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Forecasting the Next Middle East Crisis to be Faced - Isolation of Israel in the Next American Administration

Reader comment on item: Is the Middle East "Freer, More Hopeful, and More Promising"?

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Dec 10, 2008 at 18:48

We are faced with many more problems than possibly thought about America's future in the Middle East, though some have postulated here not all was easily seen when it came to the American political situation with the Middle East, and indeed the world. What Dr. Pipes is presenting here is essentially an outline for someone to list the legacy left behind by President Bush's administration, a sort of pre-press package to start this era's historians on what might be written in President Bush's favor.

To be sure, President Bush's two terms were not the most glamorous years for any presidency. What we do know about him is that he stuck to what he thought was necessary to keep America safer than if he had adopted a more passive approach to protect American's and American interests. Not all of it was politically correct, but no one can say that President Bush seriously considered backing down in spite of the assessment of damages.

But even as we were told that America had the interests of all parties in the Middle East in view as policymaking was executed, we now find there was a fundamental flaw in regards to the single most important political association over there: Israel. Though it was widely believed that many Middle East issues were handled with a decidedly pro-Arab (all that oil, folks) posture, little was it suspected that all was not going according to the best interests of Israel, our supposed best ally. In an interview with President Bush, we can now understand why.

[Interviewer Cynthia McFadden asked Bush if the Bible was literally true. "You know. Probably not…No I'm not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it, but I do think that the New Testament for example is, ….has got…You know, the important lesson is ‘God sent a Son,'" Bush said.]

Anyone with more than a passing understanding of the Biblical worldview necessary to deal with Israel should read the words of President Bush with more than just a little trepidation. America's constant dealings with Israel in the quagmire that is the Middle East can now be understood in the light of this revelation. Attach to that the legacy to be passed on to the president elect, (with the call for President – elect Obama to embrace his Muslim roots and be part of the emerging groundswell to forsake the roots of western society and make Islam the reigning ideology), and we can see that the rest of the world is not ready to wait for America to get its act together.

World alliances that are forming without American participation are multiplying on both hemispheres in spite of America's political and military influences. This can be seen in the Russian attempts to consolidate power, both in the spheres of the former Soviet empire, and here with the socialist governments such as Venezuela and others. On teh other side, the unrest of Pakistan versus India (Mumbai as symptomatic of a more involved political turbulence), Muslim Kosovo striking out for its identity, North Korea's intransigence, Greece falling apart from its own internal turmoil, just to name of few of other world activities that need diplomatic solutions, are all appearing to be falling outside of America's abilities to be of any viable assistance.

Look at Dr. Pipe's list and realize that all of these things have one thing in common: they are not producing any evidence of strong American diplomacy, which should be a force for peace. Instead, looking at the one telling item of pre-emption, we see that, contrary to the ‘right to defend' reaction of Pearl Harbor, the pre-emptive mentality took the eye off the real threats and focused on the presumed threats. In all of that, the real damage occurred, making Israel out as a liability for its attempts to defend itself from its hostile neighbors, indeed from the world. America has lost its creditability. In Israel we find the source of all diplomatic problems America has in the Middle East.

For this reader, the jury is still out on the other items of President Bush's positive legacy. All that can be currently said is that, for the moment, attacks on America soil in the magnitude of the towers have so far been avoided. How much longer remains to be seen.

