PERSPECTIVE ON THE ARABS

One of the most disturbing developments in the past ten years has been the rise of anti-Arab bigotry in the United States. Yes, one can argue that a large proportion of world-wide terrorism is Arab in inspiration and membership. This blogger would offer that if the Basques and Irish were far greater in number, they would no doubt be a far worse threat to peace. It is a profound blessing that those two populations are so minor. Probably as great a benison as the Papal State presently being barely bigger than a spit-wad, and now only having a bunch of Alpine gentlemen of dubious masculinity (and undeniably bad clothing tastes) for a military.


The violent actions of Irish and Basque separatists are too well known to need any detailing here. And I note that the I.R.A was kept in business for nearly a century by the very generous contributions of huge numbers of Americans who approved of its murderous tendencies.

That the Papacy throughout its long and bloody history instigated war and genocide on a scale that could stagger belief is beyond dispute.
Civilization would have been better off without it.


There are as many Arabs, world-wide, as U.S. citizens.
The vast majority are not out for our blood.
We've managed to kill more of own in the last decade than anyone else has.
We are, to be sure, our own worst enemy.


ABIDING FRIENDSHIPS

America's involvement with the Arab world goes back quite as far as our relationship with the Europeans. With considerably less contention.

One particular Arab state actually counts as our oldest friend: Morocco.
In the year 1777, Sidi Muhammad ibn Abdallah (King Muhammad III of the Alaouite Dynasty, ruled 1757 - 1790) recognized the United States, and opened his country's ports to American vessels.
In 1786 the Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship was signed.
Since then relations between the two nations have been unbroken.
The ruling dynasty is descended from the Prophet, by the way.

At the other extreme of the Arab world is another staunch ally.

In 1833 the second treaty-relationship between the United States and an Arab state (Oman) came into being, and seven years later emissary Ahmad bin Naaman visited New York aboard the Omani ship As-Sultanah, the first ever visit by an Arabian diplomat.
King Said bin Sultan bin Said (ruled 1804 - 1856, the forefather of the present king, Sultan Qaboos) was one of the ablest rulers in the world at that time, respected even in Europe. His great-great grandson is equally far-sighted.



America, by and large, chose her early friends wisely. And in that regard, it must absolutely be mentioned that outside of Havana and Tehran, the most frequent venues for anti-American riots are the post-war European capitols, and that by far the most thoroughly venomous critics of our country are the intellectuals of Paris, London, Berlin, Rome, and Amsterdam.


I am not particularly worried about the Arabs.
Not so sure about the Europeans......



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