Middle East Under Pressure

The debate in the Middle East is heating up. In fact with pivotal elections in Lebanon and Iran, the entire hub of militant Middle Eastern countries lies in the hands of the voters. I am safely assuming that neither Ahmadenajad nor Hezbollah thought their fate rested in the hands of a voting democracy.

Obama’s recent trip to the Middle East triggered an anxiousness we have not seen among the greater Islam sects since Bush began air raids in Afghanistan. The question this time is? Does Obama have the ability to win the hearts and minds of the Arab nations as he did with America? I would like to believe that his speech in Cairo at least won the favoritism of the majority in Egypt. The Muslim brotherhood that also chimed in to the broadcast may not feel as amiable as the educated classes of Egypt, but at least according to the Financial Times “they watched it.”

I think as long as we have Presidential runner-ups such as John Kerry promoting nuclear technology in Iran, “They have a right to peaceful nuclear power and to enrichment in that purpose”, we may not have to worry about who wins the election. Considering Iran refuses to sign the Non Proliferation Treaty, it may be a fatal error to allow them to continue to enrich uranium when tensions are so high. We may just have to embrace that power is decided by force. This is an ideology that colonizers have been practicing for centuries. The Arab nations look toward the Christian Crusades for inspiration for their infadas. They to believe that wiping out another country and race is justified by subjective religious interpretation.

If we live in a modern time period, engaging in discussions within the Middle East’s Medieval time period, where judgment is cast by the many on a few, then who will be there for the reckoning… us or them? In the coming days we will witness how the dictators of Iran and the leaders of Hezbollah respond to the rights of their citizens. If they deny the voice of the youth and people of their great nation for their own indulgence of power, will we continue to lay down our arms at this belligerent display of tyranny?

Read More: http://www.ft.com/world/mideast/iran