Tejek Re...Do you really believe that the middle east is getting ready to rise up? <<<<<<<<<
I didn't say the middle east is getting ready. I did say if you put it in the right light, the middle east will rise above religious wars and nationalism. How? By appealing to the one basic tenet of nature. Greed. The one tenet that has made capitalism a success. The one tenet that has bought China into the WTO, and helped China accept Taiwan. It has ended the cold war with Russia, stopped (knock on wood) the rivalry between France and Germany etc.
Don't think it will work here. Consider this. Several wks. ago there was an article in Businessweek that Libya has agreed to pay reparations to the descendants of Pan AM flight 103. Thats right, Libya, once the worlds foremost exporter of terrorism has agreed to pay reparations. While the amount is still being worked out, reportedly Libya wants to offer 2.8 to 3.5 billion (thats right billion) while the plaintiffs want up to 6 billion. By itself, this might not mean much, except, the person doing the offering is Khadafi himself, once the most ardent supporter of terrorism. That just goes to show you it can be done. In fact, if we look at the middle east, all of Israels neighbors, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordon, have AFAIK stopped supporting terrorism. Iraq itself is showing signs of slowing down its terrorist activities. Yemen is supporting US efforts to control terrorism. Somalia has changed its stance since the 93 firefight, and has helped eradicate AL Quaeda.
Which leaves us with the axis of evil. However that axis isn't that strong, as all three countries have real problems with their economy. Even Iran, the strongest, has a restive population; the main reason for Iran supporting the US against Afghanistan. The people keep electing moderate gov. over the clerics hand picked candidates; and the people have rioted for more freedoms.
All three are vulnerable to a Afghanistan style war, and probably could be persuaded to drop support for Palestine in order to save their own skins. I wouldn't be surprised if Iraq blinks before the end of the yr, and allows inspectors; especially if GW can get some support against Iraq.
What does all of this have to do with greed. By creating a middle eastern trading block, and raising the standards of all, they will see, as every nation in the west has seen, that violence destroys wealth; power grabs by ruthless dictators will hurt a nations economy, and could show the clerics of Islam that war will destroy them, peace will benefit their people and their religion. |
