Christian Saade * - The News and Observer, 21 August 2006
Chapel Hill - A long-term and viable solution to violence emerging from the Middle East is crucial. Peace in the Middle East is necessary for all of us, because the region has become, in its drawn-out suffering, a breeding ground for religious radicalism and terrorism.
Yet we need a plan that will work, one that will not further the cycle of violence. Waging war on civilians to uproot radicalism does not work.
Lebanon now has an estimated million refugees, more than 1,000 civilian dead (many of them children) and thousands of wounded and crippled -- not to speak of its devastated infrastructure and the innocents killed in Israel. Collective punishment only deepens the cycle of resentment and revenge.
I have suffered from the onslaught of religious radicalism and know first-hand its dangers. I am an American citizen. I was born in Beirut as a Christian. My family, in the late 1970s, lost its home and business to a radical religious group.
If it was not for the grace of God and an unexpected truce, we would have been executed. Thousands of democratically inclined Arabs, be they Muslims or Christians or Jews, have been killed at the hand of extremists. Extremism has to be stopped, but how?
Is it by bombing and burning the areas where some extremists operate? Obviously not, since the horrendous civilian deaths that follow bring more hate and swell the ranks of insurgents.
The great Napoleon, who defeated powerful opponents on the battlefield, was bitterly humbled in Spain by simple insurgents. His policy of reprisals against the towns from where those insurgents struck played into the hand of his enemies. Ten insurgents killed engendered 20 more, and 20 became 100. This approach to insurgency has consistently failed.
Instead, two very efficient steps:
1) Win the hearts and imagination of the population. Build friendly relationships, not only with governments but with the people directly.
Flood the area with humanitarian aid: hospitals, clinics, schools, etc. By diverting only a portion of the billions spent on mega-weaponry we could achieve miracles for the people and win their friendship. They in turn will oppose the spread of violent philosophies. They are the only ones who can.
This is not about symbolic gestures of aid, but a tidal wave of American generosity that will transform the ground on which extremism develops. Why should we have to spend the money? Because it will bring success to our aims: ending violence and extremism.
We succeeded in reversing hate and cynicism in Europe and Japan after World War II. We did it then, and we can do it now, winning the hearts and minds of the Arab world. Doing so is to act ethically and smartly. Success would be worth the monetary price, and our generation will see the defeat of extremism.
2) Take a leadership role in demanding a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Let the whole world, especially the Arab countries, know that America will not rest until there is an agreement that provides safety for the Israelis and a state for the Palestinians.
We are closer to a resolution now than ever. However, a solution will demand big sacrifices from Palestinians and from Israel. Only our government can "midwife" this.
Granting security to the Israelis and the dignity of a homeland to the Palestinians is essential, now more than ever, to the Jews, the Palestinians, the Arabs and the world. On it rests the elimination of a breeding ground of terrorism.
The plight of the Palestinians is one of the highest priority issues for Muslims all over the world (more than a billion people). Jerusalem is as holy for them as for Judaism and Christianity. Let the U.S. administration be known as the great peacemaker of the century. Settle that issue peacefully and terrorism will become anaemic.
Leadership for Israeli-Palestinian peace will give us the victory over terrorism we long for. It will be the greatest gift for the suffering people of Lebanon, the troubled civilians in Israel and all of us, here and abroad, anguished about terrorism. Once we comprehend that such a peace can pull the carpet from under the feet of extremism, we will provide the leadership to achieve it.
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* Christian Saade was involved in peace dialogues and negotiations between Christian Lebanese, Muslim Lebanese and Palestinians during Lebanon`s civil war. He is currently Director of the non-profit Institute for Life-Leadership coaching NC, and works as a life-coach. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews)
