When I read Thomas Friedman's columns, I see the same frustration in him that I have. I think we both have an underlying optimism and faith in humanity. But so often the news stories from the Middle East (and elsewhere too) knock us down, unable to catch our breath for a while. We soon recover soon after by latching on to a piece of good news as proof that progress is coming. At least, I get the impression that he feels this way too.
Freedman has probably had the most influence on the development of my foreign policy perspective. And while I think our underlying philosophies are similar, and our emotional reactions to the news run parallel, he is different in one major way. He always manages to describe the problem as one that the Middle East needs to solve. Since I have grown up in the age where America is the world's sole superpower, I naturally start from the position that we need to solve all the problems. And while I will always think we have a role in it (for example, we could start by not creating problems, ie installing the Shah in Iran, destabilizing Iraq, turning a blind eye to Saudi Arabia, giving Israel and blank check), Friedman is good at bringing me back to reality. We aren't going to solve the Middle East's problems. They will have to do it themselves; Friedman says they need to find a fourth way ($).
2 comments:
I don't know that much about the middle east other than what I learned in my college Int'l Politics class (or much of any politics, period, really) - mostly because what I do know depresses me so much that I rather not know anymore. Seems so incredibly UNSOLVABLE, because people are so intrinsically different, and this hatred is 1) so deeply rooted in history 2) so deeply rooted in faith, which really, by definition, is impossible to overcome. I agree that it's the middle east's own problem to fix. It's their own issues, they need to figure something out. I feel like meddling never really does any good in this case. From what it looks like, everytime we've made some strides, it just falls apart. I don't know what a solution is. I have nothing intelligent to offer by way of solution. I have huge hope in humanity, but I feel like until everyone else in the middle east figures that quality about humanity out, that sh!t is never going to end. (sorry, i cursed in your blog)
Thanks for the comment. I have to say though, I don't buy into the talk about ethnic differences being impossible to overcome. You can find countless examples in the Middle East where this isn't the case. Lebanon went through a terrible civil war in the 1980s, but is relatively stable right now. Turkey is ethnically diverse, as is India.
Granted, each of these countries have their issues, but none of them are what Israel - Palestine is. People can work and live together. It just takes strong leadership. Unfortunately, there isn't strong leadership right now in Palestine, Israel, or the US.
I fear that my post was a little too isolationist in its tone. The Middle East needs our support and involvement - but in the end, they still need to do it themselves.
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