Dr.
Muqtedar Khan is Director of International Studies
and Chair, Political Science Department at Adrian
College in Michigan.
Dr. Khan is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Brookings
Institution in Washington DC.
He earned his Ph.D. in International Relations,
Political Philosophy, and Islamic Political Thought,
from Georgetown University in May 2000.
Dr.
Khan is also associated with the Center for the
Study of Islam and Democracy and the Institute for
Social Policy and Understanding.
He
is the author of American Muslims: Bridging Faith
and Freedom (Amana, 2002), Jihad for Jerusalem:
Identity and Strategy in International Relations
(Praeger, 2004). His forthcoming book is titled
Beyond Jihad and Crusade: Rethinking US Policy in
the Muslim World (Brookings Institution, 2004).
Dr.
Khan frequently comments on BBC, CNN, FOX and VOA
TV, NPR and other radio networks. His political
commentaries appear regularly in newspapers in over
20 countries. He has also lectured in North
America, East Asia, Middle East and Europe.
Dr. Khan's column has appeared in The New York
Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal,
Newsweek (Arabic), New York Post, Newsday, Arizona
Tribune, Duluth News Tribune, The Daily Telegraph
(London), The Daily Star (Lebanon), The Daily Times
(Pakistan), Dawn (Pakistan), Q-News (UK), Al Ahram
weekly (Egypt), Hindustan Times (India), Outlook
India, The Sun (UK), Jakarta Post, Jordan Times,
Manila Times, Outlook India, Palestine Times,
Calgary Herald, The Daily Telegram (MI), San
Francisco Chronicle, Detroit Free Press, Detroit
News, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, The
Muslim Democrat, The Christian Century, Islamic
Horizons, The Message, The Globalist.com,
Progressive.org, fpif.org,
Beliefnet.com, Arabies Trends, Al-Mustaqbal, Saudi
Gazette, and many other periodicals world wide.
For
a comprehensive resume click here: Resume
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For
a comprehensive
resume click here:
Resume
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Recently Posted Articles
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I am happy to announce
the publication of my first book -- American
Muslims: Bridging Faith and Freedom For more details about
the book go to: Book
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS
1. Islam in America
2. American Muslims and American
Politics
3. American Muslims and American
Foreign Policy
4. American Muslims and American
Society
5. American Muslim
Perspective
6. Reflections on Islam and
Democracy
7. The Attack on America ands its
Aftermath
8. An American Muslim Perspective of
the Muslim
World
FOR MORE
DETAILS
CLICK BOOK
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to Main Page
American
Muslims: Bridging Faith and Freedom.
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FOREIGN POLICY FORECAST
Dr.
Muqtedar Khan
The American Presidential
election is always important for the rest of the world. The US
is the primary sponsor and maintainer of the present global
order and changes in the US can have direct impact in the
economic and political structure of the world.
This
time the elections are
doubly important because
of the
enormous ideational and ideological differences
between
the two candidates on how the global order must be
structured and serviced. |
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If
Bush Wins
If
George W. Bush wins he and his neoconservative ideologues will
assume that their departure from traditional American foreign
policy positions has been vindicated and they may be tempted
to pursue the same course with greater arrogance, recklessness
and abandon.
Expect more attempts at
regime changes, particularly in Iran, Sudan, Syria and perhaps
Saudi Arabia. It is possible that the Neocons may turn on
Pakistan and its nuclear capabilities to ensure that no Muslim
country has the capacity to ever balance/threaten Israel in
the near or distant future.
There will be no progress on
the Palestinian State. Israel will consolidate further in the
West Bank.
The
US will further undermine the international law and the
multilateral order, and the world will not only distance
itself from the US but will also seek to contain its
belligerence.
US relations with the
Muslim World as well as with Europe and Africa will
deteriorate.
Islamists will have more
influence on the Muslim mind and politics and may very well
come to power in Sudan, Iraq, and Pakistan as anti-Americanism
will rise in the Muslim World.
US
moral authority internationally will decline as the Patriot
Act will be renewed and the civil rights situation at home
will suffer. The US will rig the Iraqi elections [a fair
elections will bring anti-American politicians to power and
undermine the very purpose of US invasion of Iraq].
US
deficit will continue to rise at astronomical rates, so will
oil prices. They will at least remain high.
There will be more
terrorist attacks, especially on softer and softer targets in
more and more places, as Bush and his neocons make the world
safer.
The trial of Saddam
Hussein will make a mockery of America’s moral claims and
the world in its misery will have something to laugh about
especially since it means laughing at America.
Iraq’s security situation and puppet regime and Karzai’s
remote controlled governance of Afghanistan will continue to
undermine the cause of democracy in the Muslim mind.
If
Kerry Wins
We
must be prepared that John Kerry will deliver less than he
promises on Iraq, on the war on terror, on the Middle East
peace process and on the Patriot Act. But there will
significant difference in John Kerry’s approach which itself
will diffuse to some extent the global fever of
anti-Americanism and enhance cooperation on all matters.
The Neocons will be sent to
pasture. There will be some degree of restoration of the
multilateral order. UN and EU will be more cooperative and
willing to work with the US in Iraq and elsewhere.
There will be no improvement
in relations with Iran or Syria. John Kerry may use tough
tactics with them to placate the Israeli lobby while trying to
subdue Sharon’s penchant for violence and kick start the
peace process.
US obsession with Iraq will
be reduced and the hunt for Bin Laden will become the primary
goal of the war on terror. Al Qaeda will suffer and hopefully
its capacity to organize attacks [such as in Indonesia,
Turkey, Africa, Spain and Egypt since 9/11] will be genuinely
diminished.
There will be no immediate
improvement in Iraq but there will be more international
involvement in Iraq. Iraqi elections may be delayed but will
be fair. Some of the money promised by Bush for Iraqi
development may finally reach Iraq. Halliburton’s’ stock
will suffer.
Saudi Arabia, which is
raking in billions as oil prices hover over $50 per barrel,
and Pakistan will both face a tougher White House and we may
see some movement towards serious reform in the two states.
President Musharraf may be able to parley himself an
extention, but it will not be under the same rosy
circumstances as before.
Enhanced international
cooperation will facilitate better US-Muslim relations and
there will be some genuine effort at improving relations with
the Muslim World. Egypt, Jordan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey,
and even Pakistan will benefit from positive US overtures.
Having said that, I
beseech every member of the Global community to step up their
efforts to make the world a safer, more tolerant, less violent
and more cooperative place. Let us not pass on the buck to the
American President. Sometimes he too can be a part of the
problem.
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