CONVERSATION

gandhi: it is a privilege to meet you, osama
how is life treating you these days?
bin laden: i cannot complain
for i have all the resources i need to live in safety and comfort, insha'allah
gandhi: our lives have interesting parallels, do they not?
you, sir, fighting to repel the world's current superpower
much as i fought to expel the 20th century british imperialists from my homeland
bin laden: yes, mahatma, we have much in common
although our methods clearly differ
gandhi: indeed, sir
and it is precisely these differences that i wish to discuss with you today
for differences are not things to be merely tolerated or respected
but are to be cherished
bin laden: you intrigue me, mahatma
please go on
gandhi: well, by encountering contrary views
one is forced to re-examine one's own version of the truth
perhaps to gain glimpses of a higher truth
and to adjust one's view
to grow from truth to truth
for truth cannot be absolute, only experimental
bin laden: do you mean a provisional answer to life?
gandhi: yes, exactly
bin laden: in that case, i am in full agreement
i assume that you take a great interest in my strategy to rid the holy land of the infidel
the armed struggle that al-qaeda wages against the persecution and oppression of my people
gandhi: yes, indeed
do you not agree that violence represents an admission of failure?
bin laden: in a sense, yes
but the western imperialists recognise only the power of the sword
it is useless trying to negotiate a peace with them
they occupy our lands
they kill our people
they steal our resources
they denigrate our culture
we believe that a jihad of the sword is our only recourse
gandhi: does not an eye for an eye make the whole world go blind?
does al-qaeda not try to extinguish the fire by pouring on petrol?
does it not try to cure the wound by deepening it?
have all other options really been exhausted?
as they insisted in south africa and in india
when i advocated the course of satyagraha, non-violent resistance
osama, in your position
i believe you have the power to be a force for great good
but for this to happen
you must extinguish the hatred you feel in your heart
for by degrading others through acts of violence
or even evil thoughts
you only degrade yourself
instead you must identify the weaknesses of the forces you oppose
then harness your resources against them
the great weakness of the western powers is their claim to benevolence
in the eyes of their own people and others
where this is clearly not the case
as we can see from the panic-stricken existence in the west
brought to bear by their 'war on terror'
just imagine the effect you could have, osama
were you to lay down arms
and seek ways to negotiate a peaceful withdrawal of western forces from the gulf
remember that what benefits others, in this case the citizens of the west, benefits you too
our basic human interests are identical
we cannot flourish while others suffer
after all you have to share the world with these people, like it or not
so you need to be cleverer than this
in india we challenged the injustices of the caste system by fasting
through 'voluntary crucifixion of the flesh', as i called it
bin laden: so what have you in mind for the arab world in its current plight?
gandhi: osama, i cannot provide you with the answers to your own problems
i seek merely to encourage you to pose the right questions
bin laden: it has been an honour to converse with you, mahatma
one day we shall see a peaceful world, insha'allah
gandhi: god willing, osama, god willing