RIYADH, 15 May 2003 — Anti-Americanism has become a favorite pastime in the Middle East, in some parts of Europe and even in some sections of US media. The portrayal of President Bush and his administration as “gun-toting cowboys” without regard for human life or dignity who bully their way into and out of countries at whim is very popular. There have even been articles that support the concept that the American public is devoid of decency and that the ideal of freedom and democracy simply doesn’t exist in the US except in the minds of a handful of misguided individuals.
The excuse that anti-Americanism is directed only at the current administration and not at the American public in general does not take into account the fact that the majority of the American public support this administration and their president. Therefore, unfortunate as this reality is, anti-Americanism is an attack on the basic character of the American public.
The question is how can there be such a rift in the way Americans see themselves and their actions and the way they are perceived by the people here in the Middle East? Are Americans really suffering from gross ignorance and childlike naivete? Are the people of the “Arab street” carrying excess baggage from the days of British colonialism that colors their views and makes all Westerners greedy and untrustworthy? Is most of the anti-Americanism a direct result of Washington’s traditional support for Israel? Are Arabs unable to separate any American action from the issue of Palestine? These are important questions and they deserve much more than clever political cartoons or opinion pieces based on bias instead of fact.
Most Americans are somewhat naive when it comes to understanding the Middle Eastern people. The reason is that in the United States immigrants are absorbed at a rapid rate into society and become “like us.” Their customs, ideas and traditions blend into the melting pot of America. In order for Americans to understand Middle Eastern people they have to travel to and spend time in this region. Studying a culture is an achievement in itself, but that is not the same thing as actual exposure. It has been virtually unsafe for Americans to travel in some parts of the Middle East for over 30 years. Therefore, most Americans have to rely on their media to educate them and the American media has failed to do this. The image projected in the American media of the Middle East is a parade of so-called Middle Eastern experts who expound general statements with an authority they do not deserve. The net result is that the average American is misinformed. The same, however, is true of the average Arab.
Although, through the expatriate community, many Arabs are exposed to Americans, very few befriend them. The information the “Arab street” expounds about America comes directly from Arab television and print media. The Americans that have supported and continue to support President Bush and the war on terror believe that this war included Afghanistan and Iraq and that it is not yet over. They were and are willing to sacrifice American lives and their own hard-earned tax dollars to complete this mission.
Part of this is motivated by a fear of another Sept. 11 attack, but another part is a sincere and genuine belief that both Afghanistan and Iraq are better served as open democracies than under oppression. To doubt the sincerity of these people is simply wrong. Unconditional support for Israel is not universal in the US, and the shock and disapproval of the treatment of the Palestinians is spreading throughout the country. However, they do not understand the use of the “terror weapon,” regardless of whose hands it is held in. Quite understandable after the Sept. 11 attacks.
For the Arabs, the burden of imperialism is a scar that is difficult to heal. Americans, too suffered, under the colonial heel, and this should make these two people understand each other better. Americans, are not and have never been historically imperialists. As for the Israeli-Arab conflict, the commitment to the road map will result in the creation of a Palestinian nation, and it is up to the Arabs how long they want to blame the United States for the displacement of these people. Historically, it was Britain, not the United States, that promoted the creation of Israel. The United States is to blame for not addressing this crisis and siding with these people years before now.
The future relationship between Americans and Middle Eastern people will depend upon a number of elements. An important one is the continuation of this anti-American campaign. If it is a result of a ventilating process, then it should be close to having run its course. If this is the result of a deep distrust and dislike for the United States, it needs to be based on concrete facts, not just emotion. The United States has made many mistakes in this region but it is trying to erase some of the negative feelings that persist here. Arabs should be willing to give them credit when it is due.
(Adrienne McPhail is an American journalist based in Riyadh.)
