The New Arab World Order

The most telling aspect of the anti-regime demonstrations that have rocked the Arab world is what they are not about: They are not about the existential plight of the Palestinians under Israeli occupation; nor are they at least overtly anti-Western or even anti-American. The demonstrators have directed their ire against unemployment, tyranny, and the general lack of dignity and justice in their own societies. This constitutes a sea change in modern Middle Eastern history.

Of course, such was the course of demonstrations against the Shah of Iran in 1978 and 1979, before that revolution was hijacked by Islamists. But in none of these Arab countries is there a charismatic Islamic radical who is the oppositional focal point, like Ayatollah Khomeini was; nor are the various Islamist organizations in the Arab world as theoretical and ideological in their anti-Americanism as was the Shiite clergy. The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt functions to a significant extent as a community self-help organization and may not necessarily try to hijack the uprising to the extent as happened in Iran. And even Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is not quite so identified with American interests as was the shah. The differences between 2011 in Egypt and 1978 in Iran are more profound than the similarities.

Furthermore, whatever the outcome of these uprisings, it seems clear that Arabs and their new leaders will be focused for years to come on the imperfections within their own societies -- perhaps to a greater degree than on injustices committed by Israel and the West abroad. Indeed, in Tunisia the demonstrations were partially spurred by the WikiLeaks cables that showed Washington deeply ambivalent about the regime and not likely to stand with it in a crisis. Politics may thus become normalized in the Arab world, rather than radicalized. Remember: A signal goal of al Qaeda was the toppling of such regimes as Mubarak's, which oppressed their own people and were seen as toadies to American and Israeli interests. If Mubarak goes, al Qaeda will lose a recruiting argument.

But the dangers to U.S. interests of what comes next in the Arab world are hard to exaggerate. Were demonstrations to spread in a big way to Jordan and Saudi Arabia, a catastrophe could be looming. A more enlightened, pro-American regime than the one now in Jordan is hard to imagine. As for the Saudi royal family, it is probably the worst possible form of government for that country except for any other that might credibly replace it. Imagine all that weaponry the United States has sold the Saudis over the decades falling into the hands of Wahhabi radicals. Imagine Yemen were it divided once again into northern and southern parts, or with even weaker central control issuing from the capital city of Sanaa. The United States would be virtually on its own battling al Qaeda there.

Right now all these uprisings look somewhat the same, as they did in Eastern Europe in 1989. But like in Eastern Europe, each country will end up a bit differently, with politics reflecting its particular constituency and state of institutional and educational development. Poland and Hungary had relatively easy paths to capitalism and democracy; Romania and Bulgaria were sunk in abject poverty for years; Albania suffered occasional bouts of anarchy; and Yugoslavia descended into civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people. The Arab world is in some ways more diverse than Eastern Europe, and we should therefore heed the uniqueness of each country's political and historical situation in calibrating U.S. policy.

President Barack Obama's administration should stand up for first principles of civil society, nonviolence, and human rights everywhere; and where an autocrat appears on the way out, as happened in Tunisia and might happen in Egypt, the United States can play a constructive role in easing his removal, even as it reaches out to the new political forces at play. American diplomacy in the Arab world is about to become even more intricate. No longer will it be a matter of having one telephone number to call in each country. Henceforth, Washington will have to deal with dozens of political personalities to get the same things done as it used to with just one leader. Democracy equals complexity.

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FISH HOOK

4:43 PM ET

January 28, 2011

The Essence and the Concerns

The essence of the write up is that the US should not wait until the whole place implodes as did Eastern Europe. There will be cultural and linguistic barriers even if the US wanted to intervene internally in the respective countries. The main challenge here is that the uprising is so spontaneous and so multi-centered that there is not a single locus to start delegatory diplomacy. In the past, it may have been possible to ask Mubarak to intervene in Libya, or Jordan to intervene in Iraq. Now every where is a hot-point.

But the real concern is that in the absence of coherent leadership by the alternative government or prospective opposition, jackals could take over the farm and it will Somalia and Sudan replicated all over. In an extreme case Afghanistan could emerge in some leaderless landscapes. Worse than all these, the infection could spread to Africa South of the Sahara where there are already pockets of instabilty such as in Cote D'Ivoire, Zimbabwe, Zaire, Congo, Nigeria etc. Illegal Arms dealers are probably beginning to shop for export opportunities. Alraedy, the UN has shown that she is incapable of managing wayward regimes when they take over the reins of Power. The US could find its arms and fingers too few to hold the center.

