A fragile year of uncertainty and renewed hopes for prosperity and peace lies ahead

As the world enters a fragile year of uncertainty, renewed hopes for prosperity and peace abound. The Arab press looks at this with suspicion and criticism, yet hopes for a better tomorrow.

Not a peaceful year, yet not without hope. Unfortunately, 2002 may be worse than the year that preceded it, says the editorial of Al-Khaleej (UAE). It may be the year that witnesses the start of a chain of destructive wars. Indeed, the policies, greed and positions taken by the 'only' superpower are a warning that there is danger ahead.

The U.S. Defence Secretary has predicted that the ongoing war could continue for generations to come. He insists that the war in Afghanistan is not yet over, a belief that is translated into acts of bombing that kill civilians, especially women and children, says Al-Khaleej.

But the war in Afghanistan, however bloody it may be, appears minuscule when compared with war preparations between India and Pakistan. Both countries have expressed their intention to use their nuclear capabilities in any upcoming conflict between them, adds Al-Khaleej.

It is also not difficult to predict that this year Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will continue his butchering aggression against the Palestinian people regardless of how many concessions the Palestinian Authority is willing to make.

It is also clear that the American agenda for 2002 will include dealing with many countries, most of which are Arab. The list on the agenda has countries such as Iraq, Somalia and Sudan, maybe Yemen, Syria and Lebanon, North Korea and the Philippines, says Al-Khaleej.

But this is not the complete picture of coming wars, it adds. The American agenda is partially hidden, with undisclosed details. Most dangerous of all is the fact that the U.S. has not ratified the ABM treaties. This has taken us back to the nuclear race where Europe's security and the control of the Asian continent stand at the core of such a race, says Al-Khaleej.

In the year of American leadership of the world, the whole of humanity awaits critical times, says Al-Khaleej. But the world insists on being optimistic and receiving the new year with hopes for a prevailing peace.

The year of terrorism

The year passed with events of terrorism and counter-terrorism, writes Abdul Wahab Badrakhan in Al Hayat (based in UK). The counter attack against terrorism has not proved to be able to represent 'right' in its war against 'wrong'. The results that we are witnessing in the ongoing war have left nothing but fear and worry, says Badrakhan.

The year 2001 will remain in memory as a hated one in which the world was forced to go along with the crazy game between two enemies. It was a war between the only superpower that was able to bring together a coalition of forces after September 11 on the one hand, and between a gang of fanatics disguised under the name of Islam, on the other.

Regardless of Osama bin Laden's personal fate, says Badrakhan, it is assumed that terrorism as represented by Al Qaida is no longer a source of threat. This snake's head has received a killer blow that has left it with nothing but a few video tapes, says Badrakhan.

But what are we to do with another kind of terrorism? questions Badrakhan. This is a terror of a different kind, one which has scrapped from its vocabulary the concept of respect towards other nations, and their right to live decently and with sovereignty.

In the first year of the new century, the world has been divided into lists, says Badrakhan. There is an American list for terrorists, allies and collaborators. There is the UN's and the EU's list as well. But only the American one will prevail.

Following September 11, the U.S. has gained more hegemony, says Badrakhan. It has become more aggressive in forcing others to accept its mistakes to the extent that even Europeans have not been able, under this pressure, to maintain their rationality in the perception of what constitutes terrorism.

This mistaken perception, writes Badrakhan, has also marketed 'Sharonism' as the main American choice. Even these so called 'clash of civilisations' has been abbreviated to one between the West and Islam. It is as if the West is completely on good terms with its internal societal elements or as if it is completely at peace with all civilisations and non-civilisations, says Badrakhan.

Victory is the only outcome expected from the war fought recently by the U.S. But it is a mistake to think that only such a victory will put an end to terrorism, says Badrakhan. There are grave mistakes in how international matters are dealt with and the U.S. is responsible for such mistakes, says Badrakhan.

There is no doubt, writes Badrakhan, that the American power is the biggest today. But this cannot be relied upon to create wise policies for the world. Such a power can only produce terrorism and re-manufacture it, says Badrakhan.

A new century

It can be said that the past year was the defining moment for the beginning of a new century, writes Salama Ahmad Salama in Al-Ahram (Egypt). The events of 2001 have defined this century from previous ones.

They have outlined crossroads where two different worlds, times and perceptions have met, says Salama. Events have also confirmed the continuation of the American hegemony as a sole power in the international order, he says.

The year 2001 began with a world filled with erupting or nearly-erupting volcanoes of hunger, disappointment and resentment to which thousands of innocent people fell victim. The year ended with a dramatic explosion in Washington and New York that called for the biggest revenge operation in history, led by the biggest and strongest nation in the world, adds Salama.

The passing year began with hope as a new American president was sworn in with a bare majority, causing a deep schism in the American political system, says Salama. But the election of George W. Bush has led the world to the brink of a third world war, given Bush's handling of world affairs.
This mode of thinking is reflective of the American conservative right-wing South, says Salama.

During the first months of 2001, the world had begun awakening from the Balkans war and attempts to end it. This was through the Kosovo agreements and the arrest of the butcher Milosevic, says Salama. Yet, crises followed with the eruption of disturbances in Indonesia. Later, came another kind of butcher, Ariel Sharon, committing massacres in Palestine, says Salama. This has led to the peace process in the Middle East being undermined. And the year ended sourly.

A cultural war

There is a different kind of war this year, believes Ahmad Amourabi. The CIA has a present for the year 2002 called 're-producing the religious message', writes Amourabi in Al-Bayan (UAE).

This year will be the year of American cultural war which is listed on the U.S. agenda to fight terrorism. It will be a war against selected groups of Arab elite and will target the mosque, the schools and the media in the name of 'reformation', says Amourabi.

The new cultural war has a different strategy. The goal is to re-produce and alternate the conce