They are a people full of contradictions. Let me preface all this by saying I am product of the Defense Language Institute in Arabic and the Foreign Service Institute for Nejdi (Central Arab Peninsula) dialect. I have held a fellowship at the Walsh School - Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University and spent much of my adult professional life banging around much of the Middle East.
First of all, generalities are just that - but some are indeed generally true - as they are for Americans and Europeans. Many of the most generous people I have ever known were Arabs. Politeness is an inherent part of their culture. They believe in gift giving to a fault (never admire a rug in an Arab's home or office - it is likely to be delivered to you as a gift the next day). On the other hand, pragmatism and logic, at least we understand it, are products of Greco-Roman culture. Stoicism, and Western concepts of emotional control owe it's firm foundation to Marcus Aurelius and its infusion into then budding Christianity. In the Arab mind, understanding the will of God in any situation is the key to comprehension and resolution. That tends to be emotional rather than pragmatic. They are totally family oriented. The extended family is of paramount importance - so is their protection - particularly the female members. One culture's concept of feminine oppression is another's concept of special treatment and care. They also tend to spoil children with usual results in young adults which we sometimes see on our home turf. The vast majority are not rich - even in Saudi Arabia. And they are struggling with young unemployment rates that are some of the highest in the world. I hasten to add, none of this is right are wrong, it is simply important to understand other cultures without being ethnocentric.
They are quite brave, and yet do not fight with modern weapons particularly well. The Western way of war, going back to the Greek Hoplite, is to close within bad breath distance of an enemy and kill him. The Arab, like the American Indian, evolved in a military environment where mounted archers and spearmen were their heritage. To this day, they can not stand before Western (or Israeli for that matter) well led infantry and armor. Our combat exchanges were often 20-30 to 1. But like Custer, don't become surrounded or careless in their environment. I have a idea, this bleeds over to the world of hunting where disciplined engagement with a hunting firearm is of similar importance.
They pray to the same God to which we do. The Bible is considered a holy text and Jesus the most important prophet behind Mohamed. The cultural aspects of the religion, including food prohibitions, fasting, etc are very close to Judaism, and indeed, Arabic and Hebrew are, not surprisingly, very similar languages. They are both, after all, Semitic peoples. There is a famous interview where a British reporter asked Anwar Sadat if he were anti-Semitic - can't make it up.
The Wahabi branch of Islam, arising in the Central Arab Peninsula, has caused much of the modern conflict with the West - along with heavy doses of British and French imperialism. Like some Christian sects, it is extremely intolerant of modern interpretations of the religion. All answers, in the view of the Wahabi, are in the Koran. That, of course plays hobb with modern concepts such as the scientific method and research. I should note that lack of scientific curiosity is a trait of many fundamentalist groups wherever they are found. Most educated Arabs, even those who are quite religious, tend to have little patience with the intolerance of the Wahabi sect. It will be interesting to see if the new Crown Prince is successful in reeling in some of that fervor. The last king who tried was Faisal, who was ultimately assassinated.
At least among the Arab Peninsula peoples, a deeper tradition than even Islam is mercantilism; which is one reason the Saudis and Americans have, on the whole, done pretty well together. Unlike the Brits and French, the Americans showed up to find oil and to cut a deal. And deal making is firmly imbedded in the Arab DNA. Those mutual economic interests rather than exploitation have largely worked to both country's benefit since the thirties. ARAMCO, the worlds largest corporation was a child of the marriage. In many respects, the Saudi citizens' participation in 911 was a small religious faction's reaction to that history of cooperation.
Didn't mean to provide a lecture. And then perhaps, I did. Name calling usually doesn't end well. And in the case of many Arabs I have known, some of whom I have even fought against, it isn't justified. As we saw in Philadelphia last night, boorish behavior is not only found among Arabs.
