Looking at a new angle for B&B

From Bush's Axis of Evil to Blair's Arc of Extremism, it is evident the illustrious leaders want to geometrise everything. But it is becoming more and more obvious they have got the equation wrong, which is why the results are flawed. Their blanket labelling of terrorists and the fight against the war on terror is reminiscent of 50 years ago in America, and the days of Senator Joseph McCarthy, who was an extremist in his fight against Communists. He was the most high profile of the senators on the now-vilified House Committee on Un-American Activities.

McCarthyism is defined as "the practice of publicising accusations of political disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence" and "the use of unfair investigatory or accusatory methods in order to suppress opposition". Sound familiar?

Many false accusations were made against witnesses; those who refused to give evidence were jailed, or blacklisted and unable to find work in America. One of the most notorious questions asked of witnesses (which many refused to answer, invoking the Fifth Amendment) was: "Are you now or have you ever been a member of any communist organisation?"

I am reminded of this, not because of the excellent George Clooney film Good Night, and Good Luck, but because there appears to be a witch-hunt against Arabs in general and Muslims in particular, especially since 9/11 in the US and 7/7 in the UK. Despite repeated denials from leaders in the West, there is an invidious creep of propaganda emanating from western media that persists to portray Arabs in a bad light whenever and wherever possible. Actions and events that might otherwise be overlooked or played down if committed by non-Muslims are expanded out of proportion, highlighting the religion Islam of the perpetrator.

I expect any day soon for investigators at US and UK immigration departments to be asking visitors: "Are you now or have you ever been a member of any Islamic organisation?" Why not? After all, what with advance notice of your arrival to see if you are persona grata, finger-printing on arrival, eye-scanning and biometric passports, it makes a visitor about as welcome as dog vomit on your best carpet.

While Jews control much of western media, not all is so managed. Yet the management of media do not have to be Jews or Israelis to support their cause, many are Evangelical and Born-Again Christians or just are sympathetic to their cause. With the predominance in politics and business of such people, it is established practice to tilt arguments in favour of one side that of the cause of Israel and Israelis.

Ubiquitous

It is so ubiquitous that many people fail to recognise it for what it is, if they recognise it at all. Thus the public become indoctrinated with a one-sided portrayal of all things relating to the Middle East, a portrayal that invariably shows Arabs in a demeaning light.

The recent shallow and false publicity by the American public and politicians to deny the reputed DP World the right to manage some US ports is a good example of a completely disproportionate reaction to a normal business deal. It showed the way in which publicity-seeking politicians thought they could score a few extra points (at the polls) by taking up what they perceived to be a populist theme. However, it also highlighted the complete ignorance of politicians and public on matters relating to the Middle East. That DP World decided to sell off its US assets to save embarrassment to President George W. Bush merely demonstrates how politically sensitive and globally aware the directors are, as indeed are many Arab leaders.

Bush and Blair talk geometry to their public in an attempt to simplify the complexities of their problems, yet without explaining in detail what is behind it all. They may talk in circles, they may talk in riddles, but what they do not talk is sense in relation to the underlying reasons for the "Middle East crises". Can it be that while they know the questions, they do not know the answers or, worse, dare not face up to the challenges?

There is no easy quick fix that can be applied to the issues confronting people in the Middle East. It is not a question of (imposed) democracy; it is one of the quality of life. Or, as a definition of "geometry" has it: The way the different parts of something fit together in relation to each other. Q.E.D.