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Pastimes : Kosovo -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Andy Thomas who wrote (17229)	10/27/2000 9:28:33 PM
From: goldsnow	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 17770

why is it that the u.s. backs one of the few powers in the middle east which has no oil?>>>> That is a very complex question...Let's try to dissect it..For starters the only important oil country other than Iraq-Iran, Saudi Arabia (really an illegitimate kingdom) is supported by US, and if not for US would have fallen under extreme Moslem Fundamentalist Rule long-time ago...As for Iran, you must have already forgotten Shaq and circumstances that surrounded Khomeini? <g> The bottom line is there is a real struggle in the Middle East Moderate-Fundamentalist forces....with Israel being the only Western Style Democracy there...surrounded by either militant (Assad) or crazy (Saddam) forces, however forces that could keep in check fundamentalist forces ala Taliban or Hamaz..In fact there was/is a real danger that entire Middle East can fall under fundamentalist rule, Egypt including... Now back to history...In fact there was a real (albeit small) chance of Israel falling under Soviet dominance after the end of World War II and creation of Israel...Arabs have attacked Israel immediatly after its creation..and they lost...Than it was played-out in the classic scenario of Cold War..US interests (Israel) vs Soviets (Egypt-Syria-(Jordan) axis... Now to the "bad guys" of the Middle East, the Israel point of view is fairly simple, it does not matter what the borders are, Arabs (Fundamentalist forces among them) would never agree to the existance of Israel, Jerusalem could never be return to the Arab control...Water could never be given to the Arab Control..and the only real negotiations are not with Palestinians but with the World Opinion... As for the territorial/religious claims, the justification/rationalisation surely can be found on any side you want, no argument....But..who won the (3) wars? Who has sophisticated army? Who has support of US? If you answer last question correctly, you can guess who has an upper hand...<g>