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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: h0db who wrote (132770)	5/12/2004 9:08:59 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Respond to of 281500

I don't have a problem with most of that, but I think it will be more difficult after this than otherwise. I'm glad you concur... It suggest that I'm not as much of a "loon" as you first thought... ;0) What I see h0db, are current Arab regimes that are just unwilling, or unable to muster, the necessary political "inertia", either domestically, or externally, to change the nature of their regimes. I think there are too many entrenched interests that have no interest, or desire, to permit their countries to become more economically and politcally inclusive. So they demand that repressive methods be taken, such as Mubarak did in Egypt (with US assistance), and threatening the rich Saudi Wahhabist oil barons not to financially support their Wahhabist Ikhwan (moslem brotherhood) 5th columnists. The Wahhabist did it in Afghanistan, and Pakistan, both countries without a traditional history of such ultra-conservative theology... I can only expect they will have better luck in overthrowing the Saudis (or advancing the prospects of the more militant Saudis against Prince Abdullah), as well as advancing their cause in Iraq. After all, Iraq is one hell of a prize for them. To be able to effectively control both major reserves of oil, while also subjugating the Shiite majority (which would discourage the Shiites in SA from rebelling), would give the Wahhabists considerable resources to dedicate toward spreading their religion and destabilizing other muslim countries. When we invaded Iraq, we committed the first act of Empire, albeit a defensive one. IMO, when we invaded Iraq, it was no different than how we invaded Vichy France's possessions in N. Africa, a neutral country that was neither occupied by Nazi forces, nor at war with the US. I can only imagine if we had tried to fight WWII in the current media and propaganda frenzy we currently endure. We'd never have won. China alone has become a huge consumer of oil; in the span of a decade, it went from being a net producer of energy to the second largest importer of oil in the world. Thank you... and don't you see the prospect of a faustian bargain being made between them and the militant Arabs in order to undermine the Western economies? Were I Chinese, I certainly would be tempted to do so.. Hawk