MY THOUGHTS ON IRAQ:
As I watch the sad events of Iraq being played out, I like many Americans have many conflicting thoughts. First, I see huge mistakes in American foreign policy toward the middle east. There are consequences for na...tions when they make such big mistakes. Even great powers like America will have to pay for ignorance and political games that never had any hope of working from day one. Leaders today lack a moral compass of determination and conviction. They have no moral authority to stand upon. As a result they blunder from one event to the next.
I remember my history and I remember that the great Roman Empire also found itself mixed up in the middle eastern world. They were so occupied with the middle east that they overlooked the real enemies that they were facing. "Soon after Pompey had conquered Syria and Judea for Rome, Crassus, already one of the richest men in Rome, launched a campaign against Parthia in Mesopotamia (modern day Iran). He was defeated however, with great slaughter at Carrhae (53 B.C.)." So, Rome never did figure out the middle east. The United States which is the new Roman Empire of the 21st century has no better handle on the middle east than did ancient Rome.
I remember seeing Jimmy Carter with his failed global foreign policy and how he pulled the rug out from under the Shah of Iran. The Shah had been a great friend to the United States and kept Iran in balance. Once the Shah was removed we have had nothing but trouble from Iran and now they inch ever so close to nuclear weapons. Thank you Jimmy Carter.
People of the middle east respect power and a strong hand. They despise weakness. There is a great hatred toward the West and the United States in particular. They prefer their brand of government over anything we have to offer. This cycle of hate and distrust will take generations to change and even if we did all things well there is no guarantee of success. There is the shadow of Islam that clouds all things. It seems we as a people have little understanding of this religion and how it touches all the people of the middle east. War, death, and hate is at the core of 3,000 years of middle east history.
I remember George H.W. Bush and Desert Storm. There seemed to be some wisdom in this president who defeated the aggression of Iraq against Kuwait but then knew when to stop and maintain the delicate balance of power. Saddam Hussein with all his faults kept Iraq in check. Iraq under his leadership was a check to Iran. We failed in the removal of the Shah. But, Iraq kept Iran in balance. We failed again in the removal of Hussein and now we have a near global disaster. President George W. Bush in my view made a serious, strategic mistake in the invasion of Iraq and doing "nation building". Iraq as a nation died with our invasion. The average person of Iraq hates us more today than when Hussein was in power. We just do not understand! President Obama blundered even more by withdrawal of American troops way too soon. With a series of mistakes he has indeed worsen the crisis.
We must remember that the world of the Middle East is basically a world of Islam. Freedom is not their main desire. Their desire is for the pleasure of Allah as they see such. They the people are most comfortable with a dictator who is all Muslim rather than any American (infidel) puppet government. Any government we establish in the Middle East will always fall. It is the clash between two civilizations and two opposite views of "God". The Western world puts God in some compartment. The Middle Eastern World puts Allah as everything. We fail so often to see the true thinking of this world. How can such smart men in Washington be so blind. At the end of WWI President Wilson traveled to Europe to sign the treaties of peace. He had with him great historians. President Wilson himself was greatly educated in history and yet they ignored all the lessons of history and crafted a death treaty that led to the creation of Hitler and WW2. Amazing.
Wisdom might say to us to form a grand alliance and defeat the terrorists forces in Iraq once and for all. Then, carve Iraq up into three separate countries, provide UN military forces, and draft new constitutions that respect freedom of religion and other basic human rights. It would be difficult and many years of victories and defeats with no certain outcome. To do nothing leaves the Middle East unstable and ripe for disaster. We need their oil and thus our economy and that of all the world is in some form tied to this region.
In the end there is no simple solution. The United States has a very sick economy and massive Federal debts. We have invested much into Iraq and it appears it has only made the situation worse. Our missteps over the last three decades are now producing disaster.
As I survey our Federal Government I see no voices or leadership to lead our nation through this dark hour. I see the Middle East getting worse and more dangerous day by day. The next ten years will be dark indeed.
For now America is interested in soccer, beer and pizza. It is summer time and we want to play. As we play great forces are at work that one day may not only require our full attention but demand such.