REPLY

MODERATEWINGER

5:18 PM ET

Something tells me

That this isn't the end on this. More protests in other countries will follow. The US needs to be ready to make moves to shore up interests in the region.

READYSF

2:31 PM ET

January 29, 2011

Israel lobby

Yes, and get around the Israel Lobby....

GUYVER

12:13 AM ET

Ignorance of Kaplan

What makes you think that Arab democracies would be more likely to ignore the atrocities of Israel? One of the biggest criticisms of Arab regimes, after corruption, is their failure to stand up to Israel and help the Palestinians.

DBTX

5:54 PM ET

Arab History Lesson

GUYVER, from your post it's evident you could use a short history lesson. Arab democracies, term used lightly, have the same distain for Israel as they have for each other. The current Arab countries are nothing more than land areas carved up and given to Arab tribes and renamed. All Arab tribes share two commonalities; they each hate and distrust each other, and they all hate Israel. People or nations generally distrust others because they know themselves to be untrustworthy. The Arab world hates Israel because Israel is prosperous and successful. In 1948 the Israelies took possession of what was a desolate and barren piece of real estate no one else wanted and turned it into a thriving nation, while the Arab world looked on in disbelief. When it became evident to a large number of Arab people who had been disenfranchised and expelled by their own governments, they began immigrating to Israel where opportunity appeared abundant. When this group of exiled Syrian's, Jordanian's and Egyptian's grew to a large enough number, the word "Palestinian" was manufactured. Shortly thereafter this group of trespassing bedouin's was given victim status because they were now a people without a country, not because of any Israelie atrocity, but because their home country wanted nothing to do with them.

You are correct, no matter what type of government any Arab country establishes, they will look on Israel with distain, not because of any alleged atrocities, but because Israel is a success story, and they are not.

The only reason any Arab country enjoys and degree of success is because of their abundance of oil. Israel, for all practical purposes, has no oil, yet they are highly successful and prosperous. The Arab world, instead of looking on Israel with distain, would be well served to look on Israel as a model for their own countries success.

JUAN67

12:38 AM ET

January 30, 2011

@DBTX it s clear that you

@DBTX it s clear that you know nothing about Arab history, your post reflects a view of a singleminded and racists person, the same view shared by many Israeli settlers.
Most of Arab states have very deep roots in history and they are existed since the early days of the civilization and their existing is solid and well established in the region, unlike Israel which still depend on foreign factors in its existence, like the American unconditional support, dictators in the region and keeping a low level of fear among its citizens.
Like the racist regime in South Africa Israel has no future, simply because it s existence depends on many impossible to control factors.

PW1285

4:18 AM ET

January 31, 2011

How About an Actual History Lesson

Arab jealousy of Israel's success is not the cause of their anger. It's that at the time of the U.N. partition in 1947, Palestinian Arabs outnumbered Jews by roughly 2-to-1, yet Jewish settlers were given a portion of the land (including the majority of the Mediterranean coast) that was beyond what their numbers justified. Arab Palestinians (and yes, that term had been used before 1947) had been the majority ethnic/religious group in Palestine since roughly 1200. It wasn't until the early 20th century that Jewish immigration increased (which again was still only about 1/3 of the population in 1947). Furthermore, the only mass movement of Palestinian Arabs was OUT of Palestine during and immediately following the violence resulting from the 1947 partition; not into the area following the establishment of Jewish control. So again, it's not jealousy over Israel's success; it's the fact that despite being a majority for over 700 years, more than half the territory was given to the Jewish settlers, most of whom could only claim to have immigrated in the 20-30 years prior to 1947. Clearly they did -and still do- want the land that was their home for so long and actually have more of a legitimate claim to it than the Jews. In the future, please take the time to study actual facts and events before you advertise your posts as history lessons.

12:15 AM ET

Common knowledge

"The Arab people know that the US wants to keep all Arab dictatorial governments in place--including that of Syria. That is understood. It is all for the benefit for imperialism and Israel."

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/01/obama-and-bush-on-egypt.html

ARVAY

6:12 AM ET

LOL

As for the Saudi royal family, it is probably the worst possible form of government for that country except for any other that might credibly replace it. Imagine all that weaponry the United States has sold the Saudis over the decades falling into the hands of Wahhabi radicals.

