Pak Tea House » Politics » A study of Anti-Americanism in Pakistan (Part III)
A study of Anti-Americanism in Pakistan (Part III)
by Abdul Majeed Abid
Regarding the basis of hate towards the US, Professor Hamid Kizilbash’s paper in 1988 stated that Pakistanis give three kinds of reasons for negative feelings about America. One involves U.S. policies toward Pakistan such as failure to come to Pakistan’s aid during the Bangladesh crisis, using Pakistan for its own interests, and opposition to Pakistan’s peaceful nuclear program. A second deals with American global policy, including support of Israel, opposition to Iran’s present government, and use of force against small Third World nations. The third includes American involvement in Pakistan—for example, support of the military regime, obstructing a settlement of the Afghan issue, and responsibility for the decline in the value of the local currency.
Columnist Fasi Zaka in one of his columns suggested that the kind of anti-Americanism found these days (among the middle-classes of the country) is extremely ill-informed. He wrote that a lot of young Pakistanis are basing their understanding of international politics by watching low-budget straight-to-video ‘documentaries’ on YouTube!
The unfortunate fact is that most of Anti-America bashing is done for all the wrong reasons. United States of America is no beacon of International justice nor are they the mega-scheming empire that we so love to depict in our lengthy and flowery diatribes. U.S.A is neither the “great Satan” nor is the “defender of democracy”, it is somewhere in between these two extremes. The most accurate basis of U.S-bashing would be to criticize the impunity with which that country holds the rest of the world accountable based on its standards or the brazen use of force by the United States across the globe(and NOT only against the Muslims-contrary to popular belief) over the last 70 years. Ironically, more people in the United States itself and in Europe protested against the Iraq war than in any of the Muslim “Ummah”. While we are at it, it should also not be forgotten what the “Muslim Imperialism” did in its own days. If Mohammad bin Qasim can come all the way from Hijaz to Sindh just because of a letter written by a woman, Moosa bin Naseer can send an army to help Count Julian across the Mediterranean, G.I Joe also has the equal right to retaliate when a bunch of dimwits attack its homeland via flying planes. America is not controlling the world like we think it is. Add this to the fact that more than 90% Pakistani people have never been to the U.S and have never met an American in real life.
Another ugly issue surrounding the prevalent anti-Americanism is the hypocrisy of it. Most people attending the “Go Amrika Go” rallies would love to get a U.S Visa and spend their rest of lives in the same country whose flag they burn on monthly basis for fun. People like this can be seen queuing up outside American fast-food chains, they like to wear American brands(new or second hand), they watch American films, follow the trends set by Americans, use American-built devices like a Personal Computer or an iPhone and the list goes on and on. It would be unfair not to say that one characteristic that unites us Pakistanis is this hypocrisy that we fail to see.
U.S is not the wealthiest country in the world, rather it the country with the most loans. The unemployment rates in United States are rising on weekly basis, people are getting their homes taken away from them, if “Amrika” is so powerful, Why can’t it help its OWN people? We have been made to think via convoluted conspiracy theories that Amrika has some kind of Vendetta against Muslims. No doubt, a lot of Muslim countries have been at the receiving end of Amrika’s wrath including Iraq, Afghanistan and lately Libya. But does that mean what was happening at Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya was Justified.? The genocide being committed by Saddam and Qaddafi was “western propaganda” only? Al-Qaeda was a bunch of average bearded guys who played for the same football team? As a society, we do not want to tolerate any dissenting voice and I am already expecting remarks branding me “another American agent” or “Amriki apologist” and all my protestations will be useless when that happens.At the end, I would just like to re-quote Mr. Tufail Ahmad, “It[Anti-American sentiment] hegemonizes minds and prevents people from seeing facts as they exist”
Filed under: Politics · Tags: American, country, Pakistan, people
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@Raj
Its v.easy to make assumptions about anyone. I’m not the only one to decide which comments to keep and which not. I can withstand criticism and if you had the decency to do it, you would have checked that no comment that criticizes my ideas or the article has been deleted by the moderators. PTH has been getting a lot of trolls recently, courtesy the demise of Chowk and the editors understand that, I won’t stand in their way.
Aneela, my brother/sister, this is a single biggest mistake that good Pakistanis/Muslims like you make – that every community is like us. Neither every community is like you, nor is every religion/country remotely like Islam/Pakistan. A good way to approach this subject is to actually study other religions and countries – not from the books of Islamists and ahmadis and writers of Pakistan studies books, but study them as you would study physics or chemistry.
