The ironic success of the Neocon venture! As US influence wanes, progress in the Middle East?
The International Herald carries an Interesting analysis of recent developments in the Middle East by Rami G. Khouri, editor-at-large of The Daily Star and director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut.
As the U.S. loses credibility and influence, even Israel is ignoring the U.S. and taking greater responsibility for its own foreign affairs by reaching out to Syria (via Turkish intermediation). Rather than cheering on such developments, “hard-headed” neocons like John Bolton poo-poo Israel’s initiative – it seems that when Israel takes greater responsibility for its own foreign affairs there is less domestic political hay to be made by demagogues in the U.S.!
Can we keep our fingers crossed for a peace dividend? Unlikely, as the US military and defense establishment continue to take over the U.S. government. Even the New York Times “strongly supports a larger, sturdier military”, and expanded benefits for soldiers.
Martin, sure there are political risks such as you point to. But oil and refined products are quintessential commodities, for which there are sophisticated markets able to take supply risk into account. Further, it seems rather clear to me that actions by our government have been at best neutral with respect to (if not INCREASED) such political risk. If we weren’t meddling in the ME and elsewhere – at high costs taken directly from taxpayers (and borrowed from future generations) – oil would still come to market, and with LESS political friction. Iraq is shut down now, Bush seems to have done his best to alienate Venzuela, and is apparently itching to disrupt supplies from Iran as well, and the trail of stupidity/cupidity goes all the way way to the US/British overthrow of Mossadegh and the installation of the Shah, which then brought us the Ayatollah.
With this kind of help, worrying about “enemies” seems to be a complete distraction from the real source of our problems.
It’s not a direct question about this post, but, are you worried about the oil situation where Iran, Russia and Venezuela can use the oil for political reasons and screw us up?
Thanks