"The first casualty when war comes is truth." … Senator Hiram Johnson, 1917

October 2, 2001: The world was a very different place when Senator Johnson made that proverbial comment almost a century ago. Today, war is no longer a prerequisite for falsehood, malicious propaganda or deception. The security agencies of various Governments are experts at this game and there is no denying that such practices and policies are sometimes a necessary evil under certain circumstances. Even the Prophet (s) remarked that "War is deception". The need for national security is used frequently as a convenient justification for the suppression or distortion of truth.

The media are criticised frequently for routinely dispensing - whether deliberately or unintentionally - inaccurate, erroneous or misleading information, purportedly as ‘facts’ or ‘objective reports’. If given in sufficient dosage, these mould not only our attitudes towards history but also more significantly towards current issues and dramatically shape our relations with others. The Australian media, much like their Western counterparts, focus predominantly upon confrontational and titillating issues seemingly designed to boost circulation or ratings rather than to present a rational portrayal or analysis of unfolding events. There’s nothing new about this, especially if you subscribe to the view that ‘good news is no news’. What should concern us, though, is that what we read or watch too often bears little or no resemblance to reality.

It has been rather refreshing, then, to notice that much of the mainstream media have taken some pains to express their views and reporting in a somewhat reasonable and balanced manner in the aftermath of the shocking tragedies of September 11. Almost every world leader, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, has spoken about Islam’s condemnation of terrorist acts and the need for people to distinguish between Islam as a religion of peace and misguided fanatics who distort or misunderstand its tenets.

Yet it also comes as no surprise to Muslims worldwide that Osama Bin Laden has been categorised as ‘public enemy number one’, or that President Bush should have chosen (albeit very regrettably) to label this renewed offensive against terrorism a "Crusade", or even to witness Mr Berlusconi’s incredible statement that the upcoming campaign against Afghanistan’s Taliban was to show that ‘our civilisation is better than Islam’. In a sense, we are all victims of our own culture, and Western culture has had at best a very ambivalent relationship with Islam over the last millenium, oscillating between attraction and repulsion. Now, of course, with the demise of any other ‘threat’ to the global hegemony of the United States and its allies, only Islam is perceived to be an obstacle to Western cultural and economic domination of the world.

The fundamental question that resonates in our minds is this: Who stands to benefit from the carnage in New York and Washington? Conspiracy theories are flying thick and fast. Saber-rattling is heard in all quarters. Brinkmanship is pushing itself inexorably to the fore. The desire for revenge threatens to outweigh reconciliation. Nations are being tied to supporting a ‘war’ that has no clearly defined enemy nor definite timeframe. Politics is making some very strange bedfellows indeed.

Certainly the wretched Afghans stand to gain nothing but more anguish, hardship, famine, misery and death. Is there a silver lining to this cloud? If there is, then it lies with us, as we interact with our neighbours, friends and fellow citizens, communicating to them the universal message of Islam, exposing to them its ideals and values. As many have said, it is time for Muslims to reveal their light to the world, and not to hide it or allow it to be hidden in fear and ignorance.

Siddiq Buckley