*Allen Ashlock, 2014
As I watch the sad events of Iraq being played out, I like many Americans have many conflicting thoughts. First, I see huge mistakes in American foreign policy toward the middle east. There are consequences for na...tions when they make such big mistakes. Even great powers like America will have to pay for ignorance and political games that never had any hope of working from day one. Leaders today lack a moral compass of determination and conviction. They have no moral authority to stand upon. As a result they blunder from one event to the next.
I remember my history and I remember that the great Roman Empire also found itself mixed up in the middle eastern world. They were so occupied with the middle east that they overlooked the real enemies that they were facing. "Soon after Pompey had conquered Syria and Judea for Rome, Crassus, already one of the richest men in Rome, launched a campaign against Parthia in Mesopotamia (modern day Iran). He was defeated however, with great slaughter at Carrhae (53 B.C.)." So, Rome never did figure out the middle east. The United States which is the new Roman Empire of the 21st century has no better handle on the middle east than did ancient Rome.
I remember seeing Jimmy Carter with his failed global foreign policy and how he pulled the rug out from under the Shah of Iran. The Shah had been a great friend to the United States and kept Iran in balance. Once the Shah was removed we have had nothing but trouble from Iran and now they inch ever so close to nuclear weapons. Thank you Jimmy Carter.
People of the middle east respect power and a strong hand. They despise weakness. There is a great hatred toward the West and the United States in particular. They prefer their brand of government over anything we have to offer. This cycle of hate and distrust will take generations to change and even if we did all things well there is no guarantee of success. There is the shadow of Islam that clouds all things. It seems we as a people have little understanding of this religion and how it touches all the people of the middle east. War, death, and hate is at the core of 3,000 years of middle east history.
I remember George H.W. Bush and Desert Storm. There seemed to be some wisdom in this president who defeated the aggression of Iraq against Kuwait but then knew when to stop and maintain the delicate balance of power. Saddam Hussein with all his faults kept Iraq in check. Iraq under his leadership was a check to Iran. We failed in the removal of the Shah. But, Iraq kept Iran in balance. We failed again in the removal of Hussein and now we have a near global disaster. President George W. Bush in my view made a serious, strategic mistake in the invasion of Iraq and doing "nation building". Iraq as a nation died with our invasion. The average person of Iraq hates us more today than when Hussein was in power. We just do not understand! President Obama blundered even more by withdrawal of American troops way too soon. With a series of mistakes he has indeed worsen the crisis.
We must remember that the world of the Middle East is basically a world of Islam. Freedom is not their main desire. Their desire is for the pleasure of Allah as they see such. They the people are most comfortable with a dictator who is all Muslim rather than any American (infidel) puppet government. Any government we establish in the Middle East will always fall. It is the clash between two civilizations and two opposite views of "God". The Western world puts God in some compartment. The Middle Eastern World puts Allah as everything. We fail so often to see the true thinking of this world. How can such smart men in Washington be so blind. At the end of WWI President Wilson traveled to Europe to sign the treaties of peace. He had with him great historians. President Wilson himself was greatly educated in history and yet they ignored all the lessons of history and crafted a death treaty that led to the creation of Hitler and WW2. Amazing.
Wisdom might say to us to form a grand alliance and defeat the terrorists forces in Iraq once and for all. Then, carve Iraq up into three separate countries, provide UN military forces, and draft new constitutions that respect freedom of religion and other basic human rights. It would be difficult and many years of victories and defeats with no certain outcome. To do nothing leaves the Middle East unstable and ripe for disaster. We need their oil and thus our economy and that of all the world is in some form tied to this region.
In the end there is no simple solution. The United States has a very sick economy and massive Federal debts. We have invested much into Iraq and it appears it has only made the situation worse. Our missteps over the last three decades are now producing disaster.
As I survey our Federal Government I see no voices or leadership to lead our nation through this dark hour. I see the Middle East getting worse and more dangerous day by day. The next ten years will be dark indeed.
For now America is interested in soccer, beer and pizza. It is summer time and we want to play. As we play great forces are at work that one day may not only require our full attention but demand such.
*Allen Ashlock, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment