Sunday, February 27, 2011

Middle East Angst

What We Don’t Know About the Middle East : NO QUARTER:

"...Let’s start with Egypt. The so-called people’s revolution was a clever coup by the Egyptian military, who apparently decided that Hosni Mubarak’s time was up and that he had to go. If you are counting on a new, secular democracy emerging in the land of the Pharaohs you are delusional. Do you seriously believe that the new Egypt will be less Islamic, more favorably disposed to Israel and willing to support equal rights for men and women? If so, I have a bridge to sell you.

I do not believe the United States is in a position to control events in the world. But we sure as hell have a variety of resources and capabilities to influence the course of events and even intervene, both overtly and covertly. In the case of Egypt the Obama Administration decided to sit on the sidelines and play cheerleader. But our strategic interests in the region supersede what happens inside of Egypt. We should have been asking, “what does this mean for the region and, in particular, Israel’s security?”..."

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