Time for 'benign neglect' in Mideast? | The San Diego Union-Tribune
Has anybody considered the possibility that America's preoccupation with the Arab-Israeli conflict – motivated by the commitment to Israel and the need to appease the Arab oil-producing states – may be doing more harm than good? By pursuing the illusion that the United States has the power and moral authority to broker a “peace” in the Middle East, Washington has created unrealistic expectations that cannot be fulfilled. Meanwhile, America's repeated failures as an “honest broker” ends up producing an anti-American backlash, which creates even more pressure on Washington to “do something” or else.
Has anybody considered the possibility that America's preoccupation with the Arab-Israeli conflict – motivated by the commitment to Israel and the need to appease the Arab oil-producing states – may be doing more harm than good? By pursuing the illusion that the United States has the power and moral authority to broker a “peace” in the Middle East, Washington has created unrealistic expectations that cannot be fulfilled. Meanwhile, America's repeated failures as an “honest broker” ends up producing an anti-American backlash, which creates even more pressure on Washington to “do something” or else.
Comments