Editorial: Venom of Distrust
Arab News
February 27, 2007

SOME important home truths have been stated at the Jeddah Economic Forum in the past couple of days, notably the need to invest not for our own sake but for that of our children and our children�s children. The call was at the heart of the speeches by both Queen Rania of Jordan and Prince Turki Al-Faisal, former Saudi ambassador in Washington. The latter�s, however, contained another important message: the mutual benefit of good relations with the US. Al-Qaeda, he said, had almost succeeded in breaking bonds between the US and Saudi Arabia. He was referring not to diplomatic links but friendship and trust.

They have been stretched painfully. The post-9/11 mountain of malice against Arabs and Muslims in the American media, the twisted accusations against Saudis and Saudi Arabia, the humiliations heaped on Saudis and other Arabs and Muslims by US officials and the shrill demand from Washington that Arab governments follow its lead have been so destructive of Arab trust.

But it takes two to tango. In some sections of the Arab and Muslim media there has been an equally corrosive anti-US agenda.

We understand the anti-Americanism of the Arab in the street, brought to a peak by the US-led invasion of Iraq; Washington�s policies in the Middle East and the trumpet blasts of hostility in the American media have been almost as destructive of ties as Al-Qaeda�s attacks. But it is a fact of political life that people react emotionally, Arabs as much as Americans. During World War II, was not often heard in Britain that �the only good German is a dead German�?

Although we understand it, we do not agree with it. This paper has always taken the view that just as it is wholly destructive of trust if American voices are heard loudly demonizing Arabs and Muslims, so too it is wrong to attack the Americans for the sake of attacking. Therein lies the way to the �Clash of Civilizations,� so longed for by both Al-Qaeda and the American hard right.

That puts a particular onus on the rest of us to make the effort not to believe the worst in each other. We have to neutralize the venom of distrust; mindless, aggressive criticism is no way to build, or in this case rebuild, bridges � and they have to be rebuilt because without cooperation between thoughtful, caring Arabs and thoughtful, caring Americans there is no chance of ending the Middle East�s various crises. No cooperation, no peace. No peace, no prosperity.

Things are getting better on the Saudi-American front, as Prince Turki pointed out at the JEF. But there is still a long way to go. Obviously we cannot be responsible for the views of Americans; they are the only ones who can change them. But we can choose not to demonize them. By taking that step, we may be able to help restore fellowship. That is vital. Just as contempt breeds contempt, so trust breeds trust. By rejecting the rush to condemn, maybe we can begin to open eyes and change hearts.

Reprinted with permission of Arab News