Michael Butler’s Blog

Currently in the Middle East there are strong currents underway. We need to look at the plus and the minus side. The area seems possessed by the “Ukrainian fever”. The color orange is now a hue of a new age. Ancien regimes are under besiege. There is debate as to whether pacific or forceful means are the method of change. Here lies the crux of the problem.

Destabilization can bring about anarchy. Anarchy begets fear. Fear seeks safety. To paraphrase Franklin - Those who seek after both freedom and security shall have neither. Look at historical examples, the Bolshevik Revolution, the Weimer Republic, Tianamen Square, Iraq. All have resulted in authority’s increase in power. America since 9/11 has many disquieting situations.

Is it going to be dialogue or confrontation? Iraq is a frightening situation. No matter how Americans react to their governments spin there is some real concern things are not going well. We have conquered a country under false pretences. We are losing the peace by ignoring the lessons of history, particularly in the Middle East. Iraq is a negative example of our declarations of freedom. Our allies in the Arab world such as Jordan, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia have had elections which they claim increase the people’s franchise. They really do little towards freedom. Even Egypt is suprized by its phaeronic leaders supposed move towards more democracy.

American policy has repeatedly sponsored our hegemony over the Middle East. We are not trusted by the Moslem world. There is one area where we could change a great amount of that distrust and hatred. We could actively become an honest broker in the Israel/Palestinian conflict. This would be an enormous plus to change our image in the Moslem countries and the entire world. There are other actions we can take; however nothing would compare to the fair settlement of that dispute.