DR. SAWRAJ SINGH (INTERNATIONALAFFAIRS / EDITORIAL)
Egypt is reviving its traditional close relationswith Russia. After the downfall ofMorsi, Egypt is quickly improving itsrelations with Russia. Saudi Arabia,which was considered the closestAmerican ally amongst the Arabs, haslost its leading status not only in the Arabworld, but in the Muslim world at large.Many Arabs and Muslims started resentingthe oil-rich kingdom’s arrogant andhegemonic attitude. Saudi Arabia led theArab world on a reckless course settlingscores with its rivals such as SaddamHussein, Gaddafi, and Assad.Saudi Arabia’s rash foreign policy andoppressive internal system, particularlyfor foreigners, pushed the Middle Eastinto a severe and extremely dangerouscrisis. Syria proved to be the last strawwhich broke the camel’s back. Not onlySaudi Arabia’s enemies, but its friendsalso decided that they had enough of oilmoney’s stubbornness and arrogance.America seems to have decided finallythat Saudi Arabia has become more of aliability than an asset. It is finding alternativesto the Saudis’ friendship and isreconsidering its Middle Eastern policies,including working something out withIran.The Middle East countries feel that theone-sided American presence has pushedthe Middle East to an extremely serioussituation which can lead to an almostcomplete destruction of the region andtotal chaos. To restore balance in theregion, they have invited Russia to comeback to the region. Egypt has startedreviving its traditional friendship andvery close relations with Russia. Russia,which emerged a clear winner in Syria,has significantly enhanced its positionand status in the Middle East and theworld. Russia is seen as a peacemaker anda stabilizer in the Middle East. For example,Russia is helping to improve Muslim-Christian relations in Egypt, which werevery severely strained by Morsi’s followers.Saudis are now facing the results of theirforeign and domestic policies. They seemto have completely lost their leading statusas the leading Arab country to Egypt,which has always been considered theleading Arab country. Egypt, underNasser, became not only the leadingArab country to resist western domination,but was among the leading countrieswhich started the Non-AlignedMovement (NAM). Then, Anwar Sadatcapitulated to the West and Egypt lost itsstatus in the Arab world as well as in theworld at large. Many Arabs and Muslimsall over the world consider Sadat a traitorand a sell-out. Sadat finally paid the pricefor his treachery and betrayal.Saudis were the product of the unipolarworld which evolved after the collapse ofthe Soviet Union. The West started promotingdogmatic extremists among theseMuslims to counter the more secular andsane elements. Under such a western policy,Saudi Arabia gained a very high status.Under the name of Islam, Saudis andthe other oil kingdoms openly supportedthe anti-Third world and anti-Muslimpolicies of the West. It is one of thegreatest tragedies that a country whichconsiders itself as the pioneer and centerof Islam, had the closest alliance with thecountry which the vast majority ofMuslims of the world consider theirbiggest enemy.Many Muslims started seeing throughthis hypocrisy and charade. ManyMuslims have now changed their attitudetowards the secular and tolerant forces inIslam. A vast majority of Muslims wantto join in the struggle of the other Thirdworld countries and other oppressedpeople of the world for a more equal,just, and fairworld. ManyMuslims havestarted seeingthe struggle fora new worldorder basedupon mutualrespect, equality,and justice asc o m p a t i b l ewith the messageof a greatreligion likeIslam. Thearrogant andsuper-rich oilkingdoms havevery little incommon with the real message of Islam.Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is theChairman of the Washington State Networkfor Human Rights and Chairman of theCentral Washington Coalition for Social Justice.He can be reached [email protected].
