by Aurangzeb Qureshi

Attempting to disarm Iran’s nuclear enrichment program diplomatically has proven futile. Even with the noose tightening around its neck through sanctions, and joint American-Israeli military exercises combined with covert CIA operations being conducted close to its border, Iran still has the sheer audacity to tell America that it will defend itself in the case of an invasion. How dare this 3000-year-old civilization threaten the world’s declining 60-year hegemonic superpower? How dare this country stand up for itself after watching America slaughter thousands in neighboring Iraq? It is time to bomb these people into oblivion so the West can once again overthrow its regime and replace it with one that will conform, abide by, and slave to its master. It’s time these people got with the times. It is upon America and the rest of the “civilized world” to prevent another 9/11.

I say Bomb Eye-ran!

The inherently evil Ahmadinejad brought it upon himself by demanding oil compensation in euros. Oil has always been bought and sold in American currency. So what if the dollar is at rock-bottom due to America’s colonial misadventures? So what if the Iranians want full compensation for a resource that they own? So what if the Iranians want to circumvent American restrictions on banks that engage in business with Iran? These greedy Iranians have to understand that only America can act in its best interest and everybody else has to act in the best interests of America. As long as Iran exists, so does the potential for another 9/11.

I say Bomb Eye-ran!

What are these Iranians thinking by enriching uranium? Everyone knows that only the U.S. and Israel can have weapons of mass destruction, because they have the God-given right to do so. Any other state that even attempts to acquire such technology, even for peaceful purposes, is doing so because it wants to destroy western civilization. Sure, Iran is constantly threatened by Israel, shares a border with nuclear Pakistan and is surrounded by two American client regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, but that does not matter. If Iran cooperated, did not nationalize its oil industry in 1953, and did not overthrow a brutal US-installed dictator in 1979, then it would not be where it is today. Iran does not have a right to meddle in its own affairs, only Britain, America, and Israel do. If this magnanimous, righteous, and noble trio does not take matters into their own hands, these evil-doers will unleash another attack like 9/11.

I say Bomb Eye-ran!

Ahmadinejad stated that he wanted to wipe Israel off the map so the only logical course of action is that the U.S. and Israel destroy Iran first. In reality he may have said he wanted to “wipe Zionism from the page of history,” but those devious Iranians just like to mask their threats in colorful language. Iran’s constant meddling in Iraq, support of terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, and combative rhetoric of self-defense is highly disconcerting. If Iran acquired nuclear weapons, they will invade neighboring states and try to spread their Shiite revolution across the Muslim world and into Europe. Maybe present-day Iran has not invaded a foreign state since the Greco-Persian wars before the birth of Christ, and perhaps the US and Israel have a more profound history of invasion and occupation. However, that is all irrelevant because the U.S. and Israel are believers in democracy and freedom. Those who committed the heinous acts of 9/11 despised democracy and freedom.

I say Bomb Eye-ran!

America and Israel can easily target Iran’s nuclear reactors that are spread throughout the country. Iran will not see this as an act of aggression because the strikes will be “strategic” and this will minimize any “collateral damage” just like in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their threat to target American interests and to further destabilize the Middle East is hogwash. Their threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which 30 per cent of the world’s oil passes, is baseless and tantamount to political suicide. If Iran does become that desperate, oil may rise to $500 dollars a barrel and the people may suffer, but it will definitely make the American oligarchy much happier. In the end that is all that matters.

And most important of all, nobody will have the gall to execute another 9/11, because the concept of “blowback” does not really exist.

I say Bomb Eye-ran and let freedom ring.

http://www.antiwar.com/orig/qureshi.php?articleid=13159

The script goes something like this: 1) get a degree in engineering, medicine, business, or law; 2) complain about how you don’t like what you do; 3) get married and have kids;  4) live a text-book life; 5) grow old and bored; 6) due to boredom, raise a ruckus in your local mosque and anywhere else where you think you’d receive some attention; 7) grow really old and lament about how you wasted life.

Such a script is probably not going to win “best screenplay”, and a director may even use it as toilet paper depending on paper quality.  Why then are we recycling it for our own use?

As a first-generation Muslim born and raised in the West, I sometimes cannot help but notice how we continue to remain stagnant in an environment that has so much to offer.  More and more Muslims I associate with or talk to seem to be turning into carbon copies of their parents holding the same conservative ideals centered around a stable career, retention of faith and culture, and upholding family values.  There is obviously nothing wrong with any of this, however, I do feel that holding a life philosophy based around these criteria alone is not only flawed, it is downright regressive.

Muslims who immigrated here to find a better life were either fleeing persecution by despotic regimes, looking for a better life for their future children, or just wanted a better opportunity to make more money.  Whatever the case may be, they did not have the luxury of engaging in the arts, getting involved in politics, or pursuing a passion.  They were simply concerned with putting food on the table.  In doing so, their life philosophy was simple - career, faith, family. 

Unfortunately, due to their own past uncertainty, some of these now successful immigrants forced the very same values upon their children and pressured them to follow certain career paths that were either stable or associated with status, prestige and materialism.  There are cases where Muslims have challenged the status-quo, however what I find troubling is many have also internalized this one-dimensional approach to life and are making the same choices subconsciously.  The script, it seems, has already been laid out, and it is followed without question.

Furthermore, as first generation Muslims are now finding their way into the job market, it is not a surprise to find that most don’t really like what they do.  When I was in school, I had a conversation with a friend that went something like this:

Friend:  Hey Zeb, so why didn’t you go into engineering?
Me: I don’t know, never really was interested and I don’t think I would enjoy it even if I got in.
Friend: Nobody enjoys it, you just do it.

Again, I’m not arguing that being practical and safe is faulty practice.  On the contrary, one needs a certain level of discipline and preparation to achieve success. However with that said, being too safe and too conservative limits our ability to realize our true potential. 

Now there are Muslims who have followed the safe path, but are still involved in the mainstream community by pursuing film, music, poetry, activism, or other interests, but these examples are few and far between.  Most Muslims I know are learned and knowledgeable individuals, but there is absolutely no desire on their part to go above and beyond or follow an interest.  For example, talking about politics as tableside conversation is what old immigrant parents do, but for some reason we are doing the same thing. 

Shouldn’t we as born and bred Canadians be going a step further by walking the talk and getting involved especially in a climate where Muslims and Islam are being targeted more then ever before?  Shouldn’t we be engaging with the mainstream community at a greater level rather than limiting our interactions with niche cliques, Muslim-only groups, and Muslim-only initiatives? Shouldn’t we get past the archaic “By Muslims, For Muslims” mentality by now?

Perhaps it will take more than just one generation for us to truly think outside of the box.  Until then, the script will continue to replay itself because from the looks of it, we are not running out of film anytime soon.

Hollywood can save on toilet paper in the process.