So, a prominent British think tank, the Oxford Research Group, has realised what the rest of the world has been crying hoarse about for much of the last half-decade — the terror-war is actually aiding the cause of Al Qaeda and Co. And even though the British establishment has started betraying a strong comprehension of just such a reality, whether or not similar enlightenment will find its way to Washington remains seriously doubtful.

Perhaps the West’s greatest mistake was dismissing the 9/11 tragedy as simply a barbaric act of terrorism perpetrated by freedom-hating ideologues that continue to have a strong mental attachment with a by-gone era. Surely, much more effort and attention should have been invested in understanding the reasons for any adult to be pushed to such gross acts of violence. The West that is otherwise known for its exceptional R&D (research and development) skills that formed the backbone of its meteoric economic/social rise, failed to look hard enough into the reasons for this particular backlash from sections of the east, and unfortunately ventured upon a very wrong path in its hasty bid to “nip the evil in the bud.”

It makes little sense in continuing to dwell on how the American invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, especially the latter, are responsible for this orgy of death and destruction that the world is held witness to every place the wheels of the terror-war march into.

The bedrock of all passions and sentiments that push Muslims, moderate and extremist alike, to develop a distaste for Western policies is the latter’s recurrent procedure of oppression against Muslims, especially in Palestine.

Khaleej Times, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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