Thursday, August 10, 2006

Opening American Minds

Here is my attempt to open American minds. The following is an op-ed piece that I wrote which appeared in the local newspaper. It is personal and emphasizes the humanitarian aspects of the conflict but still effectively gets across the magnitude of the disaster in Lebanon. Most people in the U.S. have no concept of the asymmetry of this conflict. From past experience, writing anything that is perceived as confrontational just creates a torrent of indignant and angry letters. The way this is written leaves no room for anyone but the most rabid Israeli supporter to bitch.


(August 8, 2006) — Last Christmas my family was reunited in Beirut, bringing siblings scattered on four continents together for the first time in a decade.

One memorable day, we rented a bus, filled it with three generations of our extended family and drove up the Beirut-Damascus highway to Baalbek, the site of the spectacular Roman temple of Jupiter. We drove up the mountains across a brand new viaduct bridging a deep gorge, to a snow-covered mountain pass where the kids had a snowball fight and finally down to the fertile Bekaa valley and Baalbek. That evening we returned to Beirut, descending back to the coast just as the sun set over the Mediterranean.

For the past 16 years since the end of the civil war, the Lebanese have painstakingly rebuilt their country into the vibrant, cosmopolitan society it once was. There was a sense of regained independence with the departure of the Israeli troops from the south in 2000 and Syrian troops in 2005. Many difficult problems remained but there was a tremendous sense of optimism and hope. Foreign investments were rising dramatically, and tourism, once a vital part of the economy, was flourishing. Tens of thousands of expatriate Lebanese were returning every summer to reconnect with their roots, but more importantly to connect their foreign-born children to their family and heritage.

It is this sense that Lebanon was almost back to normalcy from the dark years of conflict that makes the events of the last three weeks all the more heartbreaking to the Lebanese and all who care about Lebanon. The beautiful viaduct we drove across is destroyed, the Beirut-Damascus highway rendered impassable and the town of Baalbek bombed. A section of Beirut has been flattened, as have numerous villages. Some 60 miles of Lebanon's coast is now covered with a thick layer of oil after the Israeli air force bombed a coastal power plant's oil tanks.
The human cost for this country of 4 million has been devastating: at least 850 dead, 3,200 injured and more than 900,000 displaced. My extended family is safe but scattered. My in-laws left Beirut for the relative safety of the mountains. My sister-in-law and her young children managed to leave but my brother remains in Beirut.

Conditions across the country are dire. Electricity is severely rationed, and fuel is scarce.These are difficult times for us. Emotions vacillate between fear for the safety of loved ones, anger at the senseless destruction of the country, guilt for being out of harm's way and frustration at not being able to help. It is the sense of despair at seeing history repeat itself.

No one, Israeli or Arab, seems to have learned the lessons of history. No one ever wins in such confrontations, everyone loses, some much more than others.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mainstream public doesn't support your cause, and stays behind Israel in this fight.
It's not because they like Israel, it's because they don't like YOU.
After the 9/11, Madrid, 7/7, france riots, danish cartoons, Bombay, etc., muslim "reputation" in general, and arab's in particular, are at the lowest level with everybody, with the exception of "fringe left".

Solomon2 said...

Non sequitur. Lebanon's developing "normalcy" had nothing to do with Israel's response to Hezbollah attacks, though it may have had a lot to do with Hezbollah attacking in the first place - the more "normal" Lebanon gets, the less the perceived need for an armed Hezbollah in Lebanese minds.

Israel knows the lesson of history: they must fight against those who are armed and vow its destruction, lest they be destroyed themselves. And because Hezbollah likes to build civilian structures above military facilities, civilian damage and deaths are all but assured.

That was Hezbollah's plan, of course. Had they isolated their military facilities from the civilian ones, the lack of civilian casualties wouldn't generate any outrage against Israel and would highlight the fact that an armed Hezbollah is an annoyance.

Nasrallah is a sensitive man and understood that Lebanese would fall for his trick. What will it take to open your mind to the fact that you've been had?

Anonymous said...

Excellent post .. most 'mainstream ' - are under the delusion that 'history' started on July 12.. as long as there is this mindset .. only more killing will continue ..

People seem to think that only if 'enough' & 'more' are killed - all problems will be solved ..

That is America's foreign policy & Israels .. what to do ..???

never thinking about consequences - just like Iraq .. no one even asking .. what will the consequences be ... shortsigted and deadly ..

This type of thinking will only create more calamity .. . everywhere .. All must take responsiblity ... I read this late last night .. to me .. it says it all ....

http://www3.metrowestdailynews.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=137580&format=&page=2

Anonymous said...

