We need to look deeper at the bizarre practice of holding on to illusions of past greatness and nostalgia, despite present realities. Every individual has the right to his or her beliefs and traditions and even illusions, and every individual will harvest the results alone. However, when dreams of past glories are inflated beyond reason and are reflected upon an establishment’s principles or a country’s strategy, then this will lead to disastrous repercussions that will affect people of one or more countries.

As a result, absurd wars may be waged based on these illusions of grandeur, where everything including the dreams of a very distant past will be lost along with the present and future of these countries.

The relationship of the past with the present and future is a subject that leads to a lot of confusion among the peoples of the Middle East, who resort to the past as a refuge, a defence mechanism, and proof of their existence, culturally and psychologically. This is due to their alienation from the present and their fear of the future because of the near-complete lack of a role to be proud of in the present time.

Repercussions can now be seen in the Middle East as the strategic balance in the region is on the threshold of change. The region is going through a storm of political and military conflicts. The current atmosphere is a result of machinations that draws its sustainance from illusions of the past. Calls to reclaim the glory of past empires are upsetting and disturbing. These calls are made by senior officials in countries where their governments have achieved some success at the cost of the interests of other people. Some of the leading figures in such countries have been careless in openly voicing their unrealistic dreams of past grandeur and have ignored the possible affront such policies can have on the pride of other nations and peoples.

Such statements do not make these people valiant knights with dust blowing from under the hooves of their horses as they storm in a relentless campaign against their neighbours to resurrect their empire. On the contrary, it shows them as weak and have nothing to shield themselves with, save for the flimsy glories of their past. It seems they do not see that past for what it is, but prefer to see it in the context of their inflated nationalistic aspirations, which they are unable to achieve in the framework of our age, values and ethics.

History does not repeat itself, as some people think, for there is no room for the return of an empire that disappeared a long time ago. However, it is important to read the past carefully to gain lessons, especially for those in politics, and those who occupy key positions in the formulation of strategies and decision-making.

Sound reading of history helps to a large extent in communicating wisely and realistically with the present to avoid mayhem and conflicts.

Successes tempt people towards making more profits, as long as these gains are achieved with ease. However, the road may become very dangerous if those using it slide arrogantly in, trying to revive a bygone past while ignoring the great changes that have taken place in the world.

There is no doubt that statements calling for the revival of diminished empires have not come out of the blue. This is specially so when someone who has lived for too long in a particular culture without finding either a motive or justification to look in the opposite direction and wonder about the future of visions and ideas. Such a person has to realise that his statements are bizarre and out of context.

They reveal a utopian mentality that some leaders in the region are still unable to escape. This mentality is the opposite of the realistic mindset of western politicians.

No British politician thinks about reviving the British Empire. Nor will we see anyone in Greece harking back to Alexander the Great’s empire anyone in Italy talking about the return of the Roman Empire.

As a result of historical experiences, the contemporary human being has gained new values and a variety of tools to ensure his rights. He engages in building a better life for himself.

These old empires are no longer missed, as they were established by the oppression of their people and the conquest of other peoples.

These empires collapsed under the weight of their own contradictions.

Inflamed conflicts taking place in the Middle East sometimes seem to be of a national, religious or ideological nature. However, one can clearly see the strong presence of past and present values amidst these conflicts. What is truly surprising is that a man who cannot live in isolation in this world does not pay much attention to concessions that are required of him for his life with others to be possible.

— Mohammad Akef Jamal is an Iraqi writer based in Dubai.