Coming out from hiding

Let Us Admit That We Are All In This Image!

Dar Al-Hayat, 2003/12/18

The image of Saddam Hussein captured by the Americans in a hole, with his long beard and hair, broadcast round the clock by the media, must not enter history as the image of one man. It symbolizes the history of a nation, which started with a man of iron and ended with him disgraced in a cave. This image, in all its details, represents a symbol of the era of dictatorship, tyranny and totalitarianism in the history of Arabs, starting from the proclivity towards Nazism and fascism adopted by the nationalist groups as an ideology throughout the Arab word. This paradigm which is quite similar to that of Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin is not new to Arabs. It started in the days of Al Hajjaj and his 'school.'

When the political history of the Arabs started to digress from the commandments of Abu Baqer, whereby it was stressed that not a single old man or a child should be touched and not to deracinate any race, and avoid bloodshed … until the days where the Manjanik targeted the holy Ka'ba, which was a crime even the Arabs had never thought of committing, after the clash for power and resorting to religion as means to attain personal needs.

It would probably be an exaggeration to portray Saddam's image in his cave as a cover for a book about the political history of Arabs. It cannot be denied that the Arabs offered civilization thinkers such as Abu Baqer, Omar bin Ali, Ali Bin Abi Talib, Omar bin Abdulaziz and Al Ma'moun, with their wealth of achievements and contributions in the fields of literature, architecture, art, and humanitarian forgiveness.

Despite the positive features in Arabs' cultural history, there are many dark areas in their political history, which cannot be avoided or disregarded, to the point where they truly built a magnificent culture but lacking in "political blood" (from: Arabs and politics where is the disorder?) There are long and dark ages of tyranny and despotism and a long serious of successive rule from the Ummayads to the Abassides and the Fatimides to the days of Saddam where he culminated the long historical serious and it was quite a surprise to the Arabs. He portrayed himself as the "necessary leader" based on the philosophy of Michel Aflaq. The truth is he was quite dexterous in lavishing upon the most eccentric utopian ideology that is far from reality.

The student of "Aflak" today still posses this skill, and they are still swayed by such ideologies despite all the historical lesson which it seems that they have learned nothing from them.

In order not to deceive ourselves, as usual this image of Saddam which represented a disappointment to many of the Arabs was the destiny of an audacious and irresponsible ruler who destroyed all the human and natural resources of the country of Iraq. The attenuation of the Arabs with such a leader was the main reason behind for such a destiny.

These Arabs are concerned about is the democratization proceeds that is to follow after the fall of Saddam's regime. We should feel sorrow when we think of the leader of other nations such as Ghandi, De Gaulle, Mandela, and Mahathir Mohammad who chose willingly to resign from politics at the right moment only to think of a president of an Arab nation being captured in a cave.

Shouldn't we Arabs with our assessments and conduct come out of a cave.

Today Iraq after the fall of Saddam's regime has the attention of the world, and we are all watching the ability of the various factions in Iraq and how they will deal with the new situation disregarding the war and the past. It is quite painful to see that Iraq was not able to get ride of such a dictator, without the help of a foreign occupational power.

Back to the image of Saddam Hussein where he was captured in a cave. We are quite wrong if we try to run away from the reality of this hideous image. I have the feeling if Abdulrahman Al Kawakabi was still alive he could not have found a better picture to display on the front however of his book "the attitudes of tyranny".

Saddam came out of a cave. We must remove him from the enigma of political psychology which still invades our nightmares. This is the test, and this is what the American will not do for us.