International Political Will

It has become accepted wisdom in America that the so-called “war on terror” is a “clash of civilizations,” a label affixed by those that see the world in strict dichotomies of good versus evil. But religious absolutes serve as both a convenient battle cry as well as a distraction from genuine solutions.

The elite rulers of both factions in the “war on terror” are willing to engage in a “clash of civilizations” so long as they are able to maintain their monopoly of power and wealth.

Even the most prestigious leaders in the West attempt to convince Americans that threats to their “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” come from dark-skinned Muslim zealots.

When Americans ask why such people would want to do them harm, the leadership assures a fearful public that religious ideologues are simply jealous and “hate our freedoms.” Americans are told there is no alternative but war against those who wish to convert or kill anyone who doesn’t share their strict interpretation of Islam.

On the other side of the world, much of the same rhetoric is repeated. Recruiters for Al Qaeda and other violent groups rally Muslim followers through their call to jihad and refer to holy war in terms of religious duty.

The assault by Western powers is portrayed as a religious war waged by the same crusaders that sought to reclaim Jerusalem a millennia before; the same nations that dismantled the Ottoman Empire, and the same imperial powers that aid the Zionist entity.

But there are more tangible factors affecting the current international crisis. Smoldering underneath the superficial religious and political reasons lays an economic battle. Both side’s extremists are eager to suppress or ignore any valid discussion for fear of an internal struggle; one that would likely end the current reign of money, power and privilege across the globe.

Perhaps the most significant indicator of this divide is the ever-widening income gap. The concept of “middle class” increasingly indicates merely the absence of extreme poverty.

Adjusted for inflation, the average income of the poorest 20 percent of Americans increased just $1,100 between 1979 and 2000. During the same period income of the richest 20 percent rose by $57,400.

In addition, Bush’s tax cuts provided little “relief” for the majority of Americans, giving 80 percent of U.S. households an extra tax refund of $533. Meanwhile, the households that earn over $1 million saved an average of $136,398.

In the East, after decades of U.S. support for “moderate” authoritarian regimes, the populations in many resource-rich countries are becoming increasingly angry over U.S. corporate exploitation. Energy resources are acquired by foreign firms while minimal compensation usually only makes its way into the coffers of totalitarian rulers.

Saudi Arabia provides a stark example, highlighted by the economist Jeffrey Sachs. Saudi Arabia was one of just ten countries whose gross domestic product (GDP) actually fell by more than 2.5 percent over the last 20 years. With such a valuable resource of oil, it raises questions about what the royal family is doing with all that money.

In hopes that their large population doesn’t revolt and oust them from their positions of power, the royal family finances religious education systems that direct the public’s anger at the West.

This global conflict is portrayed on both sides as a pious or patriotic duty, allowing both antagonists to rally the body politic under the banner of a nationalist religion. Nothing motivates humans so violently as does religion or ethnicity.

Americans getting angry about declining purchasing power? Blame foreigners, outsourcing and illegal Mexican immigrants. Ignore the fact that no one is forcing the corporations keep wages low. Don’t talk about why corporations more frequently look to pensions as an “expendable” cost to be cut when profit margins aren’t large enough.

Angry (and rightly so) about the Sept. 11 attacks? Blame the millennium-old conflict between Islam and Christianity. Ignore the millions of people in foreign countries that live in poverty while Western companies pump out their oil for payment that only reaches corrupt regimes. Don’t talk about the role corporate greed plays in international terrorism.

The Judeo-Christian tradition opportunely serves to both distract and unify the Western world in a fabricated “clash of civilizations,” thereby allowing the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of the few.

Similarly, Islam isn’t the reason many people in the world aim to inflict harm on America – it’s simply the unifying factor. It’s only a cruel twist of fate that the region where the U.S. seeks to militarily assure cheap energy supplies is largely Islamic.

The “clash of civilizations” is not a geographical or religious conflict, but a clash between socioeconomic classes. It’s about the abuse of power, wealth and privilege.

Religious beliefs are exploited by the elite, whose iron grip on power requires a symbiotic relationship to distract people from the reality that there are some who have – and billions who have not.

terrorism civilization Islam Christianity war economy class war on terror religion America freedom oil

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