Don't Worry

What's the point of worrying when in fact there is nothing to worry about? Seems we humans are just like that, always looking for something to be upset about. We're concerned, in the world of the West, that countries whose values and priorities are not quite seen to be a reflection of ours have in their possession dread weapons of mass destruction.

These countries, ruled by megalomaniacs, by totalitarian theists, by fundamentalists, by ideological fantasists, pose as a threat to world stability. We think. We worry. We agonize.

But what if, for example, a country like North Korea, known as hugely xenophobic, immensely impressed with its own power as a possessor of nuclear technology, even while it cannot adequately provide the necessities of life for its population, is not as invested in attaining world 'respect' through flaunting its success in designing powerful rockets and pairing them with nuclear warheads as we believe it to be?

And what if the Islamic Republic of Iran is simply doing its utmost to restore the kind of world order that has its single-minded respect, hailing back to its own singular heritage and history in the region of the world where it exists? That it truly harbours no ill feeling against any other nation, but simply wishes to live in peace and harmony with all other countries, near and far - with the stipulation that they all recognize Iran's superiority to make that possible?

And Hamas and Hezbollah, viciously militant creations of Iran and Syria are truly self-effacing, gracious and concerned public-interest groups whose humanitarian work on behalf of the downtrodden are simply misunderstood? All of this is eminently possible, and it would seem that we in the West should be abashed and ashamed at our fear-mongering over the true intentions of these nations and their aspirations, and those of their fringe groups.

Take it from North Korea which has officially verified its commitment to nuclear deterrent. Promising that it has no intention, none whatever to use its nuclear arsenal to threaten, much less attack any other nation. Heaven forfend. And, as North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Pak Kil-yon informed the United Nations General Assembly, "the United States is not a defender, but a disruptor, of peace." It is the U.S. toward which we should direct our ire.

The United Nations heard from North Korea that they are committed to denuclearization of the world. "Our nuclear weapons are not a means to attack or threaten others, but a self-defensive deterrent ... to counter aggression and attack from outside." It seems abundantly clear that North Korea, Iran, and um, Pakistan, have been sadly misunderstood. They are not interested in nuclear proliferation, or nuclear threats, or world domination.

North Korea, assured its UN delegate, is a "responsible nuclear weapon state", prepared to support international peace efforts.

We've been wrong all along. When Yasser Arafat stood before the General Assembly in the United Nations, with his gun in its holster and expressed his eagerness to be seen as a sterling citizen of the world interested in justice and fair play, we should have believed him, and not accused him of going on to mount a venomous Intifada that would destroy thousands of lives, rather than succumb to making peace with Israel.

When Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke before the General Assembly and spoke of his and his country's determination to wipe Israel from the map of the Middle East he was only joshing, you know, kidding, engaging in light-hearted banter, in an effort to inject a note of jollity into otherwise-sober proceedings; we cannot continue to hold this against him. Particularly when he was in a holy trance, a nimbus of light around his head, anointed by the Mahdi.

And now that North Korea has clarified its position with respect to its nuclear arsenal, we can breathe easy. As for Pakistan, it continues to be misunderstood as the modern cradle of Islamist jihad, when it is in reality, a modern wonder of a state whose people are delighted beyond belief to be in the care of a government, its armed forces and intelligence services whose first order of business is their safety and security.

We are, all of us, one great big happy family. And, as in all families, sometimes the family members experience fallings-out, little misunderstandings and things get out of hand, resulting in suspicion, anger and even threats of retaliation against imagined harms. We're all too adult to indulge in that kind of adolescent nonsense, and now those whom we mistrust are taking great pains to point out how wrong we have been.

Whew!