A Marshall plan would have to be structured in a way that preserves Moslem values and culture, builds infrastructure where little or none exists, provides basic services, and -- most importantly and difficult -- benefits the citizens instead of the regimes.
Many years ago I lived in Kurdistan which, though not arab, is nonetheless Islamic. After the initial culture shock I learned that we shared the same basic human values. I found people who loved their families, who cherished their culture, who worshipped their God with a dedication that put Westerners to shame. They invited me into their Mosques, which had beautiful geometric adornments and fresh water, and offered a peaceful rest from the rough world outside. These are an Islamic people, yet they were, and are being, destroyed by the same radical Islamic gangsters that are bent on destroying the West. Why?
I also saw extreme poverty and lack of the most basic necessities that we in the West take for granted. Sanitation. Running water. Medical services.
It is the economic situation, IMHO, that has been exploited by the radicals to create a mindset that distorts basic Moslem values and indoctrinates the citizens into the lie that a holy war will solve their problems. These radicals ae like a cancer that is spreading through Islam and either converting, indoctrinating, or killing those who don't agree.
We in the West are in a position to help their economic situation, but first we have to root out the cancer. Without that, any economic help we provide will further increase the disparity between the rich oil shieks and the poverty-ridden average citizens. These are not poor countries -- their wealth is being robbed and wasted by their own leaders. |
