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No to big brother!

May 03,2018 - Last updated at May 03,2018

There is a lot wrong with inter-Arab relations. While once upon a time there was always a minimal degree of consensus on almost all major issues and an acceptable level of mutual understanding and coordination, at present, many Arab countries are turning their backs on each other.

Some in fact are openly plotting against and even literally fighting those countries with which they once had “fraternal” relations.

Overall, there is no agreement on a specific collective direction, and no apparent consciousness that a shared geography dictates a shared vision, good neighbourliness and hard work towards the realisation of common interests and the common good.

No longer any of that.

A nasty spirit of rivalry, both tacit and blatant, prevails; and much bickering and discord, covert and overt, reigns supreme.

There are many reasons for this unfortunate situation, which is doing nothing but harm to each and all. Mind boggling when one thinks about it.

One main reason, which I wish to enforce here, is a longstanding malady of some countries playing the role of big brother and trying to enforce their unilateral vision on all.

There has been a misconception, a false notion, which has reigned for long, that one Arab country should "lead" (in the derogatory sense of the word) the rest. The outcome has always been that two or three compete for such status and, as a result, wreak havoc in inter-Arab relations, causing a lot of tension friction, and, at times, literal fighting.

This formula is both false and wrong, and it has got to stop.

New thinking and new strategising need to emerge, ones based on mutual respect, on consensus building and collective collaboration for the common good.

This is especially needed at this point in time when there are so many countries, from the region and abroad, which are targeting our region, starkly interfering in its affairs, and scheming and plotting to achieve their own interests at the expense of inter-Arab understanding and détente.

We should learn lessons from our European neighbours who, by large, have achieved a very healthy formula at the collective level. One is not asking here at this particular stage for an "Arab Union," along the lines of the European Union, but at least sincere inter-Arab coordination, involvement of each and all, and respect (a key term here) of "brothers/sisters" and neighbours.

There is nothing wrong with each individual Arab country looking after its own interests, but each and every Arab country should also be mindful of common, collective interests, which are also extremely vital.

It is this mindfulness that is absent at this point in time; it is this failure at the collective level that is disturbing.

Some sort of initiative is needed, as Arab countries are stronger when they think individually and collectively, when they create and capitalise on collective synergy.

For this to happen, for the collective synergy to be possible and to start to bear fruit, the "big brother" formula has got to stop; has got to be dropped right away.

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