After centuries of imperialism,colonialism, power brokering and outright hegemony, the Middle East now appears to be, and maybe finally, imploding. The western world has fueled its industrial revolution on the backs of the Middle East. By largely ignoring the general welfare of the population of the area and focusing its 'diplomatic' and laissez-faire efforts and influence merely on the flow of oil, the West is now reaping what it has sown. And unlike the spectral dominoes of Southeast Asia in Vietnam, the Middle East game tiles are real and toppling -- Iran, Iraq, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya... who's next?
Placing blame for all of this is easy. As cartoon Pogo said, 'we have met the enemy, and they is us.' So. What to do, now?
 |
| Kuwaiti oil fields, 1991. |
Whatever eventually happens in Libya, the Republican strategy is clear: Blame President Obama for any failure, or separate him from any kind of victory. Even the Democrats are complicit in this, openly second-guessing any Administration philosophy or course of action.
The road to peace and prosperity in the Middle East has gotten longer and more arduous. It does not begin in Washington. It starts in the desert of our despotic dreams, and winds its way through
NATO, the
Arab League and even the
African Union. It is a 'lose-lose' situation for decades to come... but we have to start somewhere. And we have to start together.
