From: Zeynep Tufekcioglu <zeynept-AT-turk.net>
Subject: Re-Suicide bombs & Middle Eastern mentality
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 10:07:36 +0300


Micheal asks:

>1. No, there is no such thing as a middle eastern mentality. 
>(Except in the minds of orientalists.)  There is a plethora of 
>"mentalities" throughout the region.

Imo, there are some general elements that run through the region. A culture
of submission for example. The very word "Islam" means surrender in Arabic.
A belief in fate. Spontanoeity of action as pressure increases to the point
of explosion.

>2. That monotheism originated in the middle east is historically 
>true, but what does it reveal about the region at present? 

For example, there is a culture of "martrydom" that runs deep. Atheist left
is not excluded.


>(Primary health care varies from one state to the other.  
>Kuwait and Somalia are both in the middle east but have 
>widely disimilar levels of public health.)

Not if you are of of the Philipino-Indian servant/slaves in Kuwait, who
outnumber Kuwaiti citizens one to two.

I don't really have numbers about the situation of these people/slaves. But,
my father travels often to Kuwait on business. The stories are horrific. For
example, they take their master/owner to someplace, and they are made to
wait outside all day under the Kuwaiti sun, which I learn is unbearable for
10 minutes. Ordered to stand still where they are. Every single place that
Kuwaiti citizens occupy is air-conditioned. They are paid very very poorly.
They eat what leftovers deemed suitable for them. Most are not allowed to
bring their families, as this would cause "crowding". So, years of
separation. The women are treated as concubines, as highlighted by the
recent publicised case of the young woman who killed her master/owner when
he attempted to rape her. (She was sentenced to death, but released after
much international outrage). I hear that she is an exception, because she
resisted. Almost all accept, they need the money desparately, to send home.

>4. Clearly, the middle eastern states are part of the world 
>capitalist system.  At this juncture, this makes for a kind of 
>postmodernity in which anti-systemic political movements 
>can draw inspiration from traditional beliefs. 

Yes, I agree with the "clearly part of the capitalist system". Most
everywhere in the world though, opposition draws inspiration from
traditional beliefs, which is unavoidable. The crucial point I think is not
to let this fact of life degenerate the movement into a "identity politics"
type opposition.

>Modernization, meanwhile, has been restricted to 
>the armed forces. 

Not really. Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Yemen, etc. are largely urban
societies.

>Why mystify the situation by drawing analogies between lemmings 
>and suicide bombers? Throughout the world, soldiers are trained 
>to act like lemmings when so ordered. 

Well, it mystifies me. How is this possible? What does it mean for the human
existence that the social-being can override the most basic instict of
self-preservation? 

Zeynep



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