Muslim unity first

Head of PPP Media Cell

US President Donald Trump’s maiden foreign tour to Saudi Arabia and Israel in particular was contextually spectacular where he was accorded tumultuous welcome by rolling out red carpets both in Riyadh and Tel Aviv. In Saudi Arabia, he was treated the way no royal guest in the past had been so warmly welcomed by Saudi Royal family. Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz himself received the US president and the first lady at the Riyadh International airport, a rare gesture magnifying the highest esteem indeed. The US president was also introduced by the King to the participating delegates of the Muslim-Arab-American Summit before his very typical speech at the Convention Centre. The presence of top delegates from about fifty Muslim countries obviously impressed the visiting dignitary reflective of Saudi influence. The body language of the US president and of the Saudi King was very much optimistic because the visit went off very well to the utter satisfaction of the host and the guest.

However, the speeches of the US president and of the Saudi King Salman at the Summit -- the participants who were vividly taken aback -- were more anti-Iran than pushing back the evil of terrorism. The tone of the speeches underscored the necessity of isolating Iran as a zero-sum game because the country was the root cause of the scourge. This was a misplaced articulation because defeating the scourge of terrorism had been pushed back at the altar of the quest for regional leadership through Sunni-Shia divide; wrought with perilous ramifications for the Muslim world in general and for Iran and Saudi Arabia in particular. The summit has pushed the Muslim countries in a very difficult situation because it cannot afford to take sides due to their compulsions emanating from their domestic constituencies. Thus the whole endeavours of the summit to defeat terrorism may meet ill-fate. As such, both Iran and Saudi Arabia may desist from using the religious sectarian divide as a tool for the culmination of the geo-political objectives.

Ironically, the resolution of the conflicts through negotiations is not their preference at present. Both Iran and Saudi Arabia are bound to be sucked in an unmitigated bloody conflict they may repent after a lot of waters have been passed down the bridge. The paradigm of peaceful co-existence may be taken seriously to save the Muslim world from the vicious cycle of instability and indignation.

The Saudi and its allies may not succeed in defeating terrorism in this way. It will probably pit the Iranian allies against the Saudi allies in a long drawn conflict. The rest of the Muslim countries meanwhile may wisely take neutral stance for keeping the inferno at bay. Majority of the countries may have reservations on what the Saudi King and the US president urged upon in their speeches at the summit. Their ambivalence is valid in the absence of consultative process among the participating countries to deliberate on the terms of reference threadbare. 

Pakistan, for example, may like to maintain neutrality for obvious reasons so far as Saudi- Iran conflict is concerned. Similarly, the countries in the Far East and South Asia and beyond may seek clarifications before deciding to what side of the equation they intend to become the part of, or resort to diplomatic indecisiveness in this count.

Ironically, President Trump had left behind the Muslim world as a divided and insecure comity of the nations. The Saudi and its allies will surely look towards the US for all out support against Iran and also against the Iranian proxies those have been fighting against the Saudi interests in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen and beyond. The Saudi and Iranian race for regional leadership had already accrued a windfall for US president in the form of more than hundred billion dollars of defence equipment deal that would create thousands of jobs in America in pursuance of his slogan “America First”.

In addition to that the Kingdom has also understandably committed to invest billions of dollars in America for the development of infrastructure of the country desperately needed to increase productivity of that country’s industry. The Saudi will also not withdraw hundreds of billions of dollars stashed in American banks to keep the financial health of the country steady. Donald Trump’s visit can be described as having met extraordinary success in Trump’s perspective caring less for the turmoil that may follow in the region in his pursuit of ‘America First’.

