Al shaab aL Arabi , makes me sick . they are just a big group of sheep with no guts to change their situation . I wonder how they faced Italy (Libyans) and french Empire(Algerians, Moroccans, tunisians, ) but cant face toothless dictators .
Signed: A depressed arabia .
"I wonder how they faced Italy (Libyans) and french Empire(Algerians, Moroccans, tunisians, ) but cant face toothless dictators"
fatima,
A very good question and it deserves careful study to reveal some answers.
One of the factors, I think, is cultural. It is easier to fight the foreigner on your land than to fight your own presidents and kings. Arab culture places a lot of emphasis on respecting (and obeying) father figures, the elderly and figures of authority, in general. The longer that authority exists the harder it becomes to challenge it.
Of course there are many exceptions, such as the various coups in the fifties. However, those coups were against kings who were mostly installed by the foreign occupiers.
The absence of a direct foreign military occupation, until recently, may be an explanation.
Another factor is that we (Arabs) do not like nor encourage self-criticism; we view it as aiding the enemy. I think this is a major weakness. This is one of those things I have observed about Hamas: they all march in lock step behind the leadership, no matter what, in the name of discipline. You do not read any debates or disagreements among their thinkers. Take for example the Mecca deal; you will not read any discussions of its pros and cons or what some of the dangers might be. All Hamas is one voice, and this is a sign of weakness, not strength. Compare that with the Israelis.
Tony, a lot of Americans are this way too. When someone writes a letter to the newspaper pointing out Bush's stupidity or the lies that were employed to take the nation to war, others will write claiming they, like "Hanoi Jane" before them, are aiding and comforting the terrorist enemy and emboldening them against our troops.
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