This is precisely the kind of muddled thinking that's prompted us to support the regional dictatorships we do. For sure, the geniuses in our government said the same kinds of things about Tunisia.

The message to the local populations is clear -- you will just have to endure the thugs we support, because our fear about and possible threat to our interests outranks your future and that of your children. Like the view of Orson Wells' character in The Third Man, you appear to us as millions of little dots, from where we sit.

NICOLAS19

3:54 AM ET

I found that paragraph hilarious

It is incredible how a journalist can play with words. What are the implications of that single paragraph? Here's a few:
No 1. Cheap shot at Churchill's famous quote at democracy, suggesting that absolute monarchy is the best form of government for SA. Ummm...excuse me? So much for "promoting democracy and self determination" in the region.
No 2. US supplied arms to the Saudi royal family which is a good thing, see No1. That is exactly the kind of intervention all Arab states should stand up against.
No 3. This BS culminates in stating that an unpopular autocratic regime is so much better than a popular movement, that it has to be propped up and supported artificially (by foreign weapons) for sake of US interests... That is pure colonialism.

With the Saudi arms sales the US practices the kind of salami slicing the communists used to break up foreign governments for their own gain. I bet the CIA is at hard work now, trying to find and build up pro-American candidates to high-jack the revolutions against the other pro-US regimes, which means they are subverting the popular movements in order to gain a little influence here and there.
I don't think that anyone needs a reminder that those are the American puppets who are being dismantled in Tunisia and Egypt. No wonder the whole media is concerned about SA because that might come next. See how fragile pro-US dictatorships are? The author is wishfully thinking that independent governments - like that of Iran - are about to share the same fate but they are mistaken. It was the US intervention that have kept those regimes in place, and it was precisely the same intervention that made them incapable of supporting themselves.

HUCKLEBERRY

10:09 AM ET

Wishful Thinking

"Furthermore, whatever the outcome of these uprisings, it seems clear that Arabs and their new leaders will be focused for years to come on the imperfections within their own societies -- perhaps to a greater degree than on injustices committed by Israel and the West abroad."

It seems clear to me that this is wishful thinking.

Whatever new Egyptian regime is in power next week , it will be unable to deal swiftly with the huge domestic problems facing the nation. Look for subtle but tangible foreign policy changes, changes that distance Egypt from a hypocritical and untenable US position. Look for bewildered Arab autocrats to scurry like headless chickens. Look for Tel Aviv's bunker mentality to thicken.

In situation like these, a shot of dignity and self-respect will buy time while the real work begins.

This appears to be a true democratic upheaval. I have little doubt that the US congress will respond by cutting aid.

MARTY MARTEL

10:44 AM ET

But what will replace it?

When gods want to punish us, they answer our prayers.

Before supporting these so-called winds of change, let us think what will replace them.

All indications are there that if Mubarak’s regime was to collapse in Egypt, Islamic fundamentalists will most likely come to power because they have the largest non-government political organization there.

Democratic dispensation in Pakistan after Musharraf has exposed the true nature of Islamic fundamentalist character of Pakistan as witnessed by public outpouring of support for the killer of Punjab governor. And democratic government also has been subservient to Pakistani Army when it comes to supporting Taliban factions sheltered in Pakistan and killing US/NATO troops daily in Afghanistan since 2001.

Democratic elections in Palestinian territories brought radical Hamas to power.

When US supported change in Iran in 1979, little did it know what was to follow Shah’s regime.

Same scenario will repeat in Algeria if military rule was to crumble.

MANZELLS

11:21 PM ET

What happens next?

What was the condition of Iran when the Shah was overthrown? Is it similar to Mubarak and Egypt
If Islamic fundamentalists do come to power, what would happen?

BENDOVER1

11:08 AM ET

Wikileaks - World Revolutions!

