On March 4, the New America Foundation hosted Dr. James Zogby in a conversation about his new book, Arab Voices. Dr. Zogby began his talk by highlighting how the current wave of unrest sweeping through the Arab world represents the most critical development in the region since the advent of colonialism. He pointed out that, unlike other episodes of popular unrest in the region, the current revolutions and uprisings are not led by political elites or vanguard Islamists. Rather, these popular movements exhibit a strong civic component. The participants in such watershed movements cross gender lines and are voicing largely non-ideological demands. As one who has conducted extensive polling on Arab public opinion, Zogby then argued that much of the information he has retrieved provides ample explanation for the unrest in the region.
Dr. Zogby, however, spoke about how the gap between stated American interests and actual knowledge of the Arab world compromises effective policymaking toward the region. He argued that popular American political culture has reinforced inaccurate stereotypes about the region and contributed to Americans’ misunderstanding of regional and country-specific dynamics.
He then explained how ignorance toward the Arab world has pervaded American administrations. According to Zogby, Bush officials were not willing to listen to Arab grievances; rather, they lectured Arab political leaders and intellectuals on the merits of democratic reform and gender equality. President Obama seemed to offer a marked departure from Bush’s approach and led Arabs to expect a more understanding, open-minded approach. Nonetheless, as Dr. Zogby explains, the Obama administration has mastered the art of public diplomacy but not necessarily engaged the Arab people in a meaningful two-way discussion.
Dr. Zogby then discussed how American administrations’ myths about the Arab world have obviated effective policy-making toward the region. Specifically, American administrations have adopted failed policies based on erroneous understandings of Arab identity. By deposing Saddam Hussein and attempting to initiate democratization throughout the region, the Bush administration assumed that Arabs across the region would follow their brethren in Iraq and push for political reform. At the same time, the administration believed it could engage in grotesque acts in Iraq assuming that the effects of such actions would not reverberate throughout the region. Arab opinion toward American conduct in Iraq, however, suggests otherwise.
Zogby concluded his discussion by focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. American administrations have been unable to make headway on a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The continued Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza continues to galvanize Arabs, for whom the narratives of occupation and injustice resonate.
