MIDDLE EAST POLICY

I’m not a politician and I don’t ever plan on being one. To give myself the benefit of the doubt, I think that I am too politically incorrect to ever consider it. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop me from expressing my views on political issues. The one I want to address today is the Middle East.

To cut right to it, the Middle Eastern people consist of many tribes who have been fighting each other since the beginning of their time. I see no reason why they won’t continue to fight each other until the end of time. Regardless of our best efforts and intentions, there is nothing we can do to change that. For all our efforts, have Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, and others become more tolerant of each other or of this Judeo-Christian nation which is spilling its blood and treasure for them? A quick glance around the world yields a resounding “No.”

Many in the Middle East and elsewhere have sworn to bring down Israel and the United States. All our “nation building” seems to do is make their countries stronger from which to oppose Israel and us. Despite our best efforts, we are not transforming them into places with our type of values. Instead, they reject our values and resent our continued presence.

The Middle East and vicinity is a dangerous place. While those countries are an immediate threat to Israel, they are also becoming imminent threats to the United States. Just look at 9/11 and the recent Iranian plot in the U.S. It seems that there are more humane and cost effective ways to deal with radical nations than trying defeat them and attempt to build them into a friend. We’ve been in Iraq and Afghanistan for ten years and their tolerance of us is getting worse.

It’s my idea that when these rogue nations become quintessential threats to us that we deal with them swiftly and strongly in such a manner that it takes years for them to rebuild, and our strong action causes them to have second thoughts about ever provoking us again. Compromising with evil never works; it just allows evil to prosper in ways it wouldn’t have otherwise. These peoples and tribes are going to continue to fight each other until the end of the world. We should realize that there is nothing we can do about that. Our concern should end at the point that we have ensured the safety of American interests. As soon as America leaves Iraq and Afghanistan, those countries will be right back to the tribal fighting. It’s time boldly finish the job of terminating the threat to America and then get out of there.