Who’s Julian Assange? – Here is an extract of the forth coming book Trapped in a Masonic World: We have to do everything legally within our powers to prevent this same “network of people” from being able to introduce some form of Chinese “Google clamp” to our systems here in the West. Our job is to help inform our fellow man, - those billions of others who are still kept in the dark, and with our collective assistance, they too shall soon be bathed in the light of truth and knowledge, - and I would like to take this opportunity in thanking Julian Assange for having to balls and conviction for doing what he has done, and continues to do, - we must look out for him and his kind, and be by he’s side when he needs our protection, because after all, - who really is Juilan Assange? - Well the answer is obvious, he is you, me and every single one of us; “...I’m Julian Assange!” - We shall all rise and claim back our planet from these predatory evil bastards, our slave masters whom have deliberately kept us in continuous never ending wars, famines, illnesses, diseases and poverty, keeping the majority of us treading water in order just to survive and pay our extortionate bills and the cost of living, all their talk about eradicating poverty, has been proven by themselves as utter bullshit. - Their time is up, the games coming to an end, and there’s never been a better time to be alive knowing we can do something about the reclamation of our world from a relative small number of elite bloodline families and their present misled foot soldiers, it’s happened before and shall again. - There’s over 6.6 billion of us, and as a collective we can do it, it can be done, should be done, and more importantly needs to be done, and that’s the true meaning of 2012, and perhaps what the Mayan calendar is indicating too, the end of the old world, and the coming of the new one, - a world of the enlightened ones, though without the help of the illuminati! And here’s the catch, as even though I am putting down the Freemasons, illuminati and religious camps in general, I am not funnily enough totally against them, as I know for certain there are millions of members of these sorts of organisations who are genuinely honest and sincere human beings. My only bug bear, is their secrecy, the elitism and those presently in charge and control are not using their wealth power and influence for the empowerment of mankind, but to the detriment of it instead, and it is these individuals who have to be exposed for what they truly represent, and given the opportunity to either alter their ways, step down and retire, or be disposed off. We are at the start of a worldwide revolution and it is our task to lay the path for the sake of our children, and their children’s children. – Viva -Revolution, - and orf wid dare eds! Many political leaders throughout history have always sought to mislead the thinking of the masses. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates taught his students; that the pursuit of truth can only begin once they start to question and analyse every belief that they ever held dear. If a certain belief passes the tests of evidence, deduction and logic, it should be kept. If it doesn't, the belief should not only be discarded, but the thinker must also then question why he was led to believe the erroneous information in the first place. - Not surprisingly, this type of teaching didn’t bode well with the ruling elite of Greece, and Socrates was tried for subversion and for corrupting the youth, in which he was found guilty, - then forced to take his own life by drinking poison!
www.trappedinamasonicworld.co.uk Please spread this message far and wide.

JOHNBOANERGES

10:43 PM ET

BENDOVER1's reply

Good for you. You seem to share many of my sentiments. I even wish you the comfort of your illusions about Julian. I have a different view but he IS inspiring other, less risk-averse followers. I might mention about Blue Lodge Masons and their 'elitness'; until they were displaced by lesbian women, they formed the largest percentage of the "profession " of CO (Correction Officer) in the US. Quirky, huh? Socrates was tried for asking embarrassing questions which were CHARACTERIZED as 'corrupting the youth'. There were two ways he could have avoided the poison and he tried one of them. Under the law he lived under, he was allowed to name his own form of punishment. He chose to be placed in a villa and given a comfortable pension in solitude - internal exile out of their hair. They did not believe that he would (and were further embarrassed by his wit) and over rode his option. External exile would have killed him more slowly, thus... . A word about finding convenient lamp posts for the guilty, violence begets violence and was the seed from which the downfall of the American Experiment sprouted. We will only succeed by avoiding manufacturing oddly shaped bowling balls.

3:55 AM ET

To be free, or not to be free, that is the question...

Thanks for the comment, tiz all good...

VALWAYNE

2:27 PM ET

Foreign Policy of Failure

Obama has driven the U.S. economy into the gutter with his extreme left wing ideology and massive corrupt spending. Now we are beginning to see the results of his foreign policy of bows, apology, and appeasement. He's spent two years beating up on Israel, the only democracy in the regions, while far worse problems boiled under the surface of the Arab world. We haven't seen this level of ineptness since Jimmy Carter and the disaster with Iran!

11:55 PM ET

Democracy

The god that failed - Hans-Hermann Hoppe. Read it. There is nothing grand about two wolves and a sheep sitting down to discuss the dinner menu and the Zionist state you are so much in admiration of is vastly inferior in morality than any of its neighbors. All governments suck, lie, kill and steal. The larger the bureaucracy the greater the corruption. You admire that? Cowards and bullies (but I repeat myself) staff its ranks and form its cheering squads. God demands courage to face it down nonviolently but without giving it aid. Fail that and ones soul is forfeit. As for the current figurehead, he is merely following the direction in Dreams of my Father (who was some piece of work). Every one of these power-mad AHs advances totalitarianism from what he inherited. If you expect otherwise your head is in a dark, smelly place. In trying to compare one to another, you are thinking totally within the box they have made for you. How smart is that?

