MEMRI have translated an interview with Journalist and former Kuwaiti communications minister Dr. Sa'ad bin Tefla. Dr Sa'ad says something amazing: Zionism and Imperialism have Nothing to do with Our Culture of Violence.
Journalist and former Kuwaiti communications minister Dr. Sa'ad bin Tefla was interviewed on Jordanian television about the culture of violence in Arab countries. Dr. bin Tefla rejected the notion that this can be blamed on Israel or the U.S.,, and instead blamed cultural roots, frustration, religious extremism, and intra-Arab violence.The following are excerpts from the interview:'It is Wrong to Say that Violence is the Result of Occupation'
"It is wrong to say that violence is the result of occupation. The French occupation left Algeria after a million fell, and then within less than a decade 10,000 Algerians were butchered in Algeria by other Algerians in the name of Islam – that is more than even Israel could have butchered during the period of the Intifada.
"This violence has cultural roots, and is unconnected to the occupation. And there are those who justify it. I do not want it to be understood in any way from my words that I am defending and justifying the occupation. But I say that this logic, which I reject, is [used] as justification to the [violence] that takes place in Iraq and in other places."
'The Number Killed in Algeria and Killed by Other Arab Regimes Surpasses the Number of Palestinians Killed by Israel'
"Iraq was occupied [by the U.S.] a year ago. [However], before that, there was violence in Iraq that killed over one million Iraqis, Iranians, Kurds, Kuwaitis, and others. This was not done by the Zionists, the occupation, or America. This was done by Arabs and Muslims of Baghdad.
"The number killed in Algeria and killed by other Arab regimes surpasses the number of Palestinians killed by Israel. Those who were slaughtered in Saudi Arabia a few days ago were peaceful Muslims who were walking in the street… There is no occupation in Saudi Arabia, no American bases, no American presence or American army…
"I maintain that there is, unfortunately, a culture of violence that existed before the Americans came to Iraq and the Gulf, even before the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and before the American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq.
"In my opinion, it is [precisely] this comprehensive logic that is harming these young people and making them think there was [once] a good [Islamic] empire reaching from China in the East to Andalusia [in the west], including Chechnya…"
Go and read the whole thing.
Comments