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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Reader comments (57) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Israel or Palestine? [549 words]Bill CunninghamJan 6, 2009 21:18147212
Bush's Fantastical Policy Making Re The Middle East -Dangerously Clueless [74 words]Adina KutnickiDec 23, 2008 12:58145743
Libya: Bush's legacy? [128 words]Sergio RubinsteinDec 19, 2008 18:25145453
Who is GW Bush? [2417 words]der AlleswisserDec 22, 2008 09:51145453
Are We Safer in Long Run? [560 words]ZentristDec 17, 2008 21:05145327
These Are Your Heros? [1479 words]der AlleswisserDec 26, 2008 05:58145327
Look and see Islam, it's at your Doorstep! [98 words]Wendy HillDec 16, 2008 03:40145210
Turkey [60 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Bruce GodfreyDec 14, 2008 09:54145074
Seek the Truth on Islam, Not Just Turkey, Mr. Godfrey [2675 words]der AlleswisserDec 30, 2008 09:49145074
To J street "lovers" and Sarah Palin "haters" [582 words]Gary JosephsonDec 11, 2008 18:36144936
Forecasting the Next Middle East Crisis to be Faced - Isolation of Israel in the Next American Administration [720 words]M. ToveyDec 10, 2008 18:48144852
Islam calls for peace [93 words]mohammed ahmedJan 2, 2009 15:58144852
Then a Better Explanation from Muslims Who Cry Out For Israeli Blood Needs to Answer The Hamas Mandate [122 words]M. ToveyJan 4, 2009 00:26144852
In response to your belief, Islam is the true religion???? [198 words]Wendy HillMar 30, 2009 05:11144852
Saudi's Sanction Genocide [31 words]orange yonasonDec 10, 2008 17:58144844
The crux of the matter! [359 words]Carl Dennett Blyth, SrDec 10, 2008 08:49144799
Politely... I strongly disagree [282 words]Raul Alvaro FraserDec 10, 2008 18:15144799
There's truth in what you state [56 words]jennifer solisDec 12, 2008 15:32144799
Self-Hatred will doom you, you must know who the enemy is or you will perish [2008 words]der AlleswisserDec 31, 2008 07:30144799
Exposure of terrorist support [74 words]Joe Six-PackDec 8, 2008 20:55144681
What about Afghanistan? [131 words]saraDec 8, 2008 17:42144665
I agree with you, Sara [119 words]jennifer solisDec 12, 2008 16:06144665
Daniel being too generous -- Saddam's fall is not a positive legacy for Bush [61 words]Charles MartelDec 8, 2008 15:17144653
Sorry to say... [131 words]DONVANDec 8, 2008 10:52144642
I count more. [215 words]LynnDec 8, 2008 08:00144635
The only point in favour of Bush´s legacy [26 words]Raul Alvaro FraserDec 10, 2008 17:54144635
Legacy [76 words]LynnDec 12, 2008 09:07144635
"Our legacy is over" [362 words]Raul Alvaro FraserDec 13, 2008 05:39144635
Ownership [214 words]LynnDec 14, 2008 14:11144635
Few more points [57 words]GitanjaliDec 8, 2008 06:12144632
Pipes or Krauthammer? [302 words]ZentristDec 7, 2008 21:03144613
Depressing scenario [120 words]Rebecca MouldsDec 7, 2008 02:44144547
Good point Rebecca [48 words]Raul Alvaro FraserDec 10, 2008 18:22144547
So True! [14 words]wendy HillDec 10, 2008 22:58144547
The Fetish of Sharia Law [74 words]DavodDec 6, 2008 22:26144540
We should fear ALL MUSLIMS! [250 words]WendyDec 6, 2008 19:26144531
The mythology.. [158 words]donvanDec 8, 2008 22:07144531
With Deep Regret, Wendy, Your Assessment is Correct. Sad for all of us. [1049 words]der AlleswisserDec 9, 2008 08:59144531
God bless you, Wendy - [143 words]Charles MartelDec 9, 2008 10:34144531
Scary words [161 words]Raul Alvaro FraserDec 10, 2008 18:44144531
God Bless you 'Der Alleswisser', for replying to my sad experience in the Middle-East [708 words]Wendy HillDec 10, 2008 22:39144531
Response to Dear Charles Martel, following my comments! Thank you and God Bless you too. [178 words]WENDY HILLDec 10, 2008 22:45144531
Thanks Donvan for your kind Response! [41 words]WENDY HILLDec 10, 2008 22:50144531
Yes, I will research what you kindly offered, with appreciation [362 words]Wendy HillDec 10, 2008 23:08144531
Look! They, are telling Us what to do! Please tell me - What's wrong here??? [2635 words]Wendy HillDec 11, 2008 02:49144531
Yes, you are correct, Raul! [23 words]wendy hillDec 11, 2008 22:08144531
Today, There are 57 Islamic States. [34 words]KristaDec 14, 2008 10:14144531
Have not forgotten you, and a gift for you and others. [359 words]der AlleswisserDec 17, 2008 12:53144531
Will certainly see the film: "Immortal Beloved" [185 words]Wendy HillDec 18, 2008 02:02144531
The WHY? of Terrorism in Islam [1726 words]Dane DahlDec 18, 2008 04:38144531
Truth and the Holy Bible - It is the Composition and Verse of Heavenly Things to be Found on Earth [572 words]M. ToveyDec 18, 2008 18:06144531
There is a BoogeyMan- A Vital Message and Thank You Mr. Dahl for it [1050 words]der AlleswisserDec 20, 2008 11:24144531
Oops, Wendy I replied to you earlier but somehow sent it to Krista instead [866 words]der AlleswisserDec 26, 2008 14:53144531
Enough of this [610 words]der AlleswisserDec 27, 2008 15:42144531
Free women of Islam [744 words]HebatJan 11, 2009 20:33144531
no they cannot be trusted [32 words]Dan ZinkeJan 9, 2010 12:11144531
Thanks for your Agreeableness! [14 words]Wendy HillJan 11, 2010 00:40144531

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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