CAIRO: “The American administration has screwed up everything it has done – do you really think it can do a 9/11?
This was one of several unflinchingly straightforward remarks expressed by Robert Fisk, the Middle East correspondent for the London-based daily The Independent, at Diwan Bookstore last Thursday.
The bookstore’s Heliopolis branch hosted the eminent writer for the signing of his highly acclaimed book “The Great War for Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle East. Journalists, politicians and fans of the author gathered for the book signing, which was preceded by a question-and-answer session that lasted for more than an hour.
“I am very depressed at [the state of] journalism, he said. “Our reporting is still a 50/50 principle. We should be on the side with the people suffering injustice.
Fisk is anything but a 50/50 kind of person; he cares little for diplomacy.
Having lived in the Middle East for a large part of his life, he is uninhibited in voicing his thoughts on what he believes to be a Western domination of the region and expressing his sympathy with its people. For that, he has often been criticized as having a biased approach.
Fisk, however, doesn’t see the issue as a matter of bias, but rather as one of expressing an unpopular opinion.
“The moment we ask ‘Why? [regarding 9/11, for example]’ he argued, “is to be anti-American, which is then said to be anti-Semitic.
While Fisk is vocal about his compassion towards the Arab people, his non-favoritism was highlighted when he was asked a question regarding Jewish American politics.
Aware of the stigma that surrounds Jewish Americans in the Middle East, he countered that historically – in the pre-Hitler days – they have been a “highly divided society.
“There are Jewish Americans that are just like us, he said referring to the people in the room, “liberal and have a conscience.
“I give lectures roughly every three weeks in America – most of them are organized by Jewish Americans, he emphasized.
He expresses his opinions as freely in his book, which is a collection of his experiences as a reporter in the Middle East during the last 15 years.
Gruesome at times, it is “not for the faint-hearted, as Fisk put it. He said the process of writing the book was “distressing.
Full of details most people rarely get to see or read, Fisk’s 1,286-page tome is seen by many as one of the boldest accounts of the region’s battle for stability.
“We constantly want to chop you up, he said of the West, “by emphasizing the differences, we remind you all that you are not [superior].
Palestine, Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and Syria were just some of the issues discussed. Eager for answers, the attendees’ questions prompted Fisk to reply that he was not a “crystal ball.
The discussion got more interesting when one of the attendees asked about the possible legitimacy of the actions behind 9/11 and July 7.
Fisk said that it is not a question of legitimization, adding that “this is an excuse the right wing would give. The motives behind such actions need to be explained, he said.
“When you have a crime on the street, the first thing you do is you find a motive. Not for international crises, he added. “If you don’t have a voice, it goes underground; it becomes illegal and turns violent.
The atmosphere was relaxed despite the heavy political discussion. Fisk’s charisma lies in his admirable balance of stoicism and passion, giving an honest smile as the fans approached to have their book signed and taking his time with each.
“Come and witness, he said of the Middle East jokingly. “Come and see for yourself – the airfare is cheap enough.
