The best solution for the Middle East

by

Gerald Plessner

July 19, 2006 - The neo-conservative ideologues who gave us the war in Iraq are at it again. They think the United States should declare war simultaneously on everyone in the Muslim world who doesn't like us.

I am just as mad as anyone at Iran and Syria for underwriting and provoking the attacks on Israel! But the ideological zealots who gave us the Project for the New American Century(PNAC),are the last people anyone in Washington should listen to. They created the strategy for a 21^st Century American empire and the war on Iraq that has cost us so dearly.

William Kristol, the big PNAC and founder of the conservative Weekly Standard magazine, is at the head of the line with the big idea. He wanted president Bush to fly to Israel from the Group of 8 meeting to show solidarity with our best friends in the Middle East.

Though I am sure the Israelis would welcome our president with great warmth, I can't imagine that their leaders would be eager for such a visit at a time when all their cities are targets for random rocket attacks.

After the visit, Kristol wants the United States to bomb Iran and Syria for their role in sponsoring Hezbollah and Hamas.

Iran and Syria certainly deserve to be punished, but all in due time. I guess that Kristol hasn't heard about the damage his ideas have done when so poorly executed by his PNAC buddies Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz.

For starters, they have seriously damaged America's ability to fight more than one war at a time, which dangerously limits our options with Iran and others.

Kristol has the backing of the same old chicken hawks; opportunists like security lobbyist Richard Perle and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is trying to get the administration to change the name of the war on terrorism to the "Third World War". Leave it to a Republican politician to propose a name-change when he wants to distract from a failed policy or project.

We have to stop the PNAC crowd from giving themselves a hormone rush by using American tax dollars, and the lives and bodies of our overworked and neglected military to fight another war right now. Here are my solutions to the problems faced by the Israelis and our forces in Iraq.

Instead of attacking Iran and Syria right away, we should continue to support Israel in its efforts to destroy Hezbollah and Hamas. They attacked Israel first and they should be destroyed --- really destroyed. Only then might their communities realize that they are being used by Iran and others.

At the same time, we should tell Syria that air freight will only be allowed into Syria from two or three countries where departing flights will be inspected by United Nations personnel. Flights which violate this rule will be shot from the sky. Trucks entering Syria from Iran will also be destroyed.

Next we should organize an international effort to rebuild infrastructure in Lebanon, showing the Lebanese that the world supports them in their efforts to eliminate terrorism within their borders. This effort should include Israeli and international Jewish support.

Lebanon has a long and proud history as a multi-cultural society where Christians, Muslims, Druze and other minorities have lived together. It has been both an educational and vacation center for generations. Putting Lebanon back together would give the world the best example of how people of all backgrounds and religions can live together in peace.

This effort must also include support for Lebanon's police and military organizations, the integration of various religious and ethnic groups into those forces and the establishment of an arms-free buffer zone on the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Diplomatic efforts then should be aimed at integrating the economies of Israel, Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq. International investment should be sought and encouraged.

As the rebuilding process gets moving, Syria and the Palestinian Authority should be given offers they can't refuse. Join with the other countries in developing a civil society and free trade zone or face increased isolation and dependence on Iran.

What do you think? Does it make sense? If you think so, send this article to the president at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gerald Plessner is a Southern California businessman who writes regularly on issues of politics and culture. He would be pleased to hear from you and may be contacted at gerald@geraldplessner.com.