A recent opinion poll conducted by the BBC produced some interesting results regarding the views of the British Muslim population on the UK and US military presence in Afghanistan. Perhaps the most startling figure was that 76% of the survey thought that the US and British governments were wrong for intervening in Afghanistan. Theorists may speculate as to whether this is down to the growing prevalence of anti-internationalist sentiment or perhaps simply an attack on British and US arrogance in their ability to act as the panacea for the world's ills. Alternatively it may even reflect tacit support for the Taliban cause.
This all seems very well. However, it is all cast into doubt once one reads that 78% of people in the same survey suggested that it was "wrong for the Taliban to attack or target British/NATO soldiers." The same people who said that Britain should not be in Afghanistan also thought that the Taliban should do nothing to prevent them being there. Consequently, the majority of the survey would advocate a stance of non-action from all belligerents, whether it be from coalition troops or from the Taliban. There was even a divided opinion as to whether the Pakistani government should take action against the Taliban. It does leave us with a slightly murky and confused picture.
Surveys can always be skewed and biased, unreflective of the actual population. This is especially true when the survey is extracted from a group as small as 500, only 0.025% of a parent population of approximately 2million Muslims living in the UK. Thus I do not believe one can extrapolate from this tiny study a unified, let alone coherent, Muslim stance, if indeed such a thing did exist, regarding the intervention in Afghanistan.
What I do believe, though, is that this opinion poll is reflective of a deeper and wider contemporary societal problem. Only 25% of the study felt that they "fully understood the
reasons" why US and UK troops were actually present and actively intervening in Afghanistan, an upsetting but perhaps unsurprising reality. One can always lament the vacuum of genuine public interest in politics and general lack of education within society; it seems to be a perennial problem throughout the generations. Such dirges also tend to lose part of their vitality when their
very source is indeed little more informed or opinionated than the target. However, in an age where information is more readily available and easily accessible to those with an even vague curiosity into events than ever before, there is cause for concern. Whenever there is a lack of debate and active interest in the rationality of government a space begins to develop and room is allowed for bigoted and uninformed decisions to spread rapidly.
Non-action might arguably be the correct resolution for the conflict in Afghanistan, but let us ensure that such conclusions are the result of positively affirmed and informed reasons rather than an automatic knee-jerk reaction. A habitual knee-jerk might soon develop into a more sinister kick.
"However, it is all cast into doubt once one reads that 78% of people in the same survey suggested that it was "wrong for the Taliban to attack or target British/NATO soldiers.""
But what does the general population think? The statistic and your analysis is meaningless otherwise.
"One can always lament the vacuum of genuine public interest in politics and general lack of education within society; it seems to be a perennial problem throughout the generations. Such dirges also tend to lose part of their vitality when their
very source is indeed little more informed or opinionated than the target." English would have been useful for this and the rest of this paragraph! Although since you are an intern I am sure this can be forgiven.
The results should not be regarded as surprising and indeed they might be expected. The intellectual ethos of UK Muslims seems to be that of a South East Asian Umma orientated approach that presumably is reinforced at their Friday religious services.
The main question for our nation is to what extent these attitudes are still held by those who occupy higher positions and public office in our society.