Rather than view each country in the Middle East in terms of a national security threat - should we bring the countries of Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afganistan ... and Israel, into a single discussion. A shift from mobilizing for war to building bridges to understanding offers significant challenges and opportunities for the next president.
Discussion #8 — Should U.S. foreign policy shift from viewing countries in the Middle East as a national security threat to relationship building?
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#1 —
Alexia Parks(#2)
posted @ 2008-08-27T06:26:09+00:00
This vote and discussion will close at 5 PM, Wednesday, August 27th.
#2 —
Alexia Parks(#2)
Results will be sent to news media covering the DNC in Denver, and as a 60-second news broadcast to Public News Service (PNS). Through PNS, it has the potential to be broadcast via public radio in 38 states, representing over 4,000 stations, across America. The final vote in this series will be on August 28th. Votelink is providing the only collaborative *Voice of the People* during the Democratic National Convention. This, then, is an invitation to "think together for the common good."
Another shift to consider is that of becoming more isolationist. I'm not advocating becoming the next switzerland; however, pulling back on foreign relations in general seems prudent given the state of our economy. At the very least, it seems reasonable to spend relations effort on only the most important countries - be they financial or humanitarian interests. It seems unlikely we can continue to afford to (try to) be the problem solvers of the world - we have enough problems at home.
My theory is that building relationships or creating situations that lead to joint activities, projects, and business between us a key to understanding cultures and building friendships and understanding. I become deeply interested in understanding someone when the opportunity exists to have a relationship around a project or a business. Many people from these four countries live in the USA. If the President were to bring these citizens together here in America to learn ways to bring their countries together with us into a common conversation I believe common ground could be found that would open the gates for many joint activities, projects and businesses. I think that process could lead to breakthroughs!
I travel in the Middle East quite often, several times a year and have many friends in Kuwait, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. You cannot exclude these countries from consideration. I don't think Pakistan is considered in the Middle East. Are we talking about Muslim countries and Israel or are we talking about the countries the US that are most seriously involved in the Iraq/Afghanistan conflict?
I was with many of these friends at an international tradeshow during 9/11. They were as appalled as we Americans were. The regular people of these countries typically love Americans but find themselves hating America. They feel we see them as lesser people, not to be taken seriously except how they are a threat to us or how they can supply us with oil. Otherwise, they feel that America would rather see them the countries in the Middle East just go away.
But amazing things are happening over in the Middle East; just look at countries like UAE and Bahrain. They are becoming crossroads of commerce for the world. Sometimes I feel that the rest of the world is moving on without the US. The Dubai airport at 3AM looks like a shopping mall during Christmas shopping season: everything for sale and a mob of thousands of people buying things. China and India are also developing rapidly. Russia is feeling strong again. If the US continues to take an antagonistic view of the Middle East then we will find ourselves out of the loop, so to speak.
So I disagree with Ara about isolationism. The US would never recover it's ground. I'm in Beijing right now and China's economy is hot and their people are excited about the future.
The comments that precede this one show the power of "thinking together." It feels to me like a mini-United Nations debate with a broad, compelling ideas being expressed.
I would like to see us attempt using some more creative approaches to negotiations. Perhaps mediators or persons skilled in communication techniques such as non-violent communication. The use of ceremony, praying together, teaching active, empathetic listening or perhaps The Work of Byron Katie are a few examples of methods that might allow for a deeper understanding among these countries.
Even if these methods were not applied to the entire group I think it would greatly enhance the outcome of the discussions if the US delegates were educated in such techniques.
Overall I believe that we must be able to believe that the intentions of these nations are, at their core as good as our own. From that place we can listen more sincerely and try to understand what they want and fear.
Even if these methods were not applied to the entire group I think it would greatly enhance the outcome of the discussions if the US delegates were educated in such techniques.
Overall I believe that we must be able to believe that the intentions of these nations are, at their core as good as our own. From that place we can listen more sincerely and try to understand what they want and fear.
After spending several months in the middle east, I have learned much about the complexity of the problems that have plagued this region for centuries, perhaps thousands of years. I witnessed abuse of Palestinian goat herders by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and a day later while a young Islamist was trying to convert me, he also stated that there would not be peace in the region until Israel and America were destroyed. What common thread does seem to exist is that the common people want peace and do not want war. It is the radical fringe on every side that creates the problems, much like the Heritage Foundation fomented our radial middle east policy for violent solutions by the US. When the radicals are in power, it is very difficult to gain ground from a moderate perspective. Especially if they choose to silence and control through murder and violence.
The one correlation that I see befitting people who are more moderate and wanting to solve differences are those that are educated. Though not a panacea, education gives people the ability to see more than one view. I feel that if we had spent the same money on schooling for third world countries instead of propaganda, we would have more allies. And of course if you count what we spend on military, we could eradicate hunger and education deficits for most of the world.
I agree with Charlie that the creative approaches to negotiation are important. And to keep the dialog going through thick and thin will build relationships that will have currency in the long run. But so long as ignorance exits in large degrees, those with their own agendas of power and control can continue co-opt religion and nationalism at the expense of the peoples lack of knowledge.