CONSPIRACY THEORY

"There is no such thing called a Conspiracy theory. There are conspiracies and it is rooted deep in history in an extent that no one can deny", said president Assad of Syria while addressing the Syrian parliament on March 30. Then, backing himself with this definition, he went on, for the rest of the speech, portraying the unrest erupted in Syria as a new episode of such conspiracy. But, if only logic can function with disregard of history, scholars will, unanimously, dismiss Assad's claims and might even call it "absurd". But, in contrary, it drew a heated debate between scholars in the Arab world.   



In the Arab sub-conscious, conspiracy theory dominates how the west is seen. After all, our historical experience prove it. Historic events such Balfour declaration, Sykes-Picot agreement, and the Suez Crisis are still haunting the Arab world, and it is hard to be defined by any label other than "Conspiracy".


Conspiracy in politics and nations' struggle for maintaining interest and seeking domination is a fact, but, and a big BUT, exaggerating it and use it as a base for defining every internal unrest or popular dissent, is in-fact "absurd". On April 4, in a talk show in the Lebanese "OTV" of Gen. Aoune, a prominent Lebanese scholar, Rafiq Nassrallah, stressed that those who call the recent uprisings in the Arab world as "an Arab awakening" are "politically stupid". He argued that it is just a part of a "demonic conspiracy" plotted by "Zionism and Imperialist America", aiming at depriving the Arab world of its "strong leadership". He even went further by claiming that the events in Cote d'ivoire is part of that "conspiracy", given the fact that a significant Arab community live there. The extent of the plot, according to Mr. Rafiq, is still to unfold.


Argument such this of Mr. Rafiq is not a reflection of brightness or thorough perspective. In contrary, it shows signs of deep clinical paranoia. Nevertheless, it did harm more than it did good for the "conspiracy theory advocates".


Assad was right. Close-room deals or "conspiracies" were, and still will be, part of the political arena, and governments will keep acting in the dark to maintain its interests, or to seek domination. Otherwise, the bulk of funds and resources allocated for intelligence agencies and secret services around the globe will make no sense. But, Assad was also wrong in accusing his own people of being tools of foreign conspiracy, just because they protested in the street against decades of repression and corruption. The most feasible method for a leadership to prevent their nation from foreign meddling is to see a partner in their own people rather than a suspicious enemy. Or, we will keep being disturbed by loud voices warning of scenarios such of that of Rafiq Nassrallah.