By Ziad Shaker elJishi, 10/11/01
Watching as many did last night Frontline air a program on the origins of Islamic fundamentalism was a treat. The treat however was the surprising interviews with the Arab bourgeoisie of Saudi Arabia and Egypt as well as an insight into the Egyptian Islamic Jihad founded by Ayman AlZawaheri now aid to Osama Bin Laden. Finally imperialism must contend with Arab reaction in the aftermath of the collapse of the progressive movement in Russia and East Europe. So last night imperialism having to deal with Arab reaction in the aftermath of September 11, it reigned in its Arab comprador calling them into the principle´s office for a good scolding. The message was simple: how could you export to us Bin Laden and Zawahri? How could you do this to us?
Bandar Bin Sultan the Saudi ambassador to the US was the clown of the evening. Behind his mockery of himself and the regime he represents another face showed its face. It wasn´t the usual ignorance that we are accustomed to hearing from Bandar, but in his clownish ways what emerged for Arab viewers in specific was Arab bourgeoisie ruthlessness. Bander Bin Sultan showed the face of terror beneath his clowning behaviour but also showed an important lesson on how the Arab state bourgeoisie deals with political currents that scare it. Bandar himself ridiculed Osama Bin Laden saying that when he met him: I thought he couldn´t cross a few ducks across the road. Bandar couldn´t have imagined as his Saudi masters couldn´t as well that Osama Bin Laden the rich son of a wealthy constructor would alone lead a movement to bring terror to the heart of capitalism.
Bin Sultan as the Egyptian bourgeoisie (interviewed were the Egyptian ambassador to the US as well as head of Egyptian internal security) all appeared indifferent and shrugged Atlas´ rock off of their shoulders. They simply dealt with Arab reaction in this way: the Islamic fundamentalist movement was expelled outside their kingdoms and fiefdoms for someone else to deal with them. Sure if Osama Bin Laden did not come from a wealthy Arab bourgeoisie family close to the Saudi monarchy, instead he was a poor man like the millions crushed under the oppression of Arab state bourgeoisie terror, sure his head would have been severed in public or he would have simply died mysteriously in a jail cell like so many other political prisoners have perished in Egypt or Saudi Arabia. But Osama was an exception because his wealthy status and tribal belonging prohibited that treatment. That is something Bandar Bin Sultan forgot to mention to the American journalist.
American imperialism was blaming its comprador regimes for exporting the Islamic fundamentalists to it and not dealing with them. To this Bandar shrugged his shoulders and said well: he is not in Saudi Arabia he is in Afghanistan go to talk to Afghanistan. This is reminiscent of the Quranic versus that describe judgment day where people appear to be drunk but they are not drunk and one forsakes his own brother father and son in a moment of shear fear and panic. In this case it was judgment day for imperialism and imperialism and the Arab bourgeoisie comprador have forsaken one another pointing fingers and blaming one another for Bin Laden in a moment of shear fear and panic. It was a scene to watch last night and marvel at. A scene that conjures up another Islamic verse from the Quran when Satan is faced by his followers who cry for his help and ask him why have you lead us to this path of evil, how can you leave us now! and Satan laughs at them saying you have done this to yourselves and only have yourselves to blame for following me. Satan is interchangeable in the case of the Arab comprador and imperialism whoever followed who now they only have their selves to blame and the sword of the masses to sever both their heads.
The Pakistani ambassador to the US was reigned in as well by her ear to the imperialist principle´s office. She was drilled time and time again: are you absolutely sure you have the Pakistani masses under control she replies indifferently we are confident we can bring those in. Our government is strong the majority of the Pakistani people are with our government they support America. But the American journalists were not satisfied because in Bishawer, Qetta, Islam Abbad thousands were demonstrating and government control in the street was absent. So the questions come back to the Pakistani comprador again are you sure you can control the people, is your government stable enough, are you sure you have nuclear arms under control and the Pakistani comprador answers again with apathy these are only fringe groups they do not represent the people of Pakistan they are only marginal. But the American journalists are not convinced so they ask again today you shot and killed two demonstrators wounded 27 are you sure you represent the people of Pakistan are you sure you have the people supporting you???? The Pakistani comprador answers again we are confident these are marginal extremists they are on the fringe they are blah blah blah…… Musharaf which in Arabic means to honour honoured no one when he looked as scared as he was on television pledging his support for America. He dishonoured all the oppressed of the world as he declared himself American puppet will his time come nearer.
The Palestinian comprador was at the forefront pledging its service to the imperialists worldwide antiterrorism control PA officials even prostituted themselves further by attacking Bin Laden as someone trying to hijack the Palestinian cause. The truth of the matter is that the PA hijacks the Palestinian cause for the benefit of imperialism and Zionism so they are last to speak. In response Hamas called on a demonstration in Gaza to declare not its opposition to the imperialist and PA campaign on terror but to support Osama Bin Laden. Thousands in Ghaza responded and what did the PA do in this embarrassing development? The PA opened fire on demonstrators and killed two Palestinians. This is how far the Palestinian comprador will go to serve its imperialist masters. The Pakistani and Palestinian examples make us scream with anger at American journalists we answer their incessant questions: these comprador regimes DO NOT REPRESENT THEIR PEOPLE. They have no control on the masses in the streets.
The faces of FBI and CIA terror have proliferated American television screens the last few weeks. Calls to assassinate, kidnap, bribe and go out and get strategies are popular in this horrific show of force for blood-letting by the CIA and FBI. The FBI on the one hand is now poised to turn the US into a police state ready to devour what shred of citizen liberty this capitalist system has not been able yet to destroy. America´s future is bleak and the hounds of terror un-leached internally are salivating for their opportunity for blood.
It is a time where Collin Powell wants the Qatari bourgeoisie to shut down Al-Jazeerah satellite television for broadcasting anti-American messages. See the liberty and freedom standards by which Powell and his imperialists operate on is different outside the US. There is no freedom of press for the slaves it is only what the masters declare that is right abroad or in the US itself through their imperialist controlled media.
A new insanity has come upon us indeed as it is a time where reaction and imperialism will butt heads and many lives will be wasted as a result.
Our only hope is that they both perish one another soon.
