Amayereh, indirectly,addressing himself and his brothers: Don't allow yourselves to fall into the trap.

Amayereh in his final analysis: The Islamists and US: The prospects (Business) don't seem too good (Even in Iraq and Syria)

As "We can't take people's support for granted." Don't allow yourselves to fall into the trap. (Again, GET OUT OF THE TRAP, BEFORE ITS TOO LATE)

Egyptians without "the Muslim Brotherhood's party"
gather in Tahrir for Friday protests

The Islamists and US: The prospects don't seem too good

[ 23/12/2011 - 09:16 PM ]

By Khalid Amayreh in occupied Palestine

Edited/commented by Alex in blue

It is probably true that many within the American political establishment would like to have good relations with Islamist movements in the Arab world.

The reason for this unlikely propensity has nothing to do with any sudden, infatuation or love affair with political Islam on Washington's part.

The U.S. consistently viewed Islamist groups in the Middle East and beyond with sullen hostility and convulsive animosity, especially after the 9/11 events in the United States. 

Real politik NATO vs. Syria

The real reason for the developing but still fledgling relations between Washington and Islamist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, stems from considerations of pragmatism and real politik.

The Islamists are becoming the leading ideological and political force in several Arab countries. This fact can't be ignored as American geo-political interests in the Arab region would suffer (Is suffering) immensely if Washington viewed the "Arab Spring" with indifference.

Needless to say, the United States has always been hostile to Islamic political movements that stand for freedom, human rights and civil liberties. In fact, the US has been especially inimical to some of the most democratic Islamist movements, such as Hamas, for daring to fight Israel.

The U.S. continues to consider Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Liberation movement, which was democratically elected in 2006, as a terrorist organization, mainly for exercising the inalienable legal and moral right of resisting the Nazi-like Israeli occupation of Palestine. (According to Amayereh, the Problem is not the Occupation, its the Nazi-Like occupation)

Now, it will be quite interesting (Stupid to wait) to see how America's perceptions and attitudes toward the Islamist movements will evolve if these groups maintain a solid and uncompromising stance vis-à-vis Israel.

None the less, it is hard (Stupid) to be hopeful about the prospects of relations between Islamist-led Arab regimes and the U.S. whose politics and policies are controlled and determined to a large extent by an American Congress that accords Israeli interests much more importance than it does American interests.

There are many reasons for this pessimism. First of all, the U.S. government will not be free to show any significant amount of good will toward the Islamists. The powerful Jewish lobby would overrule any meaningful American effort to that effect. (America is the real enemy, Israel in the final analysis is a tool. Get it stupid)
Hence, it is unlikely that the U.S. government will be able, even if willing, to offer the Islamists any meaningful inducements that would lead to the creation of fruitful working relations with Islamist-led regimes. Besides, an arrogant Congress that is accustomed to issuing orders and ultimatums to rulers as well as states is unlikely to easily swallow the fact that a new breed of rulers has appeared in the Arab world, rulers who won't be intimidated by sticks or induced be carrots and who won't be at America's beck and call.

Apart from that, it is imperative to point out that the Islamists themselves, especially in Egypt, have their own (people's) pressing restraints. Any Islamist party, including the Muslim Brotherhood, would suffer immensely in terms of their popularity and public standing if they showed any slackness with regard to the principled Islamist stance on Israel.

 

This equation, which reflected America's hegemony on the one hand and the ignominious subservience of defunct Arab regimes on the other, will have to be rectified, possibly in a radical manner (History is repeating itself, the Syrian brothers selected the "right" historical moment, ignoring power that America is not 1980's America, Iran is very stong, Iraq is Liberated, Hezbullah is wating to turn any Israeli mistake into a historical oportionity).

Another victim of Syrian anti-tank teams was this Merkava Mk.1, destroyed in Beirut, in early summer 1982 by an RPG. The Israelis subsequently mounted a local counterattack and recovered the wreckage. (ACIG.org archives)

But since America won't be free to backtrack on its umbilical connection with Israel even one centimeter, thanks to the powerful Jewish lobby, (And Since Egypt brotherhood started to suffer immensely in terms of their popularity and public standing, gained for politically supporting Hamas, and  Hezbullah) it would be similarly hard for the Islamists to appear as submitting to American pressure or blackmail especially on Israel-related issues, thanks to the highly vigilant and politicized public which would send the Islamists home when elections are held next time.. (So its the next elections, not the principled Islamist stance on Israel)

There are those (With Mr. Amayereh at the top) who might argue (Argued) though that the right thing to do is to pursue a pragmatic approach toward Washington irrespective of the Palestinian issue (In any case, we all hope and pray that the next elected government in Egypt, in which the Islamists would have a strong influence, will create an absolute linkage between commitment to the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty and Israel's treatment of the Palestinians - So the issue is not the occupation, it is the Israel's treatment of the Palestinians ) But this would be the most lethal advice that one could offer the Islamists.

Forgetting, ignoring or even not giving the Palestinian (ALL PALESTINE) issue the paramount attention it deserves, would harm the Islamists' image for years to come (Fore ever). The irreparable damage would be too colossal to contain and too indelible to rectify.
Don't allow yourselves to fall into the trap. (GET OUT OF THE TRAP, BEFORE ITS TOO LATE, however its too late in Syria, Libya and Iraq) 

In case you missed it:

• Khalid Amayreh's Open letter to Erdogan : say "NO" to Israel 's new solicitations
• Should Palestinians recognize pre-1967 Israel?
• On Khalid Amayreh, Syrian Brothers "revolution" and the A great day for Palestine
• Khalid Amayreh: "The Syrian regime must change, or it will be changed"
• Syria, the "Revolution" of NATO, Arab IDIOTS and 'disappointed' Libyan rebels

Related

• Washington's Alliance with 'Moderate Islam'
• Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood: 'We will not take part in anti-Israel demonstrations!'
• Nasser On Socialism, The Muslim Brotherhood, & Islam  
• We, the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria,

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