2008 Woodie Awards
A Hopeless Situation
Joe Caporoso
Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: Op/Ed
- Page 1 of 1
The belief that Western and Islamic civilization can't live in peaceful cooperation is not a new one. Samuel Huntington controversially wrote "The Clash of Civilizations" about a decade ago, and the idea has seemed to fulfill itself over the past few years. A similar point is made by the recently released movie, "The Kingdom," which somberly ends with an American FBI agent and a Muslim extremist simultaneously declaring they would "kill them all" when discussing their opposition.
Are Americans na've to believe that democracy can flourish in the Middle East? This answer to this question could very well shape our foreign policy over the next few decades. There is certainly evidence that points towards the fact that it is a region with a different culture and history that is not at all conducive to the type of society in which we live. It isn't irrational to make an argument that America would be best served to remove its military presence from the region, and leave its focus on sanctioning nuclear activity through the UN.
A major source of tension between America and the Muslim world is their constant troop presence in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations. This is a problem that won't cease until America's heavy reliance on oil is brought to an end. The troops and our controversial relationship with the Saudi royal family are insurance for the oil industry. As long as oil is in demand, we are going to remain hostage to a dangerous and complex situation in the Middle East.
The price of oil is that it provides fuel to the fire for radicals recruiting other young Muslims into their organizations. It also forces us to maintain a hypocritical relationship with Saudi Arabia. On one hand, we condemn countries that abuse human rights and do not have open, tolerant societies. Yet, we remain close allies with a Saudi government which constantly ignores human rights, has an extremely conservative and radical state of law and is a breeding ground for terrorists.
In all likelihood, America isn't going to find a way to survive without oil anytime soon, which means we will remain in our current predicament. It is hard to imagine a time in the near future where the Middle East fits our idealized vision. The region is simply a different civilization than our own. America needs to find a way to co-exist with this civilization, without coming into military conflict with it. We co-existed with the Soviet Union for the duration of the Cold War, without ever combating them head to head. A decision to constantly battle every rogue nation in the Middle East is most likely going to lead to a perpetual cycle of violence and a lack of progress in the area of peaceful co-existence.
Are Americans na've to believe that democracy can flourish in the Middle East? This answer to this question could very well shape our foreign policy over the next few decades. There is certainly evidence that points towards the fact that it is a region with a different culture and history that is not at all conducive to the type of society in which we live. It isn't irrational to make an argument that America would be best served to remove its military presence from the region, and leave its focus on sanctioning nuclear activity through the UN.
A major source of tension between America and the Muslim world is their constant troop presence in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations. This is a problem that won't cease until America's heavy reliance on oil is brought to an end. The troops and our controversial relationship with the Saudi royal family are insurance for the oil industry. As long as oil is in demand, we are going to remain hostage to a dangerous and complex situation in the Middle East.
The price of oil is that it provides fuel to the fire for radicals recruiting other young Muslims into their organizations. It also forces us to maintain a hypocritical relationship with Saudi Arabia. On one hand, we condemn countries that abuse human rights and do not have open, tolerant societies. Yet, we remain close allies with a Saudi government which constantly ignores human rights, has an extremely conservative and radical state of law and is a breeding ground for terrorists.
In all likelihood, America isn't going to find a way to survive without oil anytime soon, which means we will remain in our current predicament. It is hard to imagine a time in the near future where the Middle East fits our idealized vision. The region is simply a different civilization than our own. America needs to find a way to co-exist with this civilization, without coming into military conflict with it. We co-existed with the Soviet Union for the duration of the Cold War, without ever combating them head to head. A decision to constantly battle every rogue nation in the Middle East is most likely going to lead to a perpetual cycle of violence and a lack of progress in the area of peaceful co-existence.