourge. What you are seeing in the Arab world is nothing short of a meltdown of biblical proportion. All the conflicts across the Middle East - putting aside the Palestinian/Israeli issue - is a reflection on what exactly? Clearly, a toxic mix of religion and extremism is what we see on the news - but what is truly happening? Unfortunately, the media fails to explain the context, instead they do the body count routine, present the gore and mayhem, give the simplistic explanation that "Islamic extremism" is all you need to know about the mayhem in that region. Let us say you see someone under 18 misbehaving, even committing criminal acts and in that scenario who is to blame for such anti-social behavior? You obviously hold the parents responsible. The parents are responsible for raising a kid who doesn't engage in criminal activities or in any kind of delinquent behavior. Therefore, why is it we absolve the governments where these ISIS fanatics come from? The reason is many of these fanatics come from countries that are allied with the US. Why after 911 we didn't punish the Saudi regime considering how all the hijackers were Saudi citizens? What needs to be said about all the Arab countries is that they are failed states. And as a result, such dysfunction produces all kind of maladies. One is religious extremism. This extremism grew in a cesspool that is Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Arab emirates, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and the list goes on - where governments are aristocratic/dictatorial. These governments failed miserably to educate their people, to provide jobs, to provide a better life and the list is endless how these governments failed in every measure possible. They run these countries like their own personal slave plantations. Anyone who dares to question their rule is met with prison or death. There is no freedom of expression or freedoms of any kind regarding political activity. The situation is dire for many. This is the context, not an excuse for the fanaticism or the violence. In order to win this battle against extremism, one has to understand where it comes from. The right believes more bombings or military force - including ground forces - is what is needed to defeat ISIS. Such action will only add more recruits to ISIS not defeat it. Our focus should be on these governments. We need to stop propping up these wretched regimes. That means letting these fanatics get their pound of flesh. This process has been brewing for a generation and our involvement in that region has only slightly delayed the inevitable. We don't need the oil from that part of the world as we have become oil independent. So what is the excuse now? Why be the ones siding with kings, emirs, sheiks, and dictators? We need to pull out completely from that region and let these people work out their differences. Those who say if we leave now the region will only implode need to be reminded that the implosion has already happened. We need to stop meddling and let these fanatics and those people who are unhappy with their situation direct their anger at their own governments rather than us becoming a punching bag or a distraction conveniently propped up by these corrupt regimes to avoid any accountability.

Will Iran and the P-5 come to an agreement?

It is hard to believe that a deal can be be reached considering the many forces working hard to scuttle any attempt of normalizing relations with Iran. Israel and their apologists in this country are a formidable force that I'm sure President Obama will easily attest to. The idea that Iran can be allowed to enrich uranium of any scope, have sanctions lifted against it and allowed to re-join the international community as a legitimate regional power is something that I'm sure keeps many in Israel and many governments in the Arab world very nervous. The Saudi's, Egyptians and Jordanians and those sheikdoms in the emirates benefited greatly from the status quo. These regimes - monarchs and dictatorships - have usurped all the power and maintained their grip over their people by brute force. Of course, this all happened with the help and direct involvement of the United States. The world order that was carved out of the ruins after World War 1 is in serious jeopardy of imploding. The map of the Middle East that was drawn by the British and French and maintained by the Americans since 1945 today faces real challenges of being redrawn. This struggle between Sunni and Shiite is one layer of the divide. The other of course is the struggle of the Sunni's against Western imperialism and the 1917 Sykes-Picot Agreement that established the borders we see today. This includes rejection of the creation of Israel but what is interesting, the Palestinian and Israeli conflict is truly taking a back seat to a much bigger historical tsunami converging on the region. to be continued......

Bibi versus Obama

Hard to know if current political intrigue in Washington between Obama and Bibi will produce anything more than hot air time. Can there be a storm brewing, be it perfect or not, but is this a historic moment that will result in a diplomatic breakthrough for the hapless Palestinians? Will Obama use the UN hammer against Israel? On Iran, it appears he is doing just that - going to the UN supposedly to get their blessings on the Iran and P-5 agreement. Will Obama do the same with the Palestinian issue - push it through the UN - bind Israel to a timetable to end occupation? I think such a deadline will be a blow for Israel more than any form of recognition of Palestinian statehood. Stay tuned.

Netanyahu to speak before Congress

I can't help but be amused by it all. This undoubtedly might prove costly for Israel if Obama decides to play hardball. I'm watching to see how this plays out in the press. This story has many fascinating layers of politics and religion. I love how Christian Zionists in this country and the Fox media machine are portraying Obama as a Muslim sympathizer and this explains his perceived "hostility" towards Israel. It's laughable Obama has been anything less than a puppet on a string for AIPAC but don't let facts get in the way of slimy politics.