Abu Kareem, Beautiful peace, even though most of it describes misery and despair, which is excactly what is happening now...

Then we get ignorant people like Anonymous 1 to put the salt of the wound. I feel like telling him to go Fuck himself, but that won't solve the problem.

It is all so painful and bad news coming from everywhere...God help us, we are so used to bad news ever since we were born, it never ends and it gets worse not better.

Rabi Tawil (AKA Abu Kareem) said...

Anonymous 9:40,
Thank you for sharing the love, now bug off.

Solomon2,
You know very well it has been barely a year since Lebanon had shed Syria's influence and six years since they were rid of, need I remind you, 18 years of Israeli occupation. Had they not hung around South Lebanon for 18 years perhaps Hizbullah wouldn't be what it is now.

My mind is wide open Solomon2 and I have not "been had" as my previous post demonstrates. I don't know about your one track mind though. Tell me how Israel will be more secure after destroying much of Lebanon's economy and infrastructure.

Ghassan,
This op-ed was not meant to explain or assign blame. It is a description of the human dimension of the conflict to an audience that does not know or care about what is happening. On your last point, I beg to differ, many readers have told that it has changed the way they look at this conflict. I am not looking for pity just understanding.

Person and Anonymous 6:59,
Thank you for your support.

Abufares said...

My Jar Abu Kareem

Under different circumstances, your valiant effort will be much appreciated. However, and this is a big one, WHY BOTHER?!
I don't think you should waste your time and/or energy on changing anybody's mind. If they want to learn the truth, it's out there. All they have to do is first learn that there are other media sources than FoxNews, ABC, NBC, CBS and even CNN.
2nd, they need to learn the truth about themselves. Americans, in general, still don't believe that Israel controls their government and not the other way around.

Rabi Tawil (AKA Abu Kareem) said...

Abu fares,

My friend, I value your opinion but on this point we disagree.

I think we both have an intimate understanding of average Americans. In this vast and detached (physically and mentally) continent, their view of the world is quite parochial. They are too preoccupied with their local affairs to care about the rest of the world. The Mideast is too far and too foreign for them to care although every step that imbecile they elected as president makes, has tragic consequences on the area. In my op-ed, I try to humanize a story that to them is incomprehensible.

Will my piece make a difference? No it will not change the course of the war nor affect future policies. It did make a difference on some people who bothered to read it. The next time they read a story about the war, they will have a different perspective. But suppose every Arab-American made the effort to do the same instead of lying low cowering in fear, perhaps eventually things will change.

I could take a defeatist attitude and sit back and do nothing. It is not in my nature. This is my humble contribution, whatever it is worth, to the fight, not in the war of fire and steel but in the war of ideas.

Abufares said...

I know you're right Abu Kareem. You know that I agree with you. But when I read the comments on your post, it seems to me that (almost) only the "Bush Type" Americans are involved. We should all contribut to the effort. We should all carry the torch.

The Syrian Brit said...

Abu Kareem,
.. and may your contributions coninue!.. I salute your determination and resilience..
Although I said in my last post that it is very difficult to change an individual's mind, I think the opinion of your target audience can, in fact, be effectively changed, largely because they do not have much of an opinion to start with!.. As you said, most American do not give a toss about what happens outside their shores.. and I do believe that most Europeans are somewhat different in that respect, as they do tend to enquire and be curious and inquisitive.. probably because of the geographical proximity, and the historical and demographic links..
A week or so after 9/11, we had our Departmental CPD meeting (Continuous Professional Development), where we normally have a lively programme of case presentations, prepared lectures, journal reviews, etc, in a desperate attempt to stay up-to-date and 'in touch'.. On that meeting, the Clinical Director decided to cancel the preset programme, and asked me to explain to the audience 'why did 9/11 happen'!!... simple, eh!?.. I spent the next four-and-a-half hours giving an impromptu talk about the modern history of the Middle East conflict, with lively and well-informed contributions from the audience... Obviously, we could not reach consensus, but everyone agreed that it was the most interesting CDP meeting our Department has ever had!..
So, despite my cynicism and frustration, I agree with you.. For what it's worth, these are our contributions.. they will fall on deaf ears most of the time, but every now and again, someone will be converted!..

Rabi Tawil (AKA Abu Kareem) said...

SB and Abu Fares,

Thank you both for your support. Abu Fares, one of these days in the not too distant future I will be coming home. I would love to stop by Tartous and have you show me the countryside. I am envious everytime you post pictures of one of your daystrips into the hills.

Abufares said...

Abu Kareem

I'm waiting for you, anytime!
Just drop me a note when you come
:-)

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