430 • 21 THE WAR ON TERRORISMcooperating with the US in the war on terrorism. Between 1990 and 1997
these two extremist groups were responsible for attacking political leaders,
Copts, foreign residents, and tourists. An attack that took the lives of some
sixty European tourists in Luxor discredited the militants in the eyes of the
Egyptian public, many of whom depend on tourism for their livelihood.
Since 1997, Egypt's government has taken stern measures to suppress ter¬
rorist cells. However, many Egyptians did not conceal their delight at the
2001 attack on the World Trade Center (four of the hijackers were Egyp¬
tians), many expatriates work for al-Qa'ida, and anti-US feeling has intensi¬
fied during the Iraq War, despite Washington's ongoing commitment to
provide military and economic aid totaling almost $2 billion annually. The
Egyptians increasingly demand an accountable, democratic government.
Popular demonstrations (technically illegal under emergency laws in effect
since Sadat's assassination) have called on Mubarak to allow them a choice
in the upcoming fall 2005 presidential elections. Indeed, as we are writing
in April 2005, Cairo University students have called for the abrogation of
the emergency laws and for democratic choice.Summation on Terrorism
Internal violence, including some attacks of a terrorist nature, threatens
mainly Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Israel, and the Palestinian territories.
Counterterrorist efforts by some Middle Eastern and foreign governments
threaten civilians and their governments far more than al-Qa'ida and its
affiliates. The leading practitioners of counterterrorism are the US, Britain,
Israel, Pakistan, and the governments that have been set up as a result of the
invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003. Their efforts have not
stopped terrorism, though in a few cases they have slowed it down. How¬
ever, popular opinion in the Arab countries, Turkey, Iran, and even Afghan¬
istan and Pakistan has turned against this "War on Terrorism." Many locals
call it a "War on Militant Muslims."
Having read our earlier chapters, you already know that Islam is a way of
life—often a political and social system, too—and that popular resistance,
usually called "nationalism" or "Islamism," flares up when non-Muslims in¬
vade and dominate Muslims. Why should Arabs, Iranians, Turks, Afghans,
and Pakistanis join in a war against what they believe in? Why should they
conflate it with "liberation"? President Bush and Prime Minister Blair may
think that the Middle Eastern terrorism will vanish if they replace repressive
autocracies with pro-Western "democracies." But fully independent Middle
Eastern governments, democratically elected, will probably be hostile to
Western countries that have tried to manipulate them and will support