The coming Arab summit; are Arab leaders listening to their citizens demands
Regional, Analysis, 2/22/2003

The Arab leaders are about to hold a summit at an important time in the Arab states, due to external pressures and internal political and economic tensions. The primary public issues that are consuming public attention and said to be the focus of the summit are Iraq and Palestine.

But what has an Arab summit to say that is new about these issues? Merely repeat past statements? What for? It is better if the Arab summit did not issue any single statement about Iraq, or Palestine and merely said that previous summits have decided these positions; Which in the case of Iraq, means that any attack on any Arab state is an attack on all Arab states.

Of course, if the Arab leaders have something new to say, such as what some have speculated about having Iraq's president step down, then this issue needs looked into. Are the Arab leaders wanting a change of the ruler or a change of system? Which is the problem? the Iraqi system or Saddam Hussein? If the problem is President Hussein, then a public call on him should be made, and not privately, to step down. If the problem is the Iraqi system, then the Arab leaders should call publicly for the reform of the system, as it makes little difference who is in charge if the system is the problem.

Another issue that has been forgotten, most surprisingly, is the talk about the imposed sanctions on Iraq. How long do the Arab leaders want these sanctions to stay on Iraq? Is this not the heart of the issue for the Iraqi people? What solutions are being suggested to truly put an end to these sanctions? Or has the Arab leaders accepted the strategy of others that the best defense is an offense, and in the process completely managed to shift the subject from Iraq's right to have the sanctions removed to the subject of whether this mutilated country is a threat to world peace! What a change of subject, and what a great success for such a strategy.

But there is much more to the Iraqi issue than what meets the eye. It seems as though before every Arab summit, there seems to come about a crisis imposed from the outside world. Is that an intended distraction, and a political imposition to preoccupy these summits with these well timed crisis, or is it also very convenient for some of the Arab leaders to play along with these crisis, in order to detract from the truly important issues of concern to the Arab citizens, those of economic and political and social development?

This Arab summit needs to set a tone of dignity and productivity that tells the Arab citizens that their concerns are being listened to and addressed by their leaders. This summit needs to show that the Arab leaders are producing concrete and measurable results in the area of common Arab economic integration, in the area of internal political development, and social matters; let alone common defense and external united political positions. If that is what the absolute majority of Arab citizens want, why is this not being done?

Previous Stories:
  France-Africa summit: here's an alternative to war in Iraq   (2/21/2003)
  Cancellation of the Arab special summit on Iraq   (2/20/2003)
  OIC to meet on February 26th to discuss the Iraqi issue   (2/19/2003)
  France holds the key to changing the world, and give it liberty; will France act?   (2/11/2003)
  Pan-Islamic body calls for safeguarding Islamic sites in Palestine   (1/8/2003)
  Jerusalem Day celebrated   (11/30/2002)
  Larsen: Quartet committee to meet in December   (11/8/2002)
  Corrupt political elites and businessman kill economic development; Transparency International says   (9/23/2002)
  Towards an Arab industrial strategy   (9/21/2002)
  Arab states economies continue to be mismanaged, report shows   (9/9/2002)
  The practice of lending to developing and underdeveloped governments should end   (5/25/2002)
  Morocco: Arab financial markets cooperation to exploit local resources for investment   (5/18/2002)
  Arab industrial strategy and action plan; total budget is 7 million   (5/17/2002)
  The Beirut Arab Summit declaration   (3/29/2002)
  Beirut summit, a successful model for Arab summits, Moroccan FM   (3/28/2002)
  Importance of regular political and economic summits to address Arab issues   (3/23/2002)
  Volume of inter- Arab trade increases, remains well bellow aspirations   (1/26/2002)

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