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  • Deplorable double standards

    Gulf News, UAE
    March 7 2010

    Deplorable double standards

    America, a nation that uses excessive violence in the name of fighting
    terror carries little justification in targeting another nation,
    Turkey, over 'genocide'

    By Farhan Bokhari, Special to Gulf News
    Published: 00:00 March 7, 2010


    Turkey's decision last week to recall its ambassador to Washington for
    consultations in reaction to a vote in a US congressional panel to
    label as "genocide" the First World War killings of Armenians by
    Turkish Ottoman forces, deserves wider attention.

    There is never any justification for mass killings of innocent
    civilians by armed forces in any conflict. If indeed innocent
    civilians were targeted in that unfortunate incident, there needs to
    be condemnation.

    And yet, the irony is indeed that the world continues to witness
    double standards even in a century which was expected by some to bring
    in an era of technological harmony and economic progress.

    Trouble spots ranging from Kashmir to Palestine, under occupation by
    Israel, may qualify as spots targeted in varying degrees of genocide.

    Similarly, conflicts in war-ravaged areas, be it the way Iraq and
    subsequently Afghanistan were targeted by the US, or indeed Chinese
    targeting of Muslims in Xinjiang province, can be considered examples
    of conflict with events involving genocide.

    Common theme

    A close microscopic search through history of the so-called modern era
    in the past century will probably reveal a common theme which is
    essentially that genocide has no religion.

    In sharp contrast, it involves the use of brute force by armed groups,
    seeking revenge against helpless civilians, all to settle a real or
    imaginary score.

    But the ongoing spat between Turkey and the US also brings up a
    fundamentally vital question. The accusation in this case, emanating
    from a country which in itself can be characterised as a perpetrator
    of excessive violence in the name of fighting terror, carries little
    justification by targeting another on the basis of a case that remains
    locked in ancient memory.

    In contrast, the US could have done well for itself by adopting a
    legislative initiative that sought to take a position against states,
    other entities and individuals, proven to have been involved in
    genocide.

    Such legislation should have then been tied to a more global
    initiative to seek a wider international consensus in dealing with
    cases at the centre of genocide-related accusations.

    However, it is amply clear that the US legislative initiative that has
    apparently caused offence to Turkey, was neither well considered nor
    mindful of its implications. To many around the world, a US initiative
    of this kind is tantamount to the pot calling the kettle black.

    Ultimately, tyranny in whatever form carries neither religion nor can
    ever be wrapped around with moral justification.

    To the Turks, the US action is not just offensive because it fails to
    recognise their peculiar perspective which may stand in sharp contrast
    to the global view of the concerned event.

    More importantly, it is probably another example of a case where
    countries, groups and individuals targeted for reprimand are chosen
    not on the basis of their religious beliefs and ideological
    orientation.

    For the moment, it is impossible to tell exactly how much damage will
    be caused to Turkey's relations with the United States. The decision
    by the Turkish government to recall its ambassador may not necessarily
    be a permanent one.

    Indeed, it is possible that the ambassador concerned will eventually
    return to the United States once the decision to recall him has been
    seen in Turkey as an adequate expression of anger.

    It is even possible that the action taken in the US Senate is followed
    by other symbolic steps that are meant by the US to underline
    Washington's appreciation of Turkey's central role as an Islamic
    state.

    But the damage that this incident has done to reinforce an already
    popular view in predominantly Muslim countries, of the Islamic world
    being the target of prejudice in the Western world may still remain
    around for some time to come.

    Consequently, rather than bridging the divide between Muslims and the
    Western world, the divide is more than likely to remain potentially
    wide.

    The best that can be expected under the prevailing circumstances is at
    least the recognition that ways have to be found to stop further
    aggravation of an already fragile atmosphere surrounding the Muslim
    world and its relations with the West.



    Farhan Bokhari is a Pakistan-based commentator who writes on political
    and economic matters.

    http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/ deplorable-double-standards-1.592974
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