Too
often, western journalist ignore history, and the tension just below
the surface in the "nations' stitched together by false threads by
colonial Europe. The only thing holding many of the middle-eastern
nations "together" are the dictators. And the dictators achieve the
presumed piece through suppression of rights and patronage.
America's failure in Iraq is not its refusal to arm "moderates", because there are no moderates in these fights, only sectarian agitators. Iraq and Syria, like Saudi Arabia have been ran by Sunnis for generations now, and the Shiites will like to change that order.
President Obama must refrain from being dragged into the morass in Baghdad. If Maliki and other Iraqi politicians trully care about Iraqi as a single, united state, they must make the political accommodations and compromises necessary. The same is true for Syria (and America must be willing to give Assad a pass, and a dignified transition). Aerial campaign at the behest of one side of these largely civil wars, will only engender long term enmity for the US.
The saying, that no one can want peace more than the affected party, is as true in the Israel-Palestinian case, as it is in Iraq and Syria. American should refrain from joining the fight, and also ensure that other nations like Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia do not turn Iran into another proxy war.
It is interesting how people forget the sufferings of Iraqis during Saddam's long reign. The Shiites remember, and now they must be encouraged to move beyond it, or be open to another round of map drawing in the middle east.
America's failure in Iraq is not its refusal to arm "moderates", because there are no moderates in these fights, only sectarian agitators. Iraq and Syria, like Saudi Arabia have been ran by Sunnis for generations now, and the Shiites will like to change that order.
President Obama must refrain from being dragged into the morass in Baghdad. If Maliki and other Iraqi politicians trully care about Iraqi as a single, united state, they must make the political accommodations and compromises necessary. The same is true for Syria (and America must be willing to give Assad a pass, and a dignified transition). Aerial campaign at the behest of one side of these largely civil wars, will only engender long term enmity for the US.
The saying, that no one can want peace more than the affected party, is as true in the Israel-Palestinian case, as it is in Iraq and Syria. American should refrain from joining the fight, and also ensure that other nations like Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia do not turn Iran into another proxy war.
It is interesting how people forget the sufferings of Iraqis during Saddam's long reign. The Shiites remember, and now they must be encouraged to move beyond it, or be open to another round of map drawing in the middle east.
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