ABU DHABI CROWN PRINCE STRESSES EDUCATION IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000619 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/2018 TAGS: PREL PTER SCUL AE SUBJECT: ABU DHABI CROWN PRINCE STRESSES EDUCATION IN COUNTERING ISLAMIC EXTREMISM REF: ABU DHABI 497 Classified by Charge d'Affaires Martin Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince told Secretary of Education Spellings May 18 that education is vital to overcoming the influence of Islamic extremism in the Middle East. Youth immunized early in life with a balanced perspective are better able to adapt and contribute to a diverse yet tolerant world. He called for measured political and social changes in the region, warning against sudden "U-turns" that might bring Islamists to power. Building bridges with the West is vital in a rapidly modernizing UAE society, he said, recalling "third world" influences in the country's past education system. He sought to help prepare his grandchildren for the inevitable fight against extremism. The Crown Prince concluded with anecdotes from the practical education of his own son who found balance and tolerance through service with the Red Cross. End summary. Teach youth to avoid extremism -------------- ¶2. (C) In an engaging May 18 discussion on the merits of a balanced education, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ) recited his views on extremism to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. MbZ quipped that his forefathers had defended their homeland even before they had much to defend -- fighting the Wahabbis 204 times in 220 years; it is all the more imperative that the current generation defend their country now that "we have everything" to fight for. The threat from extremists is real, he stressed, as they ("Muslim Brothers," "Wahabbis," "al-Qaeda," and "Taliban") are well organized and strategic in their approach. Schools are key to countering their influence, said MbZ, giving youth the balanced understanding needed to avoid falling into the extremist control. ¶3. (C) More than 100 UAE citizens have disappeared in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia, lamented MbZ, and some are still on the run. The extremists only need to "succeed once" to do severe damage. MbZ's top priority, he claimed, is education to counter that threat. Whereas six months were previously needed to visit Mecca, one could now make the round trip in 24 hours; nonetheless, the influences of overzealous "holy men" can still leave pilgrims coQused. A returnee from the pilgrimage might question his own parents' behavior when his mind is filled with Islamist ideas. "We have been penetrated," in houses, schools, and mosques, MbZ continued. For a nation which seeks to attract millions of tourists, public beaches and other attractions are a must -- but run against the grain of extremist thinking. Secretary Spellings agreed that the majority of a population should be educated in order to counter the negative influence of the few. She noted how much the U.S. and UAE share in common, with mutual educational interests identified in an MoU signed earlier in the day. ¶4. (C) Recalling his own school experience, MbZ said the classroom had been "scary." He recounted an incident with a young, promising military officer who resigned from the army for "family reasons." When the former officer brought his father to meet MbZ, he realized that the father had been his own (MbZ's) math teacher and thus immediately understood why the family had problems -- a statement on the negative influence of teachers of that generation. He also noted that "Arab nationalist" tendencies in society when he was a student resulted in seeking educational assistance from the third world, whereas today the UAE enjoys direct exchange with the U.S. and other advanced economies and direct access to diverse sources of information (through the media, Internet, books, and more frequent travel). As a result, contemporary Emiratis enjoy a heightened awareness of the modern world, its diversity and challenges. Educating the region -- cautiously -------------- ¶5. (C) Given the choice of emphasizing quantity or quality in education, MbZ said quality was the clear winner. His goal is to select the right leadership to carry out education reform. He commended Jordan for its educational efforts and noted the high quality of the Jordanian community resident in the UAE -- Jordan is one of the few Arab countries from which MbZ was willing to receive more teachers. The Jordanians and Lebanese are "a plus wherever they go," he suggested, largely due to their focus on quality education. ¶6. (C) The region needs to change at a "normal" pace; quick changes would not work to anyone's advantage. The stalwarts of Arab stability -- Egypt and Saudi Arabia -- both need to evolve, insisted MbZ, but if either made a political "U-turn" right now, we would "not find our friends on top." The Muslim Brothers could claim Egypt and Osama bin Laden's influence could rise in Saudi Arabia. Either would be dangerous and it would only be a matter of time before stability slipped away in the region. Bridging geography and the generations -------------- ¶7. (C) On relations with the U.S., and responding to Secretary Spellings' comment that there is a "buzz" in the states about the UAE, MbZ said his nation sought to build many bridges to assist his grandchildren in adapting to the world they will face. Beyond education, the ability to adapt and integrate will be key to their future. How people accept others, and how they behave in different cultures, are critical questions that do not find easy answers in a land where change is taking place at such a rapid rate. This is the first generation that knows air travel, for example, and MbZ likened the pace of UAE development to an airplane taking off and climbing to a cruising altitude of "400,000 feet." Youth had to speak with their elders on a "different frequency" than they used in daily life outside the home, he said, not simply adjusting their "accent" but turning to an entirely new "language." Shifting the mindset of the next generation is therefore a significant challenge for educators. No time to blink -------------- ¶8. (C) Stating that his grandchildren would still be fighting Osama bin Laden's grandchildren -- even if the UAE can "fix" its educational dilemma, the UAE cannot stamp out extremist influences in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and etc. -- MbZ said the UAE has "no time to blink" in the face of the current challenge. He must defend a nation of vast possibilities, even as his forefathers defended their barren lands when they had few comforts, not even a reliable water supply. He explained that UAE troops in Afghanistan are deployed to stave off the extremists. (If the deployment were simply to show solidarity with the UAE's allies, the UAEG would have announced the move publicly some years ago, he added.) Building the future one individual at a time -------------- ¶9. (C) MbZ said he can walk the streets with confidence when people are happy with their situations in life. He worried that more people are happy and smiling in Iran than in Saudi Arabia, suggesting that education was largely the reason; he said Saudi Arabia emphasizes religious studies, the Islamic curriculum, in school. He said the UAE was simply following a moderate course set by his father, the UAE's founder and first president Sheikh Zayed ("I cannot walk in his shadow"). If citizens have love for their land, the rest will follow. ¶10. (C) Preferring not to generalize about whether UAE youth are optimistic about their future, MbZ recalled the story of his own son who he worried about in the aftermath of 9-11 as al-Jazeera was broadcasting slanted views often featuring Osama bin Laden. He called a friend at the Red Cross in Switzerland and sent his 16-year-old son to join a project in Ethiopia. His son "changed completely" when he saw the Red Cross assist the needy without reference to religion. Asking rhetorically why he had not trusted any of the 27 UAE charities to guide his son on a similar mission, MbZ said he could not be sure his son would return reformed. One anecdote of his son's experience involved a large village where all were living as brothers (Muslims, Christians, and Jews in one community) for 500 years until "two Egyptians" came to convert them to Islam. Two thousand were killed in the ensuing fight before the government intervened. The (somewhat understated) lesson his son had learned, said MbZ, was "we should be careful." (Note: That son had just that same day agreed to join a military training program, said a proud MbZ. End note.) Youth have their hearts in the right place and only need a nudge in the right direction (and "a hint here or there"),concluded MbZ. It would be a "big mistake" not to make the next generation better than ours; education is integral to national security. ¶11. (U) Secretary Spellings reviewed and approved this message. QUINN