August 18, 2012
WHICH IS TO IGNORE BOTH THE CAUSES AND THE EFFECTS:
Rethinking the Middle East (Jim Hoagland, 8/17/12, washpost.com)
Syria's civil war is the decisive event in the remaking of the Middle East that began with the self-immolation of a Tunisian fruit vendor 21 months ago. The battle for Damascus has become the fulcrum of a now fully visible Sunni-Shiite struggle over the creation and control of an Islamic political order throughout the region.The Pax Americana that has prevailed in the region since 1973 -- the last time a major Arab-Israeli war erupted -- is rapidly eroding. American power, friendship or enmity will no longer be decisive for Egyptians, Syrians or even Saudis in the ways they have been for nearly four decades.
Except that the remaking (or, at least, this phase) began when W decided that the Shi'ite majority of Iraq should enjoy self-governance and the chain of events since has consisted of pretty much every country in the Middle East trying to become more like us as well. The Arab Spring consists of nothing but undemocratic government (which had been supported by American military power) being ground down by the much greater power of Anglo-American ideas.
Posted by Orrin Judd at August 18, 2012 6:56 AM
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