One wonders at the deafening- silence of the Israel lobby that has not raised any ruckus at the Capitol Hill against such a mega deal of defence equipment with Saudi Kingdom? It may be recalled that Israel lobby unleashed its fierce resistance through its lobby in Washington when US President Reagan decided to sell AWACS to Saudi Arabia during his watch. He was utterly frustrated and had to give befitting presidential rebuff to the Jew powerful lobby in the following words, “it is not the business of Israel to formulate US foreign policy”. No squeak out of Tel Aviv or at the Capitol Hill. It obviously means the recent defence deal of Saudis with the US commensurate with Israel’s vital interests in the region to marginalise Iran. It suits to Israel immensely because it considers Iran as its sworn enemy and staunch supporter of the Palestinian people. Israeli leadership must be jumping out of skin for joy as their enemy number one is being sorted out not other than but by the Arab countries themselves. Who will be the winner at the end of the day is difficult to predict. But, President Trump has certainly emerged as the winner without a grain of doubt.

Iran and many other Muslim countries consider Israel as an illegitimate state carved out of wresting native land of the Palestinian people. Their enmity between Iran and Israel in particular is written in stone. It is in public domain that Israel in the past was determined to destroy the nuclear installations of Iran to pre-empt the country from becoming nuclear power but was persuaded by the US not to do so because the military action might trigger destabilisation in the region beyond recognition. Israel is also scared of Iranian missile programme considering it as potent threat to its existence. The Saudis also do not like Iranian political and military might for the same reason and therefore were not happy over the nuclear agreement with Iran during Obama’s presidency.

The body language of the US president and the tumultuous welcome given by Israel prime minister at his arrival was allegorical to victors’ parade. The welcome statement read out by the Israel president was reciprocated by the US president in equal measure followed by the Israel prime minister. All were exchanging pleasantries in an exceedingly satisfying environment oblivious of the division of the Muslims on the sectarian basis -- a prelude to bigger conflict and the region may become the battle field of ‘Great Game’.

Majority of political analysts opined the Islamic-Arab-American Summit has pitted the Muslim world against itself. US President Trump and Saudi King targeted Iran as the root cause of terrorism perpetrated through proxies in the Muslim world. The same argument can be offered against Iranian enemies who are perceived to be engaged in the same horrendous business of proxy wars in other countries. Both the countries have been hurting the unity of the Muslim world and therefore cannot be absolved of the likely dire consequences the Islamic world is going to confront juxtaposed with colossal losses in blood and treasure.

The turf war between Iran and Saudi Arabia is being fought in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen and beyond. These are the physical manifestations of their reckless juggernaut fueled by sectarian fault-lines. This cannot be sanctified by the tenants of Islam that unequivocally stands for harmony among the Muslims belonging to all schools of thoughts.

Both Iranian and Saudi leadership in their wisdom may reconsider their strategic outlook through the prism of cost-benefit analysis in the context of Muslim solidarity and redemption. Their treading on the path of open war is wrought with grotesque dangers without an iota of doubt. Both the countries will be held responsible for the vicious cycle of instability followed by bloody clashes in the width and breath of the Muslim world with devastating consequences. Sanity and rationality cannot give the allowance of drawing propitious outcome from the brewing conflict that is imbedded in assured downward spiral of the Muslim world. The dark clouds are flying thick and fast on the horizon of Muslim world. Only enemy of Islam will have the last laugh in the emerging scenario.

Pakistan cannot afford to take sides in the armed conflict between or among the Muslim countries because in such situation neutrality is the corner-stone of country’s foreign policy. The same principle was unanimously reiterated by the Parliament at the time of Yemen crisis. Pakistan has to tread very carefully in order to maintain balance of its relations with the Saudi Kingdom and Iran. Both countries are very important for us. Pakistani nation is clearly in favour of not jumping into the wars of other countries. It had enough of proxy wars and has no stomach to chew any more. Pakistan has already been paying heavy price of the dictators’ blunders of pushing the country as a client state of the USA and others. The dictators did so to perpetuate their rule. They were squarely instrumental of inflicting predicaments of appalling proportion on the nation. Their legacies deserve national condemnation not repetition.

  muhammadshaheedi@yahoo.com