----- Original Message ----- From: "David Hobby" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2003 2:28 PM Subject: Re: Seth Finkelstein on 16 words
> No. We are dealing with a pathological minority, backed > up by a large sector of public opinion in the Middle East. If > we clean up our act, public opinion there will change. I'm in the middle and I have questions to ask of both sides of the arguement. Your's just happens to be the easiest to ask. What is the basis of this? What horrid things have we done in the Middle East. You mention supporting the Shah in the 50s. I'll agree with you that this definately was interfering with internal affairs, but 1) It was 50 years or so ago 2) I don't know enough about the other parties in the conflict to know if the statement that they were likely to be allies of the USSR was correct. But, we facilitated the change of government when the Shah was deposed, about 25 years ago. The main things we have done in the Middle East between that time and 9/11 was 1) Buy a bunch of oil 2) Roll back Hussein's attempt to overtake the Middle East 3) Work for Arab oil companies 4) Support Israel's right to exist. 5) Sell military equipment to less extreme governments in order to decrease their obvious vulnerability to other countries, such as Iraq and Iran #2 has some correlation with AQ, as does #4. But, I really don't see what horrid exploitive things we've done in the Middle East. Now, if it were South America or Central America that was the source of terrorism, this arguement would have had a bit more versimilitude. I've been in the Middle East twice, and I've talked to a number of expats. Americans and Europeans are definately the hired hands in the Middle East. While our status ranks above the unskilled laborers, we are supposed to know our place. > > > Oh, they all had some, all mixed together with the rest > of their craziness. But this is a silly way to argue about this > issue. We would do much better discussing the concerns of moderate > Arabs (most of which are of course shared by the crazies). I've worked with a number of folks from the Middle East, many for years. Unlike my South American friends, I cannot provide a list abuses involving the US government and US companies that they have outlined for me. I know that they are less than thrilled with the Israeli/Palestinian situation and blame Israel for everything. I also know that many are unhappy with the government in the Middle East, and think the US can do more. Finally, there is one other point worth thinking about. Via both schools and the media, the citizens of the Arab world have been taught a pack of lies about the US and Jews. A good example of this is the multiple presentations of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" as history. It is everywhere from being presented as a top rated television series on Egyptian television to being taught in Palestinian schools. Why aren't these lies more critical to Arab public opinion than any errors the US may have committed in dealing with Arab governments? Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
