At 02:40 PM 9/18/01 +0200 Baardwijk, J. van DTO/SLBD/BGM/SVM/SGM wrote:
>> I've done some checking around, and since the Bush Administration
>> started, the following have called for increased American involvement
>> in the Middle East:
>> Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan, the EU
>>
>> Wow, we sound really unwanted.
>
>Israel is good friends with the US (and the only friend the US have in the
>Middle East), so it makes sense that Israel asks for increased US
>involvement. The European Union is not situated in the Middle East
>(otherwise it would be called the Middle Eastern Union).
>
>That leaves you with two countries and one Territory. How many countries
>were there in the Middle East, again?
Wow, Doug was right when he said that you'd never admit to being wrong.
Fine, let's discuss the rest of the Middle East:
Saudia Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain all have US Troops on their territory
per their own invitation.
Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Yemen have all requested regular US Military
presence, albeit not a permanent one. All, with the possible exception of
Yemen, are considered US "allies" in the Saudi Arabia sense of the word,
and are veterans of the Gulf War Coalition.
Turkey is a formal NATO ally.
The US is in Iraq with the blessing of the United Nations.
Syria/Lebanon may have encouraged greater US involvement, but I did not
find a quote. At the very least I am unaware of a statement indicating
that it would like the US to leave.
So, other than the regime of Saddam Hussein, who exactly is it that doesn't
want us in the Middle East?
>> If Palestine is a country, then Palestine is a country at war with
>> Israel, and Israel is acting in self-defence.
>> If Palestine is not a country, and part of Israel, then Israel is not
>> keeping another nation's soil occupied.
>>
>> It can only be one or the other.
>
>As pointed out above, it is neither. The Occupied Territories are neither
>Israeli nor Palestinian soil, but (IIRC) Jordanian and Syrian.
Well, the Golan Heights don't really have many people in them. The
Palestinians are in the formerly Jordanian West Bank and the formerly
Egyptian Gaza Strip.
I'm glad you mentioned this though. Because if these territories are
Egytian and Jordanian, then Israel is in a state of war with Egypt and
Jordan - as the Palestinian Authority territorial government of Egypt and
Jordan has been engaging in armed resistence to Israel.
In this case, Israel has been exhibiting remarkable restraint by not
extending the war to the very governments of Jordan and Egypt, and is
instead limiting its self defence only to the Palestinian Authority local
government. Thus, this could easily be a much broader war, were it not for
Israel's restraint.
I'm glad you agree.
JDG
__________________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ #3527685
"Freedom itself was attacked today, and Freedom will be Defended."
-U.S. President George W. Bush, 09/11/01
