Dear all,
I’ve been musing that we really do live in interesting times. Because, so far, the 21st century has been one of drama and destruction. And it seems that this process is not stopping any time soon.
It started fatefully enough in the very first year of the new century, with that very controversial presidential election in the US which somehow was won by George W. Bush. Even as the new administration was planning action against Iraq (even before Bush had taken oath, Cheney had signalled that this was a top priority), the 9/11 attacks happened, and a month later western forces, led by the US, had invaded Afghanistan.
The so-called ‘war on terror’ began: a fight by the so-called civilised world against the Islamic militants who had proclaimed them ‘an enemy of Islam’. War was fought in Afghanistan, and then in Iraq, and the cancer of militancy spread through the entire world. Now the whole world has been turned into a minefield.
Events over the last year illustrate this well: terror attacks on French, German and Belgian targets; and attacks on targets in several Muslim countries, notably Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan and - eventually -- Bangladesh.
Now the new normal is to expect an attack anytime and anywhere.
Interesting times indeed.
But just look at what has happened to the Middle East in this century: all the countries that seemed to function and seemed on their way to some form of progressive reform, are all destroyed. Iraq was a country ruled by a dictator but which had good road network and world class universities and hospitals. Syria too, functioned efficiently albeit it too was ruled over by a dictator and a repressive regime.
Today they are battlefields and are riven by religious and sectarian hatred and civil wars with no end in sight.
Egypt seems to have been pulled backwards by about 40 years in terms of political evolution, and is now run by a military ruler with a penchant for treating journalists harshly. Gaza has been turned into a neglected slum, Yemen has been devastated by a bloody civil war, fuelled by sectarianism…
But the surreal nature of this time can be seen in western counties too: in Europe a major regional alliance and a model of cooperation, the EU, has (paradoxically) resulted in divisions, distrust and the rise of rightwing politicians everywhere. Britons have voted against regional alliance and in favour of splendid isolation (Brexit), and despite the rise of fascist politicians and xenophobia, the British media continues to focus most of its energies on ‘revealing’ what a dangerous man the leader of the opposition Labour Party is…
Surreal too is what has happened in the US Presidential race where a celebrity billionaire with a bizarre hairdo has managed to snatch away the Republican nomination from serious contenders who actually have some (as opposed to zero) political experience. Surreal too is the fact that Donald Trump may actually win the election. Not only does he have the bravado and the xenophobia necessary to rally people, but the incumbency factor works against his rival, the Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.
But alas it is not all a nightmare, it is not something that will recede when you awaken. The world seems to have gone quite quite mad.
Best wishes