The problem with everyone-is-lik-us approach is that it not only reaches wrong conclusions but insults all religions and all communities including Islam and Muslims/Pakistanis respectively.
Best.
A comment should be deleted only if it contains obscene, filthy, indecent, abusive language.
Criticism of religions, ideologies, beliefs and faiths is a must – that is what is most needed, especially in Pakistan.
The Rest of the comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted.
@observe
a part of your comment was deleted because we do not encourage quoting from scriptures to prove your point. It is not-ethical. It forces others to either prove their point using other parts of scriptures or give the words some other meaning leading to a vortex of non-sense.
No Mr Abid, this censoring is now becoming a comedy. I am very active in politics in Yorkshire in bringing communities together. There is a very large Pakistani population here and I interact with them and in fact, at the invitation of one fellow Pakistani doctor who was impressed with my knowledge, came to PTH.
I made a comment that got deleted. It related to my concern and anguish for lives lost- hence my plea- dont get worked up over burning of Quran. It just fans unnecessary anti Americanism.
If you delete this simple comment, then it is like a Monty Python sketch. A bad comedy. Be brave to argue with the world, if PTH censors non abusive comments, the God help Pakistan.
And in case you missed it, that was an indirect compliment.
@Aneela Shahzad
You are an excellent analyst and in my view has fully grasped the problems which the muslim communities of the world are facing. Pakisan is a special case and did allow the USA, by Mr Musharaf, to set up logistic bases and uncontrolled air space. I am sure that with faith the efforts of even a single person could move the direction and the course of a Nation.
More than 50 States and having two third control of the world energy supplies; the degradation of muslims in the so called Global village does not spell ou any logic. People must resist this infam, individualy and collectively.
Let the intellectuals and elites of Pakistan do not circulate the labels which were designed in the anglo saxon world(UK, Canada and USA) of extremists, terrorists, islamists etc. The biggest terrorist of the world is now occupying the white house, with his clintonians military and CIA network of spies and special forces for cyber war and target killings, with more than five hundred overseas bases some of which with torture chambers.
Rex Minor
This is becoming hilarious. Esteemed moderator babu is typical Angreji Matric pass railway clerk, who shouts and screams at we village bums -”this window is now officially closed, No Comment.”
Hey fellows, why are you guys complaining if your post is not appearing for whatever reason. The editor or the moderator, in my view does nt have to give any reaso or explanation for cancelling our post. I very much wish that my post is edited and if deemed unsuitable, be amended or cancelled for whatever reason. We all imagine that we are very civilised and polite people and do not abuse others or their faith or race. But this is not credibe, the unbiased opinion of the editor or the moderator is more accurate. all we can do is to conform or vanish. Why create unnecessary work for the establishment?
Rex Minor
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted.
[...] A study of Anti-Americanism in Pakistan (Part III) [...]
Dear MODERATOR
Abuse and mockery kill the spirit of a constructive argument, but quoting from a book is not like going into a ‘vortex of non-sense’, this essay is full of quote from everywhere, it is incumbent upon the ingenuity of the writer to make sense of whatever he chooses and present it as a critical, sensible analysis. But that would not mean that others can not have their own reading and analysis, you cannot moderate others to think and feel like yourself. Where is our collective virtue of ‘freedom of expression’?
Also, scripture should not be labeled as a ‘no-go’ area, it should be taken as text, readable and critic-able. I salute the spirit of inquiry of those who spend their live inquiring in the hieroglyphs of the ancients and the mysteries of the ruins, all knowledge adds to the collective wisdom of an epoch. Fear will kill human investigation, boldness will nourish it.
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted.
Dr. Mishra
If your comments are OFF-TOPIC, they will be deleted.
YesSir
perhaps you can make comments other than abusing any religion or going off-topic or quoting from religious texts to justify your point. THAT window is not closed. If there are more than 40 comments on this page that have not been deleted, whose fault is this? Yours or ours?
@aneela shehzad
constructive argument doesn’t involve throwing arguments at people involving religious texts. This is a PTH policy and if you don’t like it, don’t comment here.
some comments have been deleted because they were in fact “replies” to the original comments that did not abide by our policy.
to rex
Try finding out other causes of muslims’ degradation than zionists, Israel, USA, christianity, Europe, hindus, hindu culture, India etc. If you really want to do somthing good for muslims then don’t vent out at these.
Some books are regarded as sacred and god-made although they are man-made and faulty. If something/someone cannot be (openly) specifically quoted and criticized then it/he becomes a cause of fascism. You know how human beings are. In such a case (of fascism) the most stupid and angry ones take over power.