Middle Nation

Realpolitik has the reputation of being an amoral approach to politics, but it is an approach that can also be used, and perhaps the most effective approach, for achieving long term moral outcomes sought in Islam

SHOW MOREApologies for the long delay between the last podcast and today's episode.  Here I just wanted to clarify what I mean when I talk about the US, and why the collapse in the West does not mean we are off the hook.

The rise of the Ummah as an economic, political, and cultural global power is inevitable.  We should begin laying the groundwork for ensuring that this rise proceeds smoothly and successfully by building bridges across the Global South – in the private sector and in civil society.

In this episode I am commenting on a recent conversation between #DouglasMurray and #JordanPeterson about Murray's latest book, "the War Against the West".  It is a conversation that reveals the two men's profound and blinding biases, and by extension, the biases of "the West" itself, from which it seems nearly impossible for the West to extricate itself.  What Murray is describing is not a war against the West, but a war against the West's lies about itself.

SHOW LESSThe #MuftiMenkiftar in #UAE with an Israeli rabbi provides a good opportunity to explore the topic of normalization of relations between Muslim and Arab countries with Israel.  In my opinion, normalization is most properly understood, not as a betrayal of the #Palestinian cause, but as another form of confrontation with the #Zionists.  You can agree or disagree, like it or hate it; but it is a strategy for potentially gaining influence over Israel's policies and behaviour; and the approach we have adopted for the past 75 years has not resulted in any tangible benefits for the Palestinians or the fate of Jerusalem -- quite the contrary.  If we are serious about #Palestine, we have to analyze approaches objectively, and weigh their potential for achieving positive outcomes.  When I criticized Mufti Menk, it was for his disingenuous and manipulative, gaslighting "clarification" about the iftar event, it was not for the event itself.  Politics is a pretty ruthless and ugly affair, and often requires highly unpleasant and distasteful, upsetting decisions...there are almost no easily digestible approaches to the Palestinian situation, and you should not get involved if you don't have a strong stomach.

The arena of conflict, resistance, opposition, and confrontation against colonialism, imperialism, and crusaders, is today, the arena of the private sector.  We have to develop private sector strategies for building partnerships, alliances, and solidarity between Muslim nations, and across the Global South.   We need to study trade patterns and relationships to pinpoint opportunities for shifting the balance of power in the world.  In this podcast I discuss the idea of "Broker Nations" as a potential strategy for strengthening the Muslim world economically, and containing others.  Consider this as a session of brainstorming, and please offer your own ideas and feedback below.

Generally speaking, it is unhelpful to rely on abstract conspiracy theories to understand the coordination of powerful global actors and their role in world affairs. While it is true that there are individuals and institutions that possess disproportionate power in the world, it is important to analyze their true degree of influence, and the extent to which they do, or even can, deliberately control policy and outcomes.  However, we do know that Iblees is real and operates in the world according to an explicit agenda.  It is reasonable to assume that Shaytaan concentrates considerable effort in influencing the most powerful people in global politics and economics, and on multiple other levels of society, all in pursuit of a particular goal.

The American proxy war in #Ukraine against Europe is a masterclass in geopolitical chess, simultaneously set to weaken #Russia, #Europe, and #China.  The US is looking ahead to the inevitable rise of the Muslim countries, and preemptively eliminating any alternative economic collaborators or partners that could provide an alternative to alignment with America.  We have to think long-term -- beyond our own lifetimes -- so we can pursue a direction that will serve the best interests of our #Ummah in the future.

It is important to remember the long catalogue of crimes that constitute American foreign policy, and the euphemistic way these policies have historically been presented and justified; particularly now that this same brand of hyperbolic propaganda is flooding the media over the issue of #Ukraine.  There is no conspiracy here, just the rational pursuit of interests as defined by the most powerful players on the global scene, and we, as Muslims, should be astute enough to recognise what is actually happening, and call it out for what it is.

In this episode I try to summarize the ramifications of the war in #Ukraine and more significantly, the collective mobilization of the West against #Russia.  What are the prospects for Russia and #China, what can we expect in #Europe, and what might all of this mean to the Muslim world?

