By Abdulillah

I have never been one to believe in the system of nations with borders, especially as they exist today in the area of the Levant, they seem irrelevant to me as an Arab. First because they are really a recent invention of the colonial west after World War I and the Asia Minor Agreement (also known as the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916), that divided the defeated Ottoman Empire (of which the so called Great Arab Revolt also aided them in doing) between the British and French, Secondly because these boarders were made arbitrarily in negation of any promises made to the Arabs for their aide in the conquest of the Ottoman Empire (which I personally find offensive in the fact that we Arabs actually aided the conquest and secondly because we were so easily duped). Lastly because these borders actually were made to divide the Arab peoples from each other in such a way that they were easily better controlled either by religious or ethnic divisions that although they existed never played a major role in the division of the people before. However it needs to be noted that the Sunni-Shiite divide has long existed and has for a long time flared up every now and then between competing parties.

It further should be noted that during the negotiations between Colonial colonial powers; the Zionists through behind door negotiations with the British and French were later rewarded with the Balfour Declaration not three weeks after the Asia-Minor Agreement was announced (if you would like to read the more about the ramifications of such as declaration with respect to Palestine ñ read the many articles written by Mr. Ramini in this very forum).

The result of these arbitrary borders (have you noticed that many of the Middle-East states have very straight lines (not common as most nationís borders typically follow lines of demarcation from natural barriers such as rivers, oceans, etc), have been long lasting over the years. This has led to exactly the desired effect by the Colonial West (i.e. Britian and France and more recently the US) on the region as a whole through these treaties and declarations, primarily that of division and humiliating defeats of the Arab populations both from internal and external forces that have compounded exponentially since.

Arguably; although I have lumped the US in as a recent colonial power, it needs to be highlighted that this statement is solely based on my own view of recent events (i.e the Iraq war and the recent apathetic, negative, and one-sided view of the US policy towards the Middle-east, Islam and the Palestinian problems in particluar) and not what is traditionally accepted as Colonialism with the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country,occupying it with settlers, and exploiting of one country control over anothers.

We presently see the effects of these policies playing themselves out in recent times. Where internal strife and divisions have arose between the borders states ruled by varies dictators or unpopular rulers to gain monopolies over the regions peoples. Meanwhile, the Zionists control of the Western nations banking systems, news publications and governments have allowed them unfettered access and permissions (more recently without because of their rising power) to do basically anything they wished within the territory of Palestine and in the region. In recent times, we have also seen that they have used their air power superiority (provided by the West) to bomb Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, and through assassinations in many Middle-East states in the Levant area, Mesopotamia, Gulf states and Africa.

Today they are now inculcating the Western nations through Zionist controlled news media and hype to facilitate first the starving of that natons people and industry, and finally to entertain a full outright war with the Persian state of Iran (which they did quite effectively to Iraq), or to allow its forces to attack Iran, then hide behind the skirts of the West for protection from retaliation. Note it is clear from this writers poiint of view that they owuld not hesitate to use thier nuclear arcenel agianst any retalitory attack, however this will unmask them to the world for their true ideology.

Although the above is well known to many in the region it nonetheless is truly the reason the Arab peoples have not been able to rise above it all and actually unite towards one goal or purpose, even one as innocuous as the aiding of the refugees of Palestine, Iraq and now Syria. Worse off is their inability to be strong enough to make a difference on the world stage as a People or a region, or to be taken seriously or in contention.

Borders between the Levant nations are really just lines drawn in the sand. There are truly very minor differences between the peoples. In fact in historic times the entire area was known to the Arabs as the area of ìash-Shamî, which encompassed parts of present day Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and northern Iraq. Yet, because of nationalist pride, tribal allegianceís and or religious differences brought on by the division of these people into border states by the Asia Minor Agreement and imposing upon them colonial rule, and the introduction of the a foreign expansionist Zionist entity, we see that they have fallen into an area of turmoil, exacting a great price on the population resulting in many wars, initiated internally or in recent times externally affecting the peoples and surrounding nations of the region and the world.

So, what can be done to out-grow this calamity? First we as a people of the Levant need to recognize this division and its root causes and effects. We should not be goaded by any internal or external forces to divide us as People and our concerns for each other. That although we have national borders we are the same People, and that when one is in need or in danger that we come to his aide.

We can start today; as we have in the past, in my beloved Jordan, to welcome our brothers and sisters from Palestine, Iraq and now Syria who presently are undergoing a major strife in their nation to dispel a tyrant who refuses to leave after his consent to govern has been withdrawn by the people. That we will NOT accept inference from the West or any external nation to undermine their integrity or nations, but welcome all peace loving nations aide to us in the assistance to the refugees, to make their children and families safe, and that we will return the same kindness in like. That we work towards reconciliation between us knowing that to be taken seriously we must be united, and that when asked by anyone, we call ourselves brother and sisters first and our respective nations second because that is the way we originated.

May God Bless the People of ash-Sham and Jordan.