2:29 PM ET

We see the region through Israeli eyes.....

The real message of Egypt is that it is time for the US to look out for its own interests, which not longer (if they ever have) coincide with those of Israel.

The Washington establishment is Israel-centric, and this is now becoming a strategic threat for the US.

Unless this changes (and I am pessimistic that it can) the US will "lose" the Mideast, and accelerate its decline. The beneficiaries will be China, and other US rivals.

LDCHISLE

3:29 PM ET

Agreed, but a practical reality?

I agree that American support for Israel is a strategic threat for the US however I dont know that this is a new threat. American exceptionalism has done a lot to foster the anti-western/anti-america sentiment among middle-easterners- and I don't think that this is because 'western democratic values' are antithetical to Muslim religion/politics- rather because of the unilateral, imperialist way in which the American government has sought to conquer all other political ideologies. The American position on Israel is very much a part of this exceptionalism and indicative of the unwillingness of American policy makers to at least acknowledge the other side of the issue. I think that irrespective of the fact of which american government is in place, no matter how great a threat the American-Israel alliance poses to America, the administration would never be able to get the American electorate on board with a policy that parts ways with Israel because this would fundamentally undermine the American identity.

As governments that are "toadies to American and Israeli interets" fall or are weakened Americans and Israelis face both physical and economic threats as the governments become more accountable to a population that is anti-Israel. It would indeed be a cruel (though possibly deserving) irony if the very democratic values that the US has been heralding are ultimately used as a tool of the masses to undermine American and Israeli economic and physical security which, as READYSF points out, would in turn strengthen US rivals.

The American administration should begin to work very hard at distancing "American values" from "an unwavering pro-Israeli policy"on home turf in order to have any chance at pursuing a flexible foreign policy that is demanded in today's world.

TOM P. KINNEY

4:12 PM ET

Kaplin's comments/leftist hatred toward Israel

I've been reading Kaplin since he published A Coming Anarchy in Atlantic in the 90s. It was a foundational work that opened my eyes and those of many others. I agree with everything he says above, but though it's not his goal here to question the impetus behind this spontaneous movement, it's hard to see how you can discuss this without pondering its orgins.And yet he makes the crucial distinction that this isn't about Israel. So why not consider what it is about, besides the oppression and lack of opportunity and all the other too well known shortcomings of totalitarian regimes from Pakistan to Moracco. Two words describe it: purple fingers. The origins of Al Jazeera coincide approximately with our liberation of Iraq, and the image of Mideasterners having just voted holding up their ink-stained fingers proudly was carried by Jazeera as well as all western media. The iconic image seared itself on the thoughts of Muslims throughout the region. Why a single word couldn't be uttered in praise of Bush and the neocons who pushed the envelope of reformation through the expenditure of significant American financial and human resources in the region is unconscionable.

Here and elsewhere, Julian Assange gets more credit than the American soldiers who died fighting for a toe-hold for democracy in the Mideast.

Instead, we get the usual leftist palaver; America's congenital support of fascist regimes. Of course it's ugly. Of course it's wrong. And of course there hasn't been an alternative, until perhaps now. The cold war couldn't have been fought any other way, nor did we have the global perspective then that we are now afforded. Since the cold war ended, we've slowly, too slowly, begun to consider alternative ways to sponsor democratic evolution in the developing world. Egypt today could be the place where the U.S. policy adapts to this new global environment. But our primary interest must remain our own country, without which chaos would likely reign. Only from that strong point can we be effective in helping the less fortunate. The child-like notion of the left that we put other nations before our own stability and power is an idea in search of a child daycare center.

Returning to the issue of Israel, it is disspiriting to see the ever growing animosity of the left toward this besieged nation that wouldn't survive without our sponsored and that is the only stable democracy in the region.

