The conference held in Makkah last month to heal the rift between Fatah and Hamas was a heart-warming success. It warded off the threat of civil war in Palestinians territories and paved the way for the formation of a national unity government.
Saudi Arabia's Arab peace proposal, which Israel dismissed in 2002, is back on the table. Japan is to host a peace conference in Tokyo to bring the Palestinians and Israelis together for some serious discussions.
A few days ago a regional conference was convened in Baghdad to inject new diplomatic vigor into the search for an effective solution to the problems that dog Iraq -- mayhem, violence, carnage, insecurity and sectarian conflicts.
The theory of clash of civilizations is losing impetus and appeal and taking a back seat. Specialized international and regional organizations are reassuming their long forgotten mission. They have organized conferences and meetings to resuscitate peace programs and promote dialogue among civilizations.
At the end of one of her trips to the Middle East last year, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters that, even after a process of democracy takes place, "places are not going to look like the United States in terms of social mores".
Is there really light at the end of the tunnel the world entered on Sept. 11, 2001? Is there a realization that the present mess is the outcome of a series of grave mistakes that must be corrected?
Harsh experiences have taught us not to be overoptimistic and not to count our chicken before they are hatched.
The fall of Baghdad and the occupation of Iraq did not pave the way for freedom and democracy. The killing of Saddam's two sons did not crush the insurgency. Neither did the killing of many Al-Qaeda leaders including Zarqawi, projected as the most important Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq. The capture, the theatrical trial and the hanging of Saddam Hussein too failed to end the bloodshed in Iraqi cities. Ironically, the brutal execution instantaneously transformed a hated dictator into a martyr in the eyes of many.
We are desperate for some good news. Arabs want Iraq to recover and stand on its wounded feet, without help from a borrowed, uncomfortable, foreign crutch. People everywhere wish to turn over one of the ugliest and darkest pages in the history of mankind.
The page can only be turned if mistakes are acknowledged and corrected.
Luckily, there is a belated acknowledgement that Iraq had no links with Al-Qaeda. There is a realization that the atrocities in Iraq were triggered by wrong intelligence and a search for nonexisting weapons of mass destruction. There is a near unanimous agreement that the Iraq war could and should have been avoided. There is regret and deep sorrow that the war has destroyed masses of innocent civilians and added millions of names to an existing long list of refugees and displaced families. The first lesson of Iraq war is politicians and generals should look before they leap into unfamiliar territories. They should study thoroughly the culture and the geography of any country they wish to attack and conquer.
Iraqis had suffered for decades under a notorious dictator. The disappearance of an autocratic regime was expected to promote freedom, democracy and happiness in Iraq and make it a role model for Arab and Muslim states. Unfortunately, postwar Iraq is a model of chaos and instability. It is a slaughterhouse where scores of innocent civilians are killed every day and more than a handful coalition soldiers disappear every week.
Second lesson is that a democratic system that works well in one country does not necessarily produce favorable results in another. Democracy is supposed to promote justice, stability, safety and raise the people's standard of living. Sadly, the democracy, which was exported to Iraq in 2003, is smashing cities, destroying lives, promoting hatred and creating sectarian conflicts. Food hard to digest upsets the stomach.
Third lesson is that countries with deeply imbedded cultures are hard to change and birthplaces of great world civilizations are impossible to mold and shape to one's liking.
Fourth lesson: Injustice, biases, racism, arrogance, lack of respect for world religions and world cultures promote hatred, fuel extremism and create conflicts and instability.
Fifth lesson is spin-doctors can neither change the facts on the ground nor permanently hide the injustice and discrimination against innocent people. The 60-year-old Palestinian tragedy must be seen as the main source of the chronic problems of the Middle East. To end the tragedy, Palestinians should have their promised sovereign, viable state.
And finally, divide and conquer is an outmoded strategy that no longer works.
Yes, we do see a light at the end of the tunnel. Let us hope and pray it is not a mirage.
By Ibtissam Al-Bassam
© Arab News 2007
