In my previous post titled "Kiss of Death", there was a light mention of the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan survey, titled "Revisiting the Arab street." Digging further in it, I came to a conclusion that the results are so important to be over sighted. The question is, why is a major study like that is ignored by media from around the world?
The study gives a totally new vision of what is the Arab public opinion today. The report published since mid February 2005 but very few media covered it! Some in Europe and North Africa, but how many in the States and in the rest of the world? (hope I'm wrong...). As well, the report was not really covered by (conservative) Arab media, just because it reveals an Arab public opinion they can't accept or assume!
Under the hood of the "Arab Summit" today, what is the real pulse of the "Arab Street"?
Here are some excerpts from the study:
Contrary to what some observers, particularly in the US, have suggested, Arabs do not see the West in entirely negative terms. Indeed, they highly value many of the attributes of Western states and societies. Significantly, Arab public opinion does not perceive the tension between the Arab world and the West in either religious or cultural terms. Despite views often expressed within and outside of the Arab world, the public does not see an ongoing struggle between "Crusaders and Muslims" nor do they support the notion that there is a "Clash of Civilizations". The evidence consistently emphasizes that the Arab public disagrees with the foreign policies of the US and UK, and that it is these policies which are at the root of anti-American, and subsequently anti-Western, sentiments.
Perceptions of The West and The Arab World:
Arabs believe that their societal values stand in sharp contrast to the West. They associate Western societies with liberalism, individual liberty, democracy and technological progress, but also with increased levels of societal problems. In contrast, they see their societies as maintaining stronger values of tradition and family, and as being less plagued with social problems. The significant exception to Arabs' positive assessments of the values of their own society is that Arabs believe financial and administrative corruption to be more prevalent in Arab societies than in the West.
There is little evidence that Arabs perceive the West as a Crusader force, intent on destroying the Islamic world in a battle over religious beliefs. Indeed, the Arab world sees the vast majority of Westerners, and those in the US in particular, as not strongly influenced by religious motives. Regarding the role of religion in their own societies, there is significant support among Muslims surveyed for a role for the Shari'a in legislation in their countries. However, they do not see Islam, or religious differences with the West, as a significant reason for hostility between East and West. Additionally, most Arabs consider religious fanaticism to be a problem in their societies. Nearly two thirds of respondents believe religious fanaticism is a problem in both Western and Arab societies.
Islam and the Arab World:
In the post-9/11 debate, many have posited that Islamic fundamentalism, understood as firm adherence to religious texts and tenets, is fueling the Arab-West conflict. By examining attitudes toward the Shari’a (Islamic legislation/jurisdiction) and Ijtihad (interpretation in religion), the study attempts to gauge the strength of support for a role for Shari'a in legislation in the Mashreq and consider the extent to which it correlates with levels of friction with the West. Muslim respondents surveyed demonstrate strong support for a flexible interpretation of Islam. Evidence shows considerable support for the Ijtihad to remain open. This suggests a high degree of tolerance for various religious interpretations in the Mashreq and does not necessarily indicate a particular correlation between firm Islamic beliefs and anti-Western attitudes. In short, strong adherence to the precepts of Islam was not found to necessarily equate with hostility or negativity toward the West.
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Western Foreign Policy:
Arabs perceive a striking difference in the foreign policies of France and those of the US and the UK. They characterize France as treating countries with respect and dignity, promoting democracy and human rights, and not imposing its national will upon others. In contrast, the US and the UK are seen to promote their own interests, impose their wills on other countries, and violate human rights. Furthermore, the majority of Arabs believe that US foreign policy is unduly influenced by the "Zionist Lobby" which is widely seen as a driving force behind US foreign policy in the region. This is consistent with the sentiment that US policies in the region are designed specifically to support Israel.
This study also assesses the so-called "Al-Jazeera factor" -- that is, the theory that negative attitudes toward the US and the UK are a product of the coverage aired on Al- Jazeera and other popular Arab satellite channels. There was no clear-cut statistical evidence found to support the contention that high levels of viewership of Arab satellite TV broadcasts bears any relation to negative perceptions of US foreign policy.
Discrepancies between the exposure to coverage and sample attitudes suggest that access to Arab satellite stations is not a determiner of attitudes toward Western policies. In fact, blaming the Arab media for fomenting anti-Western feelings may be further obscuring an understanding of the true causes of popular Arab discontent.
The majority of Arabs also question the justifications for the US-led war in Iraq and do not expect that war to lead either to the establishment of democracy in Iraq or to a better standard of living for Iraqis. Rather, the war in Iraq is seen as an effort to shore up Israeli security and provide an opportunity for pillaging Iraqi resources. It remains to be seen whether the January 2005 elections in Iraq will change or modify these attitudes.
The study draws seven conclusions:
- Arabs hold coherent notions of what constitute the values of Western and Arab societies. They associate the West with individual liberty and wealth, while they view themselves as emphasizing religion and family.
- Arab perceptions of Western societal and cultural values do not determine their attitudes toward Western foreign policies.
- Religion is not the basis of tension between Arabs and the West.
- The Arab world does not reject the professed goals of the West’s foreign policies toward the Arab World, but rather objects to the discrepancy between professed ideals and perceived reality.
- Arabs disagree fundamentally with US positions on issues such as the definition of terrorism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and war in Iraq.
- Despite disagreements and disillusionments, many Arabs desire stronger relations between their countries and the West.
- Arab dissatisfaction with US policies is unlikely to diminish in the absence of significant US foreign policy changes.
Contextually Related posts:
Thanks for going further on the report. I’am gonna read it completely.
You are welcome.
You can download “Revisiting the Arab street Executive Summary” from here: http://www.css-jordan.org/new/RevisitingtheArabstreetExecutiveSummary.pdf
and “REVISITINGT THE ARAB STREET Report” from here:
http://www.css-jordan.org/new/REVISITINGTTHEARABSTREETReport.pdf