“Expired” Arab regimes.

Time for these regimes to go. There is nothing worth reforming in these regimes. These regimes “expired” and should be trashed.

Sami Jamil Jadallah / VT

The Arab leaders seem to be waking up from long sleep, similar to the “people of the cave/ Ahl Akahaf” the story in the Holy Quran or are waking up from overdose or hang over,even a comma. They woke up to discover there is a need for change and a need for reform and there are real people. All ran a police state that failed them at home and abroad. Syria is now blaming Israel for fermenting the uprising, adding insult to injury to the Syrian people. They simply lost it all.

Syria, a country well known for its security services where not even an aunt can hide, yet Israel is able to penetrate deep into its territory and commit assassinations, a country where moving from one apartment requires security clearance, and where carrying a gun can mean hanging in public square all of sudden discovered there are hidden forces that are behind the recent uprising, blaming these forces for the disturbance, and that the killers are from the outside. Of course no one believe these lies coming from so many liars.

Buthaina Sha’aban, the president media advisor not only promised there would be no shooting, but promised real reform and it seems these reforms are in the forms of bullets fired at protestors. Who would believe her story that someone broke into “arms storage” and start shooting. Buthaina Sha’aban is an expert at spinning lies with claims that Syria is targeted because of its support of “ the resistance” a resistance we have not seen in the Golan for decades.

Dr. Sha’aban went further to claim that outside forces are behind the “fitna” with the intent to spark a sectarian conflict between the majority Sunnis and the minority Alawaite. She even accused Palestinians in the refugee camps are behind the uprising. It seems Palestinians are becoming the “punching” bag for these failed regimes.

So far, not in Yemen, or in Syria or Jordan did any one try to explain why the promise for change and reforms and why now? Years have passed with total indifference to the people and their rights of citizenships with the rights to be free from fear, with the rights to jobs, decent housing, affordable healthcare, good education, and yes free the rules of “mokhabarat”.

In Egypt, like in Tunis, like in Syria like in Jordan, like in Yemen, like in Algeria to mention few, political security forces or “mokhabarat” runs the country. It is the clearinghouse for every ministry, for every department, for every agency. For every university, even every hospital. Every citizen must be cleared by “mokhabarat”. To be hired as a teacher, to open a business, to get a passport or a driver license or travel outside the country one need a political clearance from ‘mokhabarat”. The “mokhabarat” are the backbone of the regime. Nothing happens in the country without the “mokhabarat”. The “mokhabarat” decide who lives and who dies, who works and who is not allowed to work. It is so powerful one would think Uzraeel the “angel of death” needs approval and clearance from “mokhabarat” to do his job.

Saddam Hussain ruled Iraq with iron fist, killed tens of thousands based on reports from “mokhabarat”. Hafez Assad and Bachar Assad rely on “mokhabarat” for every thing. In Jordan “mokhabarat” is a state within a state more important than the prime minister and his government.

Perhaps the Syrian, Yemeni and other leaders can explain to their citizen why all of a sudden they are proposing changes, reforms and dialogue? Perhaps these leaders discovered there are real people, with real issues and inalienable rights that have been ignored for long time. Perhaps the leadership worried and running scared taking lessons from Bin Ali and Hosni Mubarak where even the most powerful state security could not save the regime. It seems Arab leaders did not learn the lessons from the collapse of the Soviet Union, or the collapse of Communist East Germany, or the collapse of the regimes in Poland, Romania, Hungarian, and Bulgaria. They simply did not learn the lesson of the late Shah of Iran with his army of SAVAK and Mossad, with almost a million-man army with hundreds of F-14, F-5, Cobras, and thousands of tanks could not save him or his regime.

Hosni Mubarak thought he was Egypt, relying on internal security to keep him in power and allow him and his family and friends to loot the country (Senator Kerry announced the US froze $31.5 Billions in assets belonging to Mubarak and his family) and his departure will cause the country to collapse and breakdown. Bin Ali thought the same thing. Ali Saleh is threatening Yemenis and the West of the total breakdown of Yemen into a Somalia. All forgot they are not immortal and can always die at any moment (provided Uzraeel has permission) what happens then? Perhaps they needed to negotiate a deal with God where for the good of the country they can live forever.

One thing for sure these offers of reforms are little too late. People are not demanding reforms they are demanding the total departure of regimes that failed them all these years, that reduced them to subjects and not free citizens, simply files at the “mokhabarat” Time for these regimes to go. There is nothing worth reforming in these regimes. These regimes “expired” and should be trashed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: SAMI JAMIL JADALLAH isborn in the Palestinian city of El-Bireh (presently under Israeli Military and Settlers Occupation). Immigrated to the US in 62. After graduating from high school in Gary, Indiana was drafted into the US Army (66-68) received the Leadership Award from the US 6th Army NCO Academy in Ft. Lewis, Washington. Five of us brothers were in US military service about the same time (Nabil-Army), (Lutfi-Marines), (Sam-Army) and (Taiseer-Marines) with two nephews presently with US Army. Graduated from …Read Full Bio

Sami Jamil Jadallah

Sami, a Palestinian-American and a US Army Veteran (66-68), recipient of the “soldier of the month award and leadership award from the 6th Army NCO Academy, is an international legal and business consultant with over 40 years of international experience, in construction, hospitality services, conservation, and defense, in the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. Sami is a holder of BA, MPA in Public and Environmental Affairs, Jurist Doctor from Indiana University. While at IU he was elected class president, student government president and chairman of the Indiana Students Association,

Active in peace movement as a co-author of the pre-amble for the One State for All of its people and voluntary service program SalamNation. A frequent contributor on national and international affairs. He resides in the United States.