A Railway between Sunni and Shia’a-so we don’t miss the Train
"We say we are in Mesopotamia to develop it for the benefit of the world. How far will the killing of ten thousand villagers and townspeople this summer hinder the production of wheat, cotton, and oil? How long will we permit millions of pounds, thousands of Imperial troops, and tens of thousands of Arabs to be sacrificed on behalf of a form of colonial administration, which can benefit no body but its administrators?" "Lawrence of Arabia"
In January 2007, we had a leader that Lebanon may soon have two presidents, two parliaments and two prime ministers, so why not two airports? Having seen that “Hariri International Airport” can be easily closed, (like what happened on January 23, 2007), a good ‘planner’ will make sure that an alternative is available.
In January 2007, we had a leader that Lebanon may soon have two presidents, two parliaments and two prime ministers, so why not two airports? Having seen that “Hariri International Airport” can be easily closed, (like what happened on January 23, 2007), a good ‘planner’ will make sure that an alternative is available.
“René Mouawad International Airport”, is almost ready and the planes can be easily diverted. In the future, as cantonization becomes more probable and alliances shift, a third airport might be called for.
What does this have to do with current fights and debates about democracy, peace, “Shia’a” and “Sunni”?
As always, ideologies are a cover up, a decoy and a cause that people live and die by and for. Before and after World War I, Pan-Arabism and independence were convenient banners to fight the Ottomans and insure that minorities run to the “West” for protection. The “ideological wars” went on. In order to fight communism, we sometimes resorted to the “Arab Nation” and at other times to “Islam”.
Today, our leaders are hiding behind banners of “Freedom, Sovereignty and Independence” on one side and “Arabism, Dignity and Accountability” on the other side.
Friends, enemies, crises and wars were and still are made under those banners.
During World War I, T.E. Lawrence befriended King Faisal I to oust the Ottomans, blew up the Hijaz railway and participated in paving the way for British and French dominance in the region. Consequently, coups d’états were launched in the region starting with Husni Al-Zaim, Jamal Abdel Nasser to Abdel Karim Qasim and the Ba’ath Party in Syria and Iraq to Libya and Sudan. The leaders of the Arab Revolt and their descendents were butchered mercilessly.
In the meantime, Sykes-Picot Agreement (with modification) and Balfour Declaration were implemented and are perhaps yet to achieve their full potential, while ‘we the people’ of the region, were fighting each other and our leaders were studiously abiding by the instructions of external forces.
Even when T.E. Lawrence had something to say on Iraq against his government, his allies in the region were praising Great Britain.
“The people of England have been led in Mesopotamia into a trap from which it will be hard to escape with dignity and honour. They have been tricked into it by a steady withholding of information. The Bagdad communiqués are belated, insincere, and incomplete. A recent proclamation about autonomy circulated with unction from Bagdad.
"We say we are in Mesopotamia to develop it for the benefit of the world. How far will the killing of ten thousand villagers and townspeople this summer hinder the production of wheat, cotton, and oil? How long will we permit millions of pounds, thousands of Imperial troops, and tens of thousands of Arabs to be sacrificed on behalf of a form of colonial administration, which can benefit no body but its administrators?"
Even when T.E. Lawrence expressed his doubts about Sykes-Picot geographical rationales, his allies were singing praise and queuing for positions in the newly founded states.
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