The Middle East: It's conflict and impact on the world

While sending American Forces back into the Middle East would be highly controversial, it may still be an option due in part to America’s military to function as a destabilization machine. Our country’s Navy is practically the sole ruler of the seas, our air force remains almost unstoppable, and our special forces divisions (The Navy SEALs, etc.) simply fit the category which some of us may classify as “badass”. With all the money that we are pouring in to training and raising our military, it should not be too much of a trouble for us to handle a conflict such as the one in the Middle East, regardless of how complicated the issue seems at the moment. It is even possible for our forces to train rebel forces in the affected regions to fight back against their repressive governments, in an effort to destabilize the oppressive regime.

It is a very valid argument that sending forces back in to the middle east would cause an unprecedented loss of life. Some argue that we have no business in that region. However, our military is capable of acting as a destabilization machine. Sending forces back in, but restraining the actual amount of shots fired can show the citizens of the Middle East the response they will get from the rest of the world if they continue to try killing each other off. Realizing the consequences of their actions, even if it is in a harsh manner should deter them from repeating their murderous actions.

However, it appears that any attempt at a solution using military force will only encourage more fighting among groups in the region. Trying to foster a sense of piece in a nation which is practically bringing its children up on violence by sending forces in is perfect ingredients for another world war, especially with advancements in nuclear technology. For a nation who’s culture is predominantly based on violence, sending more armed men will easily be seen by them as an effort by the West to take the enemy’s side, fueling more violence. Fundamentally, changing a nation’s culture from violence to world piece if possible, will likely take several generations. This begins with American advisors imposing education reform in the affected regions. Despite doing so , we need not to approach with a confrontational mindset, for the sake of America’s impression as a world superpower as well as the sake of the Middle Eastern people. They need to know that we are on their side in order for us to attain any hopes of peacefully resolving the situation.

Nonetheless, due to its violent culture, Afghanistan is under the foundational belief that America is out to harm rather than help them. Even if we are funding them and supporting them, they retain the following ideology: “as long as someone is from the west, they are the enemy and must be eliminated.”

Moreover, other nations are paying progressively less attention to our military efforts. It is very unlikely that their will be an increase is respect for possible American military actions in the future. America is being perceived as a waning super power because of our countless efforts to pour large sums of money into our military despite a capricious lack of attention for our nation’s behaviors. Insurgency can be perceived as Middle Easterners noticing our efforts to train them as the whole reason for the region’s failure. Even though they become our ally, they are really planning more acts of terrorism and insurgency to show us how ineffectively our future plans of training them will turn out.

http://www.guernicamag.com/daily/tom-engelhardt-why-washington-cant-stop/

U.S. policymakers are now taking an interest in the small Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain. This area is becoming of particular interest because the U.S fifth fleet home port is located in Bahrain. Thus, this area can effectively be referred to as the linchpin of the American Navy’s presence in that region of the globe. Bahrain’s violence is continually increasing and could easily threaten America’s influence in that region. Also of concern is the amount of money the government would need to pour in to a replacement project such as that of replacing one of America’s largest Naval bases. It would be beneficial for America’s government to understand the big picture of the current situation in Bahrain. In this manner, it will be far easier for us to reach an agreement Bahranian officials.

This nation’s violence can be attributed to it’s increasingly volatile government. Bahrain has landed itself on the forefront of the Sunni-Shiite struggle for dominance in the Middle East. Seventy percent of this nation’s government is Shiite. The Shiite party is falling victim to persistent discrimination in every aspect of life. Anti-regime attacks are now a  daily occurrence. This represents the government’s ill-witted reaction to political opposition. Government officials should not be simply gunning down opponents merely due to suspicion that their power and influence is being challenged. Particularly disturbing is that a number of the bloody insurgencies are carried out by youths armed with petrol bombs. According to BBC reports, the death toll from these attacks is currently at 60 and could easily rise rapidly within the coming years. To escalate the youths even more, police seem only to know how to respond with more violence, as they believe that this will serve as a major deterrence to the terroristic threats when in reality, they are only giving more reason to despise the government. The mindset that the government is always “out to get people” has become the widespread fervor in the nation. This will only prevent the nation from a willingness to implement viable and feasible reforms. A frequent issue which will certainly occupy the minds of many Americans is how we are going to manage to maintain close ties with an utterly repressive regime which is so bent on avoiding meaningful and necessary reforms.

With Bahrain well aware of America’s heavy condemnation of undemocratic behavior in nations such as Iran, Syria and Gaddafi’s Libya, implementing reforms will only become a more arduous task. More directly affecting Bahrain’s trust in the United States is it’s apparent awareness of our adamant opposition to their present form of government. Trust is one of the main tipping blocks in whether or not a nation will end up successfully implementing non-violent reforms in a volatile nation.

The main obstacles to America’s imposition of reliable reforms are the three main Bahraini political forces; the Shia opposition, Sunni Islamists and the Sunni Al Khalifa family which is also the ruling family. The Shia are the mainstream opposition to the Bahraini government. Amid the daily surges in violence, the Federal Government has developed a set of general guidelines it feels are ideal. They include rethinking our defense relationship with Bahrain, developing contingency plans with a long view, supplement backroom democracy with more specific public demands for reform and the wise use of economic and multilateral leverage. The US Navy should foster plans for relocation of their base from Bahrain to avoid further risks of American casualties in the event of further terrorist actions.

