Obviating Anti Americanism in the Muslim World: Now or Never?

Anti Americanism runs rife in the Muslim world. The sources of this negative feeling are deep and pervasive across the length and breadth of the Muslim world. Be it Iraq or Afghanistan or Pakistan, public opinion and ire is directed against America. Given that the United States is held to be the doyen of the west, this feeling sometimes morphs into anti westernism. Some have amplified this and deemed it as the pre cursor to a ‘clash of civilizations’. This anti Americanism has been  lent poignancy by America’s decision to go to war with Iraq, its ongoing war in Afghanistan and the drone strikes in Pakistan. The infamous Abu Ghuraib lent further acuity to this feeling. It is assumed and widely believed that America is at war against Islam in the Muslim world.

The veracity of this belief is open to question and anyone who really understand the nature of the United States will vouch against it. The country is , by and large an open society, where freedom of religion and belief is enshrined in its Constitution. The attitude of its people, barring pockets in the American South and the Mid West is enlightened, tolerant and the world view of its sophisticated gentry is exemplary. It is a settler cum immigrant nation and has a rich and proud history of openness to the outsider. The United States, despite the economic torpor , induced by the 2008 crisis continues to be a metaphor for opportunity and upward mobility and is a magnet for all types of immigrants- aspirational, economic and political. The daily plebiscite by millions of immigrants-legal or illegal- is testimony to this. So what explains the hostility and the negative feelings towards the United States in the Muslim world? Does Islam constitute the well spring of this hostility toward the Islam? Is the United States’ Foreign Policy the culprit? If so, would a review of the United States’ foreign policy toward the countries constituting the Islamic world obviate this anti Americanism? Should then America review its foreign policy and would this undercut anti Americanism in the Muslim world?

Much of anti Americanism prevalent in the Muslim world can be explained by stereotypes that prevail there about the United States. These stereotypes range from an image of the United States being rampantly hedonistic, ruthless, social Darwinist, greedy, violent and aggressive. These are lent credence by the United State’s war in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and the alliance system between the country and the ruling authoritarian and praetorian elite of the Muslim world. It is widely believed that the conditions-political, economic, and social- that obtain in the Muslim world accrue from the relationship between the United States and the ruling elites of these states. While there is some merit to this belief, given that one prop for the longevity of authoritarian regimes is outside support by a power patron, this is however, half the picture. Cumulatively, these conditions and stereotypes determine and explain anti Americanism in the Muslim world. The question is: how can this be obviated and given short shrift?

The answer lies in globalization, a more open world, free(r) trade and vigorous public diplomacy. All these can be brought to fruition and their momentum can be expanded by the United States. Globalization carried with the promise of emancipation and enlightenment , economic growth and amelioration of poverty and freer movement of peoples across borders and sovereign entities. And this can perhaps be made possibly only by a free(r) trade regime. The onus falls on the United States to make the world that corresponds to globalization and free(r) trade possible. This approach should be buttressed by vigorous public diplomacy that demystifies the nature of the United States to the Muslim world. Its open nature, the freedom it accords to religion and belief and the opportunities if offers to all and sundry , should be emphasized. All this would , fall on deaf ears, if the United States continues with and maintains its alliance system with the authoritarian regimes of the Arab Muslim middle east. This alliance system needs a review and the United States should make it clear to the authoritarians that its continued support and patronage will be contingent on the regimes’ openness, democratization and commitment to human rights.

In concert, these approaches and policies would go far in obviating anti Americanism in the Muslim world. This anti Americanism is not premised on religion or atavistic forces. It is a  rather novel feature and is not structural. As such, it is open to remedy.. The European Union or western Europe is ruled out here because it is , by and large a non entity in world politics and is perhaps irredeemably hostile to Muslims and Islam. It is the United States that is and will be peerless and powerful for years if not decades. It is then the policies and orientation of the United States that matter. It is , therefore, incumbent on Muslims to try to understand the United States  and reach out to it. It is almost certain that sober opinion in the United States will reciprocate. World peace and stability may come to depend upon good and salubrious relations between Islamic world’s and the United States. Let us make haste slowly and bring this state of affairs to fruition.