Faith, war, politics |
THE war has become even more complex.
Iran has never been ashamed of its faith. The United States, however, which long criticized Iran for bringing religion into the sphere of state and politics, now appears compelled to seek support from religion itself. Donald Trump invited Christian pastors to the White House to offer prayers. The US Secretary of Defence has also been seen reading prayers from the Bible. As for Benjamin Netanyahu, there has never been much doubt about his standing as a hardline Zionist. What is perplexing, however, are the scenes emerging from the United States.
Does this suggest the same thing that George W. Bush implied after the events of 9/11—namely, a crusade? At least on the surface, it appears so. Human beings cannot escape their nature. No matter how much they try to conceal it, eventually it reveals itself. It seems that when the results of the war he initiated did not unfold according to his expectations, Donald Trump’s nerves cracked and his secular posture collapsed. Consequently, he felt compelled to seek prayers, a step that his Secretary of Defense also deemed necessary to follow. Netanyahu did something similar, though his case is somewhat different.
The attempt by the United States and Israel to give wars a religious colouring is not new. After the attacks of 9/11, George W. Bush used the term “crusade.” Even earlier, President Ronald Reagan had spoken in a similar tone. Addressing a church gathering, Reagan once referred to........