If I were a Palestinian, or a Syrian or even an Iranian, I do not believe I would hold much promise for the promised “Road Map to Peace” by the Bush administration. Under the profound influence and direction of neo-conservative, Israeli-biased, warmongering officials from Cheney to Rumsfeld, and from Perle to Wolfowitz, even including the mild mannered hawks Rice and Powell, there is little hope that the Bush administration will have a balanced approach. The typical Bush administration style of diplomacy seems to be “Take it or get run over”, or “Follow our instructions or prepare for combat”.
The Palestinians surely must feel that the Bush plan will lead to more oppression, suppression and repression, because Bush clearly believes that Israel is the victim of Palestinian terrorism, and has no scintilla of knowledge of the region from the Palestinian point of view and experience.
Bush has no personal knowledge of the Middle East and its relevant politics. Bush will turn to his “expert” advisors, and he will believe what he is told. And Bush will use his office aggressively and with full confidence that he is doing “God’s” will.
With Iraq subdued and leaderless, it is apparent that the Bush administration is already demonizing Syria with unfounded, unsubstantiated and unending attacks on Syria and its leadership from a variety of Bush administration officials. It is all eerily reminiscent of the demonization of Saddam Hussein that occurred prior to the waging of war. With U.S. forces already in Iraq, just a few miles from the Syrian border, it seems that the probabilities for an attack on Syria are mounting almost daily. Perhaps invigorated by the level of public support for the brutal subjugation of Iraq, Bush and Rumsfeld and Cheney may very well decide to take the risk of continuing military operations right into Syria. It would not be surprising at all to see some form of “provocation” occur that will be used to justify an American attack.
The “War–path to Peace” may very well mean the control of another sovereign Arab nation (Syria). By controlling Syria, Bush may feel that he can persuade Israel to accept his version of a “peace plan”, which will require Palestinian acquiescence to American protocols of governance and non-retaliation (nonresistance) to Israeli oppression (self-defense in Bush-speak).
Eliminating Arab threats to Israel, while allowing Israel to maintain its weapons of mass destruction, clearly favors Israeli interests. But with the foot of Uncle Sam on their necks, will sovereign Arab states have any choice?
It will be interesting to see how the Middle East dynamics play out now with a Caesar-like George W. Bush prowling for peace with full air superiority and M-l tanks pointed towards Damascus. No doubt Bush is quoting scripture “Blessed are the peacemakers”, as he revs up the engines of the greatest war-making machinery in history. To his mind, it is all about making peace the only way he knows how.
The writer is a member of several falconry and ornithological clubs and organizations. He contributed above article to Media Monitors Network (MMN) from California, USA.
