Middle East News: My First Impressions

I am writing this post on the day it was announced President Barack Obama approved the deployment of an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan. He said it was "necessary to stabilise a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, which has not received the strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently needs" (Al Jazeera 18 February 2009). Obama believes that we can win the war, but it cannot be won by military force alone- we must also use diplomacy. I can't help but wonder when deployments will end, especially since this is one of further installments expected in the near future. This war has been compared to the Vietnam War on several occasions because there seems to be no end in sight and is a potential waste of American and Afghan life as terrorism seethes in the Middle East and South Asia. Even if the troops are to perform "diplomatic" actions, how will the increased presence of a foreign military be perceived by the people? On the whole, there has been an increase in insurgencies and casualties each year. It's clear that Afghan civilians need protection, revitalization and humanitarian aid, but can we really be the Red Cross symbolically and physically, while simultaneously acting as the invading foreign military? It seems the more we do there, in terms of both warfare and stabilization, the more we are resented. Resentment fosters anger and dissatisfaction. How will the Afghan people and the terrorists choose to express those emotions? I hardly doubt through diplomatic means, especially with a corruption government in power.

It's hard to see military force as a mediator anywhere else in the Middle East. Israel refused a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza until prisoner Sergeant Gilad Shalit (who was captured in June 2006) is released. Hamas seized the Gaza Strip, home to 1.5 million Palestinians, from their Fatah rivals in June 2007. Israel put an economic blockade on Gaza in response (Al Jazeera 18 February 2009). Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, has previously refused a ceasefire until the release Shalit, which may involve the release of 1700 Palestinian prisoners. Olmert's term is ending soon. The two rivals for the prime minister position are Benjamin Netanyahu (leader of the right-wing Likud party) and the foreign minister Tzipi Livni. Livni believes that Isreal needs to give up parts of Israeli land, including the West Bank and Gaza, to bring about peace. She believes that eventually the land will need to be divided for the fighting to stop. Livni said that Israel can fight terrorism and continue the Annapolis peace process. She may not have enough support to beat out Netanyahu who contests Livni's view on the war (Al Jazeera 18 February 2009).

Bombings in Baghdad and Afghanistan have ceased to flood the headlines, only mentioned briefly at the bottom of newspaper pages or in small fonts, hidden among other headlines on web pages. It's about the politics, elections and those displaced by them. Thousands more die each year in conflicts and bombings, but it seems now, at least the news, is trying to move beyond the fighting, reflecting a general mood of the people saying enough is enough. Diplomatic attempts are trying to be made, even in Iran where a US envoy to Afghanistan said Iran should play a vital role in helping stabilize the country (New York Times 15 February 2009). This clear move away from Bush administration policies of avoidance signals an engagement with Tehran, despite criticism of its pursuit of nuclear weapons and support for terrorist groups. Iran is seen as a also a way to establish a broader dialogue with Afghanistan. To me this shows an attempt to understand the "other" to foster mutual respect and agreements.

Even the pope is trying to rebuild fractured relationships. Pope Benedict XVI will visit Israel in May, including Bethlehem in the West Bank (New York Times 15 February 2009). Diplomatic talks between the Vatican and officials in the area, despite tensions over the beatification of Pope Pius XII (led 1939-58) who is accused of "not doing enough" to save Jews during the Holocaust (New York Times 15 February 2009). Recently, Benedict revoked the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson who claims historic evidence argues against Nazi gas chambers the amount of Jews who were said to be killed during World War II.