69 million page views

More Carrots?

Reader comment on item: Signal to Syria: Straighten Up

Submitted by Ilona Melstrads (United States), May 13, 2003 at 19:15

The article usefully pointed out large discrepancies; but it might have mentioned how important US companies are for Syria. Even if important, with the proposed legislation, maybe companies from other countries would be happy to take US's place. How about more of a carrot-like approach?

1. According to Dore Gold, the "U.S. roadmap for Middle East peace … requires in the first phase that all Arab states discontinue support for Palestinian groups backing terrorism."(1) If so, then presumably by its non-action, Syria is putting itself in the position of preventing the "roadmap." This might be publicized world-wide. Countries that comply should be especially thanked.

2. But assuming that some or all Arab states decide by miracle to stop terrorism, there is another problem. Since the affected Arab populations may partly appreciate some of the groups because they also provide charitable social welfare, the US might help organize and fund secular or more traditional Islamic charities, particularly in Lebanon, maybe also in Jordan and Syria. It would not do to keep the old organizations in place, in the hope they would only undertake charitable work. Particularly useful would be creating trade schools for youth.

3. US should give lots more economic aid to Israel, including aid for Israeli companies that might import goods from Lebanon, Jordan and Syria - provided the countries encourage immigration into their countries of West Bank Arabs, and, where needed, as in Lebanon, treat Arabs from the "occupied territories" as real citizens.

(1) Is Iran included or only Arab states?
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".

Submit a comment on this item

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (16) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
WHY HAVEN'T SYRIAN SPIES AND INTERMEDIARIES PAYED WITH THEIR LIVES YET? [298 words]sir daniel m.j. tobinSep 28, 2006 15:4658090
Follow the oil [33 words]Gil FergusonMay 16, 2003 13:029106
Educating the world about the only true "occupation" in the ME [80 words]andrew rotterMay 14, 2003 15:419064
Syria's cooperation [135 words]TruthTellerMay 14, 2003 11:039051
PLAYING GAMES AGAIN? [53 words]Graham Rael-BrookMay 14, 2003 10:129048
Syria plus Saudi [91 words]terry millerMay 14, 2003 02:089044
Secretary of State [98 words]Robert BendaMay 13, 2003 23:069040
More Carrots? [249 words]Ilona MelstradsMay 13, 2003 19:159038
Syria and Powell [24 words]lauraMay 13, 2003 18:129037
Syria's mendacity [41 words]Etta HellerMay 13, 2003 18:069036
1Syria [92 words]Mildred MallekMay 13, 2003 17:399034
Why [43 words]Just showing haw much of an idiot you can be!Mar 23, 2011 09:359034
Smoke Signals [101 words]MarkMay 13, 2003 16:309032
Counter-argument to pressuring Syria [142 words]Jeffrey SheffMay 13, 2003 15:029030
The doubtful ultimatums of the American State Department [156 words]Ken BesigMay 13, 2003 13:259028
countries permissive to Islamic fundamentalism suffer.. [172 words]larryMay 13, 2003 12:399027

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)