By Nala Chehade, Blogger for Middle Eastern and North African Affairs
President Donald Trump’s notorious “Muslim ban”, a January 27 executive order temporarily banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen), claims to protect the U.S. “from foreign terrorist entry.” [1] The action allegedly favors Christians because it promises to “prioritize refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual’s country of nationality.” [2] As airports across the country detained travelers, worldwide protests called for an end to the order. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a bid to reinstate the ban, [3] earning angry tweets from Mr. Trump. Although most countries targeted by the ban express a desire to preserve bilateral relations in the benefit of national security, the ban threatens to spur hateful sentiment within extremist organizations.
Although as a result of the the three-year Civil War Libya lacks a functioning central government, most representatives reacted neutrally to the issue. Abd Elhadi Matouk, a spokesman for the eastern parliament, claimed to understand the idea behind the restrictions “especially with the current chaos and division in Libya.” [4] The government of Somalia did not officially react, likely due to the recent election of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. [5] Likewise, the Syrian government did not release an official statement, although President Bashar al-Assad has previously called Trump a “natural ally.” [6]
The Shia paramilitary organization Popular Mobilization expressed a desire to ban U.S. nationals from entering Iraq [7], although the official government responded rather optimistically. Ahmed Jamal, spokesperson of the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “expressed regret and astonishment” over the U.S. decision to ban citizens of an ally in the fight against terrorism. The Ministry hopes the United States will “reconsider its wrong decision, [stressing] Iraq’s willingness to strengthen and develop the strategic partnership between both countries.” [8]
Against the backdrop of recent airstrike in Yemen, the Foreign Ministry denounced American efforts to “classify Yemen or its citizens as possible sources of terrorism” [9] as illegal and illegitimate, suggesting the U.S. undertake additional “assessment and revision” [10] before making such claims. Similarly, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed their willingness to pursue “constructive bilateral relations and will continue dialogue with the U.S. government, including [in the areas of the] economy and culture.” [11] However, the Ministry expressed regret over the retrogression of the “significant and historic step of lifting U.S. economic sanctions on Sudan.” [12]
The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs promised to “take reciprocal measures to safeguard the rights of its citizens until the time of the removal of the insulting restrictions of the government of the United States against Iranians nationals.” [13] The Islamic Republic News Agency announced a court decision to ban U.S. wrestlers from participating in the prestigious Freestyle World Cup competition on the 16th and 17th of February [14], but Iran reversed the decisions following requests from the Iranian Wrestling Federation. [15] Ayatollah Khamenei mockingly thanked President Trump through a speech to military officers in Tehran for showing “the real face of America, [including] political, economic, moral and social corruption.” [16] Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted “collective discrimination aids terrorist recruitment by deepening fault-lines exploited by extremist demagogues to swell their ranks.” [17]
For terrorist groups, this Executive Order triggers blowback. Anwar al-Awlaki, an al-Qaeda leader killed in a 2011 drone strike in Yemen, predicted, “the West would eventually turn against its Muslim citizens.” [18] Terrorist groups celebrated the travel ban via social media, claiming the new policy justifies their hatred of the American government. Senator John McCain says the ban “will probably give ISIS some more propaganda” [19], and worries about the ban’s impact on Muslims fighting alongside American troops in the war on terror.
In conclusion, the responses from countries impacted by the Muslim ban overlook the pain caused by the Trump administration in favor of maintaining peaceful international relations. While the ban seeks to overcome “threat[s] to security and welfare” posed by refugee admission, the Trump Administration fails to recognize the positive consequences of the thorough vetting process that refugees presently undergo, in addition to the nearly non-existent history of terror attacks caused by refugees. Following up to two years of screenings by the United Nation High Commission of Refugees, the National Counterterrorism Center, and the Department of State, applicants undergo interviews with the Department of Homeland Security. [20] Likewise, since 9/11, “attacks linked to radicalized Muslims in the U.S.” do not come from the aforementioned countries. Perhaps the domestic and international critical responses towards the order rightly encourage the United States to reconsider their security tactics.
Nala Chehade is a Junior at Virginia Tech, where she studies International Studies and History with minors in Spanish and Middle East Studies.
Sources
[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/27/executive-order-protecting-nation-foreign-terrorist-entry-united-states
[2] https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/27/executive-order-protecting-nation-foreign-terrorist-entry-united-states
[3] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38927175
[4] http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/1/libyans-understand-trumps-reason-behind-order-for-/
[5] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38904663
[6] http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/30/512438879/7-targeted-countries-react-to-trumps-ban-on-immigration
[7] http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/iraq-shiite-paramilitary-calls-for-ban-on-us-nationals-20170129-gu0zxu
[8] http://www.mofa.gov.iq/en/news.php?articleid=1542
[9] http://saba.ye/en/news454607.htm
[10] http://saba.ye/en/news454607.htm
[11] http://www.sudanembassy.org/index.php/news-events/1261-statement-sudan-s-ministry-of-foreign-affairs
[12] http://www.sudanembassy.org/index.php/news-events/1261-statement-sudan-s-ministry-of-foreign-affairs
[13]http://en.mfa.ir/index.aspxsiteid=3&fkeyid=&siteid=3&fkeyid=&siteid=3&pageid=1997&newsview=436947
[14] https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/iran-bars-us-wrestlers-from-tournament-in response-to-trumps-travel-ban/2017/02/03/234c4e88-ea28-11e6-80c230e57e57e05d_story.html?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.1b7575b5183c
[15] https://twitter.com/JZarif/status/828125730995392512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[16] http://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2017/02/07/khamenei-thanks-trump-for-showing-real-face-of-america
[17] https://twitter.com/JZarif/status/825438527559172096
[18] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-donald-trump-muslim-ban-immigration-iraq-iran-restrictions-travel-islamic-state-us-visa-a7552856.html
[19] http://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-mccain-says-president-trumps-travel-ban-will-give-isis-some-more-propaganda/
[20]http://www.npr.org/2015/11/17/456395388/paris-attacks-ignite-debate-over-u-s-refugee-policy
