The West needs a new strategy
There's a new tension prevailing in the West. Following the rapid turn of events in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya the policy advocates and the political leadership in the US and the West finds themselves in a discomforting situation. President Obama is being criticized by both his friends and foes alike. He is being pushed around by the opposition stalwarts for not being able to respond to the events of Egypt on time. They say why Obama took so long to ask Mubarak to step aside. Or if he sympathized with his long time loyal ally, why didn't US step in to broker a peace between the agitating people and the President. The US is going through a tough time. The President suddenly finds himself in the quagmires of events unfolding every second in Africa and the West Asia. Drafting new policies at such pace with the events has become impossible. The US will have to redraft its Arab policy, that's for sure. The US will never ask an Arab ruler to step aside unless the last nail is driven in his coffin. It waits to see the end of the protesters line, their enthusiasm and conviction. It also tries to find a way out for the long time ally. Why not? In the Arab world the US and West alike, has managed the anti-Israel states into becoming neutral, if not pro-Israel. All Arab world countries except Iran are now more or less restrained. Take Iraq. Saddam was enjoying his honeymoon with the West. He invaded Kuwait with full knowledge of Bush the senior. Perhaps that was the trap laid for Saddam which he did not know. US freed Kuwait and binned Saddam. Invasion of Iraq was on the cards. For Israel was not comfortable with Saddam's ambiguity. There was no WMD or any such weapons that posed threat to Israel. Still Saddam had to go and his people left in the mercy of the US and allied troops. Stories of humiliation of the locals by invading forces took the world by storm. Abu Ghraib misery will languish in their memories for ever. Bush and Blair still think they had done the right thing. By now, it is clear that the US and the West is ONLY interested in the Arab world for its OIL and the SECURITY of Israel. All its reasoning and polices revolves these two issues. After Mubarak's departure, US and allies have thrown their weight behind the forthcoming powers that be in Egypt. With regards to Libya, how in the world Gaddafi could reign supreme for long forty years without befriending the West? Mind boggling! He is alleged to have sheltered many killers from around the world, he is responsible for many air disasters, and he was anti West and so on. Nevertheless, the US and the West never tried to push him out of power or even if they have given it an under cover shot, they proved impotent in dislodging him. Well, he spent his life in power. Now when the people came out in the open and things are going of control, the West comes down hard on the Libyan leader. Suddenly a war is declared against Gaddafi, putting the entire Libyan people in danger. US and the West was quiet during the uprisings in Libya. It preferred to wait and see. After all Gaddafi was not harming them. Libya produces 10 m barrels of oil per day, so rocking the boat would be foolish. Trouble started when there was sign of oil prices soaring in international market. Buying oil at higher prices will be telling on the economy. As it is, the growth has slowed down to a large extent. And quick recovery is not in sight. Experts in Davos foresaw a slow growth for US and Europe. Therefore, it's time that Gaddafi should go, for with his departure situation is likely to go their way. Protests continue in Yemen and Oman. People in Iran and Iraq are also trying to make their points. Jordan is also experiencing a wind of dissent. In Saudi Arabia people are talking about Western democracy. There may be few more countries that will make in the list. However, things will work in accord with the people's wish in these regions. The protesting youths ably assisted by the technology (the internet and the mobile phones etc.) will find themselves in the driving seat. But rash driving might meet with accidents down the road. They need leadership. But that's not in sight at the moment. More so, the western democracy and so-called liberty and equality might not suit these young Arab varieties. Therefore, both sides, the West and the locals, have to draw something new that suits them both. After all it's a new generation. These young people might be educated in or influenced by western culture and thoughts; they also have developed independent choice. West's strategy with the new generation Arab has to change. A new era of Arabism is in the making. For now, tensions prevail in the West.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments