The
Roman philosopher Seneca observed, "It is human to err, but stupid to
persist." It has been a serious mistake to get involved in the Middle
East the way America did after the activation of NATO and its
make-believe "success" in the
Balkans in the decade of the 1990s. The war in Afghanistan is lost;
Iraq is rapidly leaving our sphere of influence; Pakistan, in fact, has
been out of reach all along. Iran is nearing possession of the atomic
bomb. Most of all, the majority of people of the Islamic faith there do
not want us in their houses and, as a consequence, many fall for the
siren songs of jihadists.
Why do we persist?
The "Arab Spring" has been an unquestionable mirage. At best, it may take a couple of generations of persevering emancipation and sincere strivings by Arabic secular and religious elites for the current dark winter of cultural, social, and religious conditions to give in to the sunshine of real democracy, human dignity, pervasive tolerance, and the rule of law. Enhanced and fortified by common sense, history irrefutably attests to this imperative.
So what do we do now?
Based on cost vs. benefits, we do not need Arab oil. We also do not need boots on the ground in the region, and we do not need false and costly friendships. There are other ways to project our geopolitical presence there.
Why do we persist?
The "Arab Spring" has been an unquestionable mirage. At best, it may take a couple of generations of persevering emancipation and sincere strivings by Arabic secular and religious elites for the current dark winter of cultural, social, and religious conditions to give in to the sunshine of real democracy, human dignity, pervasive tolerance, and the rule of law. Enhanced and fortified by common sense, history irrefutably attests to this imperative.
So what do we do now?
Based on cost vs. benefits, we do not need Arab oil. We also do not need boots on the ground in the region, and we do not need false and costly friendships. There are other ways to project our geopolitical presence there.
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