You should not fail to notice that the primary weapons being used against Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine are all private sector powers.  We are witnessing a disturbing display of destructive force unparalleled in history, wielded by multinational corporations.  If they have this power to destroy a country, they have the power to control a country.  If we are serious about our sovereignty, we will need to deal with the fact that big business is the real super power in the world today

Western hypocrisy on the issue of Ukraine is not noteworthy or even interesting.  The most important thing about what is happening in #Russia’s invasion of #Ukraine is that it signifies an abandonment of the US-sponsored post-WWII world order and an acceleration in the process of de-globalisation. Modern #Europe was underwritten by American security over global trade as a strategy for confronting the USSR – those days are over.  The US does not appear to regard Europe’s safety or prosperity as a priority anymore, which means that each country on the continent will soon have to fend for itself, and we are likely to see a return to what Europe has historically always been – divided, desperate, and war torn.  As power has increasingly transferred to the private sector and multinational (anational) corporations, there is less regard for the wellbeing and stability of states; and Europe will not be spared.  This should be an impetus for the Muslim world to develop a revived and reformed concept of the old non-aligned movement of the Cold War era, and pursue a union of Muslim states to create a trade corridor across the Muslim world, independent of the West or global North, including the facilitation of travel, capital flows, and preferential investment agreements. I say “Muslim union” and not “Islamic union” deliberately, because unity and cohesion cannot feasibly be achieved across the Muslim world on the basis of any particular definition of what constitutes “Islamic”, but may be feasible on the basis of fundamental brotherhood. Ukraine is the canary in the mine shaft, Europe is moving towards catastrophic decline, and our nations must prepare for a future in which we can create prosperity and political independence for our Ummah. This is why I am interested in what is happening in Ukraine.

Western countries are undergoing what has been called the Great Reset, allegedly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but actually in response to inevitabilities largely connected to their demographic crisis.  This transition will negatively impact the Muslim world if we are not cautious and forge our own path forward.

The world is undergoing a process of de-globalization, but this is just a euphemism to camouflage the subjugation of western nations under the neoliberal economic program that continues to bolster anational corporate power.  The Muslim world needs to strive with sincere and serious effort to build genuine solidarity and a pan-Islamic economic bloc in order to reap the potential benefits of our demographic advantage over the Western world and propel our Ummah to a position of ascendant global power.

SHOW LESSThe demographic reality across Western countries, particularly Europe, is bleak.  The continent is getting old, and they do not have sufficient young people to replenish their labour force.  Meanwhile, the Muslims are the youngest population on earth.   We are entering a new era in which the Ummah is going to dramatically increase in our importance to the global economy, and our influence.  Our countries can, and should, rise throughout the 21st Century.

The American war industry has already made over a billion dollars off of the prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, and a military conflict would be immensely lucrative for multiple US business interests.  Here I briefly discuss some of the factors at play.

SHOW LESSPopular media is, more than anything else, propaganda.  It reveals the true values and beliefs not only of a society, but of those who manage that society.  Popular media in the United States, particularly the superhero genre of movies, reveals a culture that worships unaccountable private power, and disregards the masses.  It is useful for us to critique and analyze what these societies communicate about their real values through what they celebrate and promote, rather than simply believing what they proclaim about themselves.  These are, fundamentally, uncivilised and brutal cultures unworthy of emulation, and unqualified to judge or lecture more advanced civilisations, like the Muslims.

The US finally left Afghanistan after 20 years of what had been labelled an "endless war", and many people are calling it a failure.  However, that only makes sense if you made the mistake of believing the official rationales for the war in the first place -- which were never what the war was about.

When we want to understand and analyze anything that is happening in the Muslim world, it is important to conduct responsible and rigorous analysis and research, otherwise, all we are doing is reacting to superficial information, which can oftentimes do more harm than good.

It is essential for us to understand the real existing power dynamics operating in the world today if we are trying to analyze situations in the Muslim lands -- whether we are talking about culture wars, real wars, or any crises, conflicts, or trends that impact our Ummah.  Many of the old paradigms are obsolete, as power has increasingly shifted from the public to the private sector, and corporations have ascended to a position of global authority and influence.  We are threatened by 'Crusaders of Capital", more than we are under threat from "the West"