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Middle East Strategy

At today’s news conference George W Bush was asked about his “strategy” for the Middle East. He was asked some questions, but this one yielded the most interesting response.

Mr. President, three years ago, you argued that an invasion of Iraq would create a new stage of Arab-Israeli peace. And yet today there is an Iraqi Prime Minister who has been sharply critical of Israel.

Arab governments, despite your arguments, who first criticized Hezbollah, have now changed their tune. Now they’re sharply critical of Israel.

And despite from both of you warnings to Syria and Iran to back off support from Hezbollah, effectively, Mr. President, your words are being ignored.

So what has happened to America’s clout in this region that you’ve committed yourself to transform?

You can read the entire response here, but I wanted to point out the main problem with the George W Bush approach to the situation in the Middle East. He tells us

In the long term, to defeat this ideology — and they’re bound by an ideology — you defeat it with a more hopeful ideology called freedom.

And, look, I fully understand some people don’t believe it’s possible for freedom and democracy to overcome this ideology of hatred. I understand that. I just happen to believe it is possible. And I believe it will happen.

It is quite clear that George W Bush does not understand the concept of “freedom.” Freedom would be freedom for the Islamic Fascists to rule. After all, when Palestine was given the freedom to vote they chose the Islamic Fascist group Hamass. Isn’t this what freedom is all about?

But, it is quite clear that the George W Bush doctrine of angering the entire Middle East and then giving them freedom will assure that every Democracy will elect a government composed of people who hate America.

How? If I wasn’t clear let me explain. George W Bush invaded Iraq and got rid of a tyrant, Saddam Hussein. Everyone on Earth can agree with that. But, after the fall of Saddam there was looting that went on for days. The Americans were very slow to react, but this did not escape the ire of the Iraqi people. At least under Saddam Hussein your property was safe, as long as you didn’t open your mouth was a common sentiment. Certainly the American conservatives who hated Fidel Castro can relate to this anger. And, for ten years the Americans had been telling the Iraqi military that they would be taken care of if America invaded were disappointed when the military was disbanded in the wake of the invasion. How is your average soldier supposed to feed his family if he is out of work? And it goes on, at every step of the way the United States has made the Iraqi people angry.

Then with the death of civilians in the street being broadcast through out the Middle East this anger spread to the entire region. Americans don’t think of this anger, because the US news “cleans up” the pictures from the Middle East. Imagine the hatred you felt when the soldiers were dragged through the streets of Morgadeshu. Imagine the hatred you felt when you saw the World Trade Center fall. Imagine the hatred you felt when the American contractors were hung from that bridge. This is happening every day for the Middle East. And, America is to blame because they have failed to protect the Iraqi citizens. America is the occupier, and we have the responsibility to protect the population of Iraq.

You may be thinking to yourself that the United States is innocent of these deaths, because the terrorists and insurgents are the ones who actually attacked these people. But, believe it or not it is about perception, not reality. If you have a hard time believing this, think of the 2004 Presidential Election. John Kerry had served in the Navy having more military experience than George W Bush. At every level John Kerry was better suited to fix the mess in the Middle East, but because of the Right Wing Echo Machine the perception was that George W Bush was going to give us the security that we desired. Now two years into the second George W Bush term we see the reality of George W Bush’s lack of leadership. In the Middle East we have the same problem. The perception of the United States is that we are the “Great Satan.” This was said in Iran in 1979, and now it is said all over the Middle East.

So, when America was given the perception that George W Bush would save us, and given the freedom to vote the American people chose the perception of security. So, shouldn’t expect that once the United States leaves Iraq and Iraq votes they will elect anti-American leaders. And, this same pattern will repeat itself all over the Middle East unless George W Bush or the next president changes course.

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Don’t forget what Stephen Colbert said, “Reality has a well-known liberal bias.”

Cross Posted @ Bring It On, tblog, Blogger and BlogSpirit

Politics, FOIA, Iraq, Iraq War, Democracy