Young Arab Sentiment
TERRORISM UNVEILED BLOG
I am a college student double majoring in International Studies (world trade and development) and Peace, War and Defense (national and international security). I am studying in Jordan this fall where I hope to become more proficient in Arabic. I hope to attend grad school for Security Studies and/or Middle Eastern Studies.
Last night I went out with a new Arab friend that I had met at a family gathering. I brought along some of my American friends and he brought along some of his friends and we went to a posh restaurant and had the traditional Ramadan desserts.
These people are of the 19-22 age range and come from affluent families. They drive BMW’s, their parents have advanced degrees from the States or Europe. They dress like Americans, talk like Americans and many want to visit or live in America for at least a while. Many would love to study in America. They speak of the freedom of America. They love to meet Americans and say that they love Americans.
And they love Osama bin Ladin. Yes, it’s true, they think he is a hero. From talking with my one friend, this is what he said:
“You know many of us Arabs like Osama bin Ladin, not because he killed Americans, that is tragic for those who died and we don’t like to see people die, but finally someone stood up to America and Bush.”
Since these are delicate issues, I don’t push them, but I did add that OBL was planning 9-11 way before Bush came into office. He said, “this isn’t true.” Kudos to Arab media. I asked him what about the attacks before Bush, such as the 1993 WTC bombing and also the numerous attacks overseas that occurred even before Bush senior. He just claimed that Osama had nothing to do with that.
Then I asked how he felt about the attacks that were planned for Jordan that would’ve killed perhaps 80,000 people. I asked him how it felt to be a target for al-Qaida because he lives in a neighborhood in the rich West Amman that would’ve been under a chemical weapons cloud. What does he think when bin Ladin would’ve targeted him?
“This is not true, al-Qaida was not behind this attack” was his answer. I didn’t push to ask who actually was, but it probably would’ve been something dealing with the Israelis.
I didn’t state it as a fact, but put it out there that “maybe” Osama bin Ladin has killed more Muslims than he has Americans and I asked how he felt about this. He said, “that’s not true either, Osama bin Laden hasn’t killed Muslims, his group has never really targeted them in attack, some may have died accidentally though.”
Once again, I’d like to say that these are modern Arabs, who love going shopping in American stores, love hanging out with Americans and are liberal in their country. I feel perfectly safe around them. They’d never wish anything bad upon me, personally. They want to learn about my life in America, they’re excited to hear me tell stories and indeed, they have very similar ones. They’re free to do pretty much whatever they want because after all, they do live in Jordan. It still is very hard to sit next to someone who thinks OBL is a hero and has really stood up for the Arab world and is forwarding Arab interests against the “global King” George Bush. It’s hard to sit next to people and talk about the latest movies that have come out, our most favorite episode of Seinfield, the latest news about Usher and Beyonce and Jessica Simpson, all the places we’ve traveled to in the world, and how we want to be academics, Drs, lawyers, diplomats and the like….and then hear them praise the antithesis to all these modern things, Osama bin Ladin.
I wonder what this group would’ve thought if I had told them that OBL wants them dead, too. Because, OBL only believes that a certain kind of Muslim is a true Muslim, the rest deserve nothing but death. Only if you revert to Salafi-style Islam, which was practiced at the time of Mohammed, are you a “real” Muslim. If you embrace modernity, then you are an apostate, which is worse than being even a Crusader or Jew. Osama wants not only me dead, but he wants the Arabs I hang out with dead, yet they look to this murderer as a savior.
Arab media, what is this monster you have created? Who will pay for these transgressions?
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