Synopsis: Terrorism in the Middle East

Transcription

1 Synopsis: Terrorism in the Middle East Thesis: Terrorism is at its highest in the Middle East, taking into consideration the amount of terror attacks happening in and out of these nations due to the provided education system, the many misconceptions within religion and the interference coming in from the west. Counter Argument 1: The civilians in the Middle East suffer from lack of education and therefore cannot be blamed for their actions since they have low literacy rates. Afghanistan has a literacy rate of 28.1% (as states in its country profile). 1 A few Women are actually educated and if they are educated the lack skills for the more important things they should know such as women s health. 2 According to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization, across the broader Middle East and North Africa, more than seventy-five million women and more than forty-five million men are illiterate. 3 Argument 1: The education system actually promotes terrorism and not all of the Middle East suffers from lack of education yet we still see terrorism. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Turkey, Libya, Bahrain, Oman, Syria, Qatar and Jordan all have fairly high literacy rates Country Illiteracy rate (%) 1 Afghanistan72.2 Pakistan 50.3 Morocco 48 5 Yemen 46 6 Sudan 39 7 Djibouti 32.8 Algeria 30 9 Iraq Tunisia Egypt 38 Syria Oman18 15 Iran Saudi Arabia Libya Bahrain Centre of defence Information, comp. "Terrorist Project." EBSCO Web. Nov < 2 Uneducation women in the Middle East." Speaking hope to the world. Trans world radio, Web. Dec < 3 Uneducation women in the Middle East." Speaking hope to the world. Trans world radio, Web. Dec < 4 Tristam, Peirre. "Middle East issues." About Web. Dec <

2 Institutions/ schools could potentially be promoting terrorism. Yemen is a country with 17 million inhabitants, where the most freedom fighters and terrorists come from in comparison to other Arab nations around it. 5 Counter Argument 2: The religion of Islam is the reason as to why terrorism occurs. Most sponsored terrorism occurs in the Middle East by Islamic groups. For example Hezbollah who call themselves the party of god and Al Qaeda who plan to Establish a pan-islamic Caliphate throughout the world by working with allied Islamic extremist groups to overthrow regimes it deems "non-islamic," and expelling Westerners and non- Muslims from Muslim countries. 6 Islam is dominant in the Middle East, and most terrorism occurs in the Middle East therefore it must have links with the religion Argument 2: Another factor that affects the amount of terrorism in this part of the world is the misconceptions of the dominant religion Islam and most misleading individuals who enforce their beliefs rather than what the Religion actually states. misconceptions with Jihad Nowadays, jihad is often used without any religious connotation, more or less equivalent to the English word, crusade a crusade against drugs, writes Rudolph Peters, professor at the University of Amsterdam. If used in the religious context, the adjective Islamic or holy is added to the jihad. But in the West where jihad is a highly charged term, especially since 9/11, we have two parallel discourses. Those looking to discredit Islam insist that it is an inherently violent religion. 7 Propaganda from TV shows and music where they promote the religion and say it is okay to kill followers of other religions or anyone who gets in their way. These extremist groups do this by demonizing every other religion but Islam and targeting children to persuade because it is easier to convince younger minds. Television shows such as 5 Philip, Smucker. "Where Holy Warriors Learn the Fundamentals." Christian Science Monitor (2001): 1. Christian Science Monitor. Web. 23 Sep < 6 Centre of defence Information, comp. "Terrorist Project." EBSCO Web. Nov < 7 Moes, Mathew. "Quotes about Islam." Quotes About Islam. Web. Dec <"Kashmir." Map. Kashmir map. Web. Dec >.

3 Tomorrows pioneers are examples of propaganda tools used to manipulate children. The main character speaks about the importance of supporting resistance with harsh Palestinian terror. The following is the televeision transcript of two of the main characters. Farfur: If so, my beloved young ones, with the will of Allah, we will lead the nation from here, from Palestine. Saraa : Our beloved children, many say that we had glory [in the past], and we had culture, and the Muslims had greatness and respect. But with the will of Allah, we, tomorrow s pioneers, will restore the glory of this nation. Farfur: Yes, we, tomorrow s pioneers, will restore to this nation its glory, and we will liberate Al-Aqsa, with Allah s will, and we will liberate Iraq, with Allah s will, and we will liberate the Muslim countries, invaded by murderers. Saraa : Yes, they are children occupied by the Jews, but with the will of Allah, we will resist and protect against the Zionist occupation. Girl: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Farfur to the girl: "Fatima, you hear me? What do you say to the prisoners in the prisons of the oppressive invading Zionist occupation?" [Esraa' sings a song, Farfur is delighted until the words] " we will surrender ourselves " Saraa': "Esraa', it's not a good song. Why?" Esraa': "Because it has surrender." Saraa: "We don t surrender, we want to resist against the enemy, isn't it so, Farfur? We want to resist against the enemy, and we don t want to surrender." 8 8 Tommarros Pioneer's. Perf. Farfar (mickey mouse), Saraa( co host). Hamas television, VIDEO.

4 Justification through religion even when it is not permissible to do so. Justifying ones needs with the religion created a huge misconception because much like jihad people begin to change the actual meaning and take the Quran out of context for their own purposes. 9 Terror organizations who claim that everything they do is for god. There Ideologies for their existence don't always follow up on Islam but rather contradict the religion. 10 Counter Argument 3: If other countries do not help the Middle East than who will. These countries need help and other countries are just offering their support and services to help them. First, they came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me." - Pastor Martin Neimoller, Concentration camp Survivor Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act" - Albert Einstein They will not be able to rebuild or help their country if they do not have help The west has also had a positive effect on the Middle East:. Zayed University, which is an institution in the United Arab Emirates for higher learning gives women the opportunity to have the same education and become leaders in the profession they choose to pursue. This university focuses on the American style of educating and also, most of the school s faculty and staff are from the United States, Canada and Europe. 11 Argument 3: Interferences from the West allowing more room for terrorism in the Middle East by giving terror organizations to use their interferences as an excuse Ideologies of terror organizations. They do not want western influences to be in their countries nor do they like there interferences and will very well result to terrorism until they get there point across Rahahleh, Taiseer. "Military." Military. Jordanian army, Web. Oct < 10 Arab, Muslim. "The ten Misconceptions About islam." Web log post. Introducing Islam. 15 Feb Web. Dec <Rahahleh, Taiseer. "Military." Military. Jordanian army, Web. Oct >. 11 Thomas, Janet. "Western academia and Eastern learners: The influence of culture on learning styles of university students in a Middle Eastern university" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the 53rd Annual Conference of the Comparative and International Education Society, Francis Marion Hotel, Charleston, South Carolina, Mar 21, 2009 <Not Available> < 12 Arab, Muslim. "The ten Misconceptions About islam." Web log post. Introducing Islam. 15 Feb Web. Dec <Rahahleh, Taiseer. "Military." Military. Jordanian army, Web. Oct >.

5 Establish a pan Islamic Caliphate throughout the world by working with allied Islamic extremist groups to overthrow regimes they deem "non Islamic," and expelling Westerners and non Muslims from Muslim countries. Al Qaeda ( ideology ) Centre of defence Information, comp. "Terrorist Project." EBSCO Web. Nov < groups.cfm>.