Our Opinion Makers: Utter Failures, Still

It's a week after the London attack and a day after the Iraqi atrocity du jour. Terrorism in the guise of suicide bombers. Yeah, yeah everybody in the Middle East condemns, and then goes about their apologetics. In this Daily Star piece, Rami Khouri purports to give advice to Blair, not to follow in Bush's footsteps. As an aside, since every illiterate in the ME knows better than Bush, Mr. Khouri is more than well qualified. Bush apparently did many things wrong. Now wait a minute, Bush haters and supporters alike, hold on and read this gem from Khouri's conclusion, for Bush is not the issue here:

Bold emphasis mine throughout:

Terrorists can only be contained and put out of business when their own society delegitimizes and rejects them, which requires a more balanced combination of police and political actions, and punitive and preventive measures.

Let's say I buy that, whatever that means.

Khouri goes on:

Bush ignored this basic fact after September 11, 2001 and chose the road of a counterproductive military strategy, based on faulty analysis, which was, in turn, built on an complete [sic] diagnosis. Blair now must make a similar decision on how to respond to the London attacks. Let us hope that he acts more intelligently and rationally than Bush did. The Arab-Asian-Islamic world, in particular, is anxious to join a genuine war against terror and the many demeaning forces that make it happen.

So the Arab-Asian-Islamic (AAI for short) world is anxious to do something, BUT is still waiting to see what Blair is going to do (or if Bush is going to "correct" himself)?.

So the AAI world does not condone terrorism, but will not fight it full-force, yet, because it is waiting on Blair? Are not these the people who tell us daily that the AAI world and populations are the prime victims of terrorism ,and that they are against it "period"? If so, why are they waiting for Blair?

These are also the same people who reject or criticize the West, and do not want to be told what to do, and want to be independent, respected, listened to, etc. They are now WAITING, still, after September 11, daily Iraq bombings, Madrid, London. Yes WAITING, because these brilliant, proud and independent intellectuals and decision makers need to know what Blair is going to do before they decide for themselves. One day, perhaps, per chance…if we are all lucky.

Yes. When they see what Blair does, they will (may?) decide what to do about this "horrible thing that they don't want anyway, and that is 'hurting' them more than the Americans and the Brits".

And then these opinion makers and decision-makers are clamoring for respect. I do not know about you, but no respect from me.