Roadmap to Moderate Network Building - Part 1: An Introduction to RAND Corporation

In The Name of Allah, The Most Gracious and Most Merciful

Introduction

Much of what is happening in the Islamic world today has been much more complicated that it has ever been. The Muslim Ummah is divided into different sects. The Ummah is confused as to why things are unraveling the way they are, and who is behind the many phenomena throughout the Muslim world. It is this confusion that leads to many different interpretations as to who is the villain, who needs to be engaged with, who needs to be opposed, and what needs to be prioritized. Amongst the Islamists themselves, there is a great clash of opinions that is leading to an even greater clash and divide that is going to happen if this situation is to continue. 

I believe that much of today's problems related to Islamism lie in a few essential things; understanding the ideological warfare that is taking place, distinguishing between different ideological groups that need to be engaged, opposed, or support, and understanding the grand design behind each occurring phenomenon in the Islamic world. This book, Building Moderate Muslim Networks, is an example of such grand design in promoting liberal democratic ideologies in the fight against Radical Islamism, Fundamentalism, and Traditionalism in Islam as defined by the American think tank, RAND Corporation. Before the discussion on the different terminologies are conducted, it is important for us to note that such used by RAND are nothing but labels that are based on a Western perspective; far different from Islamic concepts of moderation (wasatiyyah).

This series of articles will first explore how RAND Corporation works, the history of the establishment of RAND and RAND’s position on some key issues. We will then briefly explore The Cold War and its’ significance in the current ‘war’ on Islamism. Before we proceed into understanding RAND’s key strategy, it is essential that we understand the different categories of Muslims as RAND defines it. In order to do that, the report, 'Civil Democratic Islam' by RAND National Security Research Division will be discussed. We will then study RAND’s grand strategy of US-Network building based on the report, ‘Building Moderate Muslim Networks’. That will ultimately be the flow of this article.

Understanding RAND Corporation

Research And Development, or RAND Corporation was founded on May 14, 1948 as an outgrowth of World War II. One of the objectives of the establishment of RAND was “looking into long range planning of future weapons”. Prior to 1948, Project RAND was a special contract held by Douglas Aircraft Company; the same company that manufactures military aircrafts during the World War II. It is notable that Douglas Aircraft is also the fifth among US corporations in the value of wartime production contracts.

By mid-1948, RAND was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in Santa Monica, California. Since then, RAND’s objective has changed into a more friendly statement:

“To further and promote scientific, educational, and charitable purposes, all for the public welfare and security of the United States of America.”

RAND’s research agenda:

RAND's research agenda has always been shaped by the priorities of the nation. With roots in the Cold War competition with the Soviet Union, the early defense-related agenda evolved — in concert with the nation's attention — to encompass such diverse subject areas as space; economic, social, and political affairs overseas; and the direct role of government in social and economic problem-solving at home.

Today, RAND's work continues to reflect and inform the American agenda. While one part of RAND works to define the emerging epidemic of obesity among Americans, another has presented lessons learned from the military response to Hurricane Katrina that can be applied to future military disaster-response efforts. While one division analyzes standards accountability under No Child Left Behind, another details ways to reduce the terrorist threat from regions with weak governmental control.

Whilst the objective of RAND Corporation seems positive, its’ policies are, in many ways, US-centric. In recent reports produced by RAND, it seeks to promote legalization of Marijuana in USA on the basis that it generates tax revenues, with disregard of the societal effect; although issues of increasing consumption were mentioned. RAND’s US-centrism completely neglects the contextual aspect of justice only to assume that liberal democracy is the best solution for every country. As for countries that favor sharia law, RAND regards them as countries that have ‘no desire to align itself with the modern democratic world’. It is also important to note that as a nonprofit institution promoting public welfare and security of the USA, RAND Corporation also has a giant mushroom cloud statue right in front of its office. Perhaps it brings back sentimental memories of nuclear warfare for the researchers at RAND Corp.

RAND Corporation is a government think-tank that promotes American values of liberal democracy across various countries. It seeks to mainly promote liberal democratic ideas that benefit USA’s political and economic interests. In one of its reports, Building Moderate Muslim Networks, RAND mentions the characteristics of democratic organizations:

“For a group to declare itself ‘democratic’ in the sense of favoring elections as the vehicle for establishing government- as in the case of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood – is not enough. Just as important is respect for freedom of expression, association, and religion”

          Other than the aforementioned reasons, RAND has failed to justify as to why the Muslim Brotherhood’s form of democracy is not an acceptable democracy with regards to Egypt being a Muslim-majority country. The issue of demographical context has been completely neglected by RAND Corporation in defining democracy. Regardless of demographics, RAND believes that the only valid form of democracy is the liberal democracy as defined by RAND.

          RAND’s position on Islamism is of a liberal democratic point of view; one of which considers any aspect of Islam that does not tally with a modern, democratic, pluralistic and 'tolerant' social order as irrelevant. RAND identifies a great urgency to ‘better integrate Islamic political actors and states into the modern international system’. In the end, RAND’s goals is to eradicate the so-called ‘Radical Muslims’ and to transform Islamic practices to suit its interests. This is essentially one of the pressing issues of the contemporary world, according to RAND.

It is no easy matter to transform a major world religion. If “nation-building” is a daunting task, “religion-building” is immeasurably more perilous and complex. Islam is neither a homogeneous entity nor a simple system. Many extraneous issues and problems have become entangled with religion, and many of the political actors in the region deliberately seek to “Islamize” the debate in a way that they think will further their goals

It is evident that while the objectives of RAND may seem positive, it's policies seeks nothing but to pursue an American agenda to control both the economics and politics of the world at large which has been reflected through its various writings.

Next article - Part 2: Lessons of the Cold War