This is in reference to an article by a fellow writer in which he talks about American attempts to introduce reforms in Arab countries.
The writer says that first the Americans did differentiate between the government and the people, but off late they have tried to reshape Arab thought in line with American characteristics — targeting education and developing religious concepts.
He also says that the current American administration is trying to set up free trade pacts with individual countries in the region rather than set up a unified free trade accord for the region as a whole.
In addition, the administration also refuses to discuss equitable free trade nor does it consider regulations that suit Arab countries so that there is a fair and equal share of benefits.
This duality toward this region is because the American administration claims that the Arab world does not have a comprehensive regional bloc with which they can deal with. Also there are other regional barriers to arriving at a free trade pact.
Also there are demographic and geographical borders that divide the region into mini-states and this does not prove conducive to investments.
The question is: Why do the Americans, Europeans and others treat us in this manner beginning with the Americanization of our culture, outlook, reform of our homes and viewing us as secondary to our whole relationship?
To respond to this question realistically, I draw reference to an article by Sheikh Jameel Al-Hujeilan, the former Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
He states that the European Union’s relationship with GCC countries is clear and simple. It is a relationship between a capable side and a lesser capable side each knowing the limits and potentials of the other.
The GCC countries export oil and its derivatives to the European Union and imports from it, like most Arab countries, all the basic necessities in our lives: Military and civil needs, power generators, construction and agricultural machinery, cars, modern communication devices, hospital equipment and medicines.
The EU is also the first trade partner of the GCC, long before the US and Japan. The trade in 2003 between the EU and GCC is estimated to be $70 billion.
The balance of trade was in favor of the EU, which benefited by 19 billion euros. Despite this, the EU rejected all attempts by the GCC to reduce or remove the excessive tax imposed on GCC imports — especially on aluminum.
What I want to point out is that EU knows the weaknesses of the Arab countries as it also knows its strengths. And based on this knowledge it defines its political and economic positions with the Arab world in light of what would be beneficial to them. The EU does not bend even to the other ‘new’ European economies.
The Arab world will be treated like this by the EU, which prides itself for its freedom, law and order, as long as the region’s oil continues to flow into its markets without interruption. That is all they want.
The violence in the region is relegated to something that is happening far away and not in their neck of the woods. So they do not bother about it.
