Online Edition | Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | Friday, October 19, 2001

Terrorism Discussion
Middle East complexity, 
crisis explored by panel
By Debra Smith, News Bureau

When Rafi Samizay came to Chicago in 1965 to study architecture, others from his homeland of Afghanistan numbered less than five in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Inevitably, fellow students wondered about the Middle East. Samizay’s curious classmates bombarded him with questions—some quite silly. He was once asked, "Do you have chickens in Afghanistan?" Later, a famous architect learned of Samizay’s roots and commented, "Afghanistan must be a good place—we don’t hear anything about it."

"Now we hear a lot about Afghanistan, and after 20 years, I am not sure if there are any chickens left," said Samizay, now a professor in WSU’s School of Architecture and Construction Management.

Next forum slated
He was one of four panelists who attempted to unravel the intricacies of the Middle East for an audience of nearly 300 at an Oct. 10 open forum, "The Middle East: The Complexity Behind the Crisis, Part I" in the CUB Auditorium. Part II of the topic, to be held from 4-6 p.m. Oct. 24, also in the CUB Auditorium, will look at foreign affairs and the history of U.S.-Middle East relations.

The forum is part of "An American Tragedy—A Discussion Series," a biweekly forum organizers hope will enhance students’ academic experience and improve campus climate.

Hatred of U.S. policies
The questions from the audience of mostly students ranged from the origin of the Taliban to why others have such a great hatred of Americans.

Most of those who wish to harm America do so because they hate U.S. policies in the Middle East, not civilians, explained Ahmed Younes, an environmental engineer and Muslim resident of Pullman.

He described Middle Easterners as desperate and frustrated. "Democracy does not exist in the Middle East," he said. Neither does freedom of speech. When disagreeing with the regime could land the criticizer in prison or worse, the United States is one power people can criticize, said Younes, a native of Palestine.

It is easy to blame the United States, which has supported regimes like Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for its own self-interests, such as oil, said Robert Staab, a Middle East historian and instructor for the WSU history department.

"We will support various governments whether they are popular in their own countries or not," Staab said.

It is easy, Staab said, to point the finger and say, "those people in that part of the world." But the Middle East is a mosaic of people and different political systems. Arabs, Turks, Persians, Greeks, Armenians, Jews and Kurds among others inhabit the region.

Political systems run the gamut from secular governments and religious states to Islamic republics and monarchies. The customs, dress and manners of Middle Easterners are as different as those of Americans, Staab said. The landscape, too, is rich and varied with lush valleys, rugged peaks, rivers and arid deserts.

However, that same diversity does not extend to religion, said Marina Tolmacheva, an authority on premodern Islamic history and civilization and the director of WSU’s Asia Program.

Islam growing rapidly
Many Christians and other religious sects survived by existing on the Middle East’s geographical fringes. The rise of Islam beginning in the seventh century is the cultural umbrella, and that "shade spreads over other areas," she said. Islam is growing faster than any other religion in the world today, with 56 countries listing the faith as their foundational religion.

Afghanistan is no longer the "country of magical beauty" that Samizay remembers. It is torn apart and ravaged by war, part of a "new global order" where "lesser powers moved to fill what greater powers were doing before." In the past, Afghanistan’s enemies were clear, he said. The people of Afghanistan considered Americans teachers and road builders.

"I hope this time around, it won’t be Americans as the new enemy," Samizay said.