However, I believe that many Americans will come to serious grips with the idea of supplementing backroom diplomacy through more specific public demands for reform. The provision for US Senior officials to publicly criticize a government already aware of how America is known to deal with violent governments can easily inspire a declaration of war. Such an outcome will only cause devastating consequences for the US economy and prevent us from remaining competitive on the world stage. I think these are the main types of change which will emerge should we decide to publicly criticize Bahrain.

The most reliable method is the new contingency plan which will allow the fifth fleet to safely relocate its assets away from Bahrain. We can use this as an impetus for a shift in regime behavior. In the best case scenario, Bahraini officials would see the Fifth Fleet’s relocation as an act of respect and begin to lower their anti-American fervor. With this, we can provide training programs for their military officers as government shifts as of now seem like they could take several generations to come.

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The US war in the Middle East is now over. There has been the misinterpretation that this area has become free. Contrary to popular belief, Middle Easterners have are consistently exerting vain efforts in their fight for freedom. Even after having withdrawn now  for about four years, the American public hopes for Iraq and the remainder of the Middle East to come to an agreement for an ideal new Iraq.

According to the Freedom House’s authoritative data, 85 percent of middle easterners are currently classified as not free (2). Contrary to what many believe, there has been an upward trend in political uprising over the past few years. This is called by some as the largest opposition to authoritarian rule since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The ongoing insurgency in the Middle East owes much to the Arab Spring. This is a series of uprisings by the people which were occasionally met with bloody and violent opposition from rulers who were anxious to assert their authority. Repercussions were felt across  the  area. It is important that the more violent nations such as Yemen and Saudi Arabia work towards establishing a stable working democracy.

The apparent upward trend in insurgency is calling one key issue into question: Is the United States making the right decision in withdrawing from Iraq?  The current situation is in a way, portraying the presence of American Soldiers in the Middle East as the main peacekeeping force. We are beginning to witness even more terrorist attacks by the Sunnis on the Shiites. Sunnis know that it is far easier to take advantage of a frail government struggling to protect its people without the backup from American forces.

Sources:

1. http://www.freedomhouse.org/article/freedom-world-2012-arab-uprisings-and-their-global-repercussions#.UwW9ynmPKpo

2. http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/01/the-middle-east-didnt-really-get-any-freer-in-2011/251653/

Once again, President Obama is pushing for more soldiers and weapons to be sent to Iraq in response to an unexpected surge in violence; one of which involved “Some 75 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, to be fired at militant camps with the C.I.A. providing targeting assistance” (1). Many Americans question this action, having known that there have already been countless fatalities since America became involved during the spring of 2003.

President Obama may be missing a main reason for the sudden surge in violence in Iraq. Sunnis have consistently felt political alienation and a surge in American arms presence in the area will only escalate the situation. It seems as though the United States is acting merely upon their own interests; those of excessively focusing on defeating Al-Qaeda. This has been referred to as a security-only approach, meaning that America’s strategic interest in the overall stability of Iraq. Our interests in this nation are futile given the current situation. Unbeknownst to the United States, Mr. Malaki continually debates with Iraqi officials rather than work out a solution with which both the U.S. and Iraq will be satisfied.

This political conflict runs deeper than many American Citizens believe. Iraq did not hold national elections until 2005. Prior to this, militant groups frequently shot at commercial helicopters after reportedly taking a drug which made them feel like superman; in control, with no rules to bound them inside what  many of them may have considered to be a “hellhole” (pardon my language).

A more ideal solution would involved training of Iraqi security forces in negotiation, involving deep consideration for the other side’s point of view. Recent reports are indicating that Malaki is showing more interest in cutting a deal with the Sunnis. Nonetheless, there is a deep risk associated with this maneuver. Mr. Malaki may focus excessively on his own needs rather than those of his country. It will be become increasingly difficult to slow or halt weapon shipments if Malaki becomes selfish. This will be best prevented by ensuring that the elections in the coming months will be without violence, but instead with an environment which invites both the thoughts from the Sunnis and Malaki’s country.

Furthermore, the war has taken a dramatic psychological toll on returning soldiers. A Pentagon study revealed that at 28 percent of returning troops required some degree of medical treatment due to disorders such as PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) (2). In addition, American soldiers have themselves been guilty of atrocious acts; one of which involved long, merciless and ruthless torture. This is almost certain to invite a dramatic downturn in the soldier’s personality. Relationship at home, other jobs that the soldier may hold and with dear friends back home can become badly damaged. Their families back home may begin to alienate them from their lives, possibly classifying them as disturbed people.

The fact that many soldiers suffered recurring nightmares is further proof that our currently ongoing wars in Afghanistan must end. These nightmares signify the approach of another daunting feeling which may even push our soldiers to the edge of suicide and revenge; guilt. The majority of these men evidently felt as though the Iraqis they had killed deserved to live. Finding out a considerable portion of Iraqis shot by US Soldiers were civilians is appalling to here.

Sources:

1. “More Guns Will Not Save Iraq.” New York Times. The New York Times Editorial
Board, 31 Dec. 2013. Web. 29 Jan. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/
01/opinion/more-guns-will-not-save-iraq.html?ref=iraqwar&_r=0>.

2. “The Iraq War Review.” Harpers Weekly 23 Dec. 2011: n. pag. Print.