Feb. 5th, 2011
The U.S. used to impose and depose dictators. I believe the last one we knocked off was Diem
in S. Vietnam. Then we passed legislation outlawing taking dictators out. Be careful what you wish for.
President Obama has used psychology, sociology and perhaps economics to nudge Mubarak.
They haven't worked thus far. The five stages of facing death are ongoing. Mubarak is caught
in "bargaining" and can't move on to acceptance. He may need a private therapy session with
our President.
Today a very savy Middle East analyst stated that Pres. Mubarak has never taken a vacation outside of Egypt. The only foreign place he has gone is Germany for medical treatments. He's unlikely to wind up in Berlin, Paris or London. Today I ruminated on whether he could go to Israel!! They like him there and it is the same part of the world! I know--gallows humor.
Again my mind turns to H. Karzai. Another corrupt devil with whom we have fashioned a unique tie. Illegal elections, corruption, stamping out opposition? President Karzai can deliver all of this and more. It doesn't augur well for our future or for the future of the Middle East that we
have forged such dark alliances. In political science jargon we are caught between being realists
or idealists. So many of these relationships haven't turned out well. Is there another path?
We forge these dark alliances with a purpose. Everything the U.S. does overseas, especially in the Middle East is with purpose, an agenda pushed by the Shadow CIA. Everything is strategic. We have a presence in Pakistan and Iraq for that reason. Our alliance with Egypt was to help the Israelis have a buffer ally against the rest of the Arab world. We are not realists. We are manipulators playing a Machiavellian game.
ReplyDelete