In late 1965 I hitchhiked through the Mideast and North Africa, coming out of Europe through Yugoslavia, considered one of the more "successful" communist states, though it was in hindsight my first third world country, where single tasks like finding a place to eat or shelter were more difficult than I would later find them even in the Mideast and Africa. Next came Greece, in the thralls of an earlier failure of Big Government, that one socialist/communist, then Turkey, Syria, and Jordon. In Syria shopkeepers proudly displayed garlanded portraits of Hitler alongside the current president. The favorite expression was, "...the only problem with Hitler was that he didn't kill them all." It was in Syria that Moshe Dayan lost his eye fighting against the Vichy French, Nazi allies. Hitchers of that day didn't refer to Israel by name, though nearly all of them were going there. The code name on the street, so as not to draw an angry crowd, was "Disneyland." On the wall of the Damascus youth hostel was a map with Israel blacked out. From there I went to Jerusalem, the only place you could then go to Israel by land from. Through the Mandelbaum Gate (or Mendelbaum, it's been a while). It was a one way trip. Once you had an Israeli visa stamped on your passport you could no longer enter any Arab country, nor would you want to for the hassle you'd get at the border.

I didn't enter because I was enjoying the Arabs, despite the virulent and almost intolerable hatred of anything Jew or Israeli. Other than that particular pathology, I found them to be hospitable to travelers in the extreme--the Haj tradition--and I simply loved the culture. I went through Iraq twice on my way to Kuwait City, just being built, and back. Was in Baghdad when Ramadan started, as witnessed by men walking through the alleys before the sun rose to awaken the devout poor who didn't have alarm clocks by beating on a garbage can lid for pre-dawn breakfast.

But whenever the subject of Israel, or Jews, came up...the poison of tribal hate took hold of again and it was hard to countenance it. It's something we find hard to understand here, and that's the only good excuse I can make for the far Far Tortuga left and its pathology about Israel. And Jews, since the two cannot be separated. Another holocaust will be the legacy of the unhinged left should this poisonous attitude continue unchecked.

LONG LIVE TUNISIA

6:47 PM ET

Go ask them

"The origins of Al Jazeera coincide approximately with our liberation of Iraq"

You mean the Al Jazeera that had already broadcast the Afghanistan war? The one whose staff the US targeted in both Iraq and Afghanistan? The one Bush allegedly considered bombing? That Al Jazeera?

"and the image of Mideasterners having just voted holding up their ink-stained fingers proudly was carried by Jazeera as well as all western media. The iconic image seared itself on the thoughts of Muslims throughout the region"

Funny - plenty of Egyptians right now are chanting "Tunisia is the answer". Not one Arab crowd anywhere has ever chanted "Iraq is the answer" or anything like it. Plenty of Arabs have cited Iraq as a cautionary example of why even bad dictatorships are better than risking the chaos that ensues when you take them out, though.

"Why a single word couldn't be uttered in praise of Bush and the neocons who pushed the envelope of reformation through the expenditure of significant American financial and human resources in the region is unconscionable."

Because no one with any knowledge of the Middle East, even if they were as far right as Kaplan is, could manage to say it with a straight face.

11:57 PM ET

A simple question from the unhinged right

The US taxpayer has pissed upwards of $100 bil away on Israel and, other than 9/11, what has he got to show for it?

12:04 AM ET

American soldiers died - for WHAT?

Not one has ever died for freedom. They die to advance tyranny, OK, democracy, the same thing. Sorry, Tom, but for all your travels and exposure you ought to have acquired more 'smarts'.

SAMMYBOY8408

6:36 PM ET

"Here and elsewhere, Julian

"Here and elsewhere, Julian Assange gets more credit than the American soldiers who died fighting for a toe-hold for democracy in the Mideast."

Do you think your talking to 8 year olds? Everyone knew Bush was trying to dominate the mid east and project american power. Wolfowitz and Pearl, both jewish, pushed for war with iraq because it was hostile with isreal and might be a threat in the future if its capacity increased. Also Bush wanted Iraqi oil. Soldier dont die for freedom, ever. Only a propagandist would consider the invasion and destruction of a nation, death of a million of its people to be liberation.

"Another holocaust will be the legacy of the unhinged left should this poisonous attitude continue unchecked."

Who annoited us protector of the jews? AIPAC?

"Returning to the issue of Israel, it is disspiriting to see the ever growing animosity of the left toward this besieged nation that wouldn't survive without our sponsored and that is the only stable democracy in the region. "

Stop with the lies it is an apartheid state, they openly claim they want to dump the palestinians in jordan and dont want a two state solution. Also America should only be worried about the security of America. Not Isreal, japan, or anyone else.

J THOMAS

11:33 PM ET

Stop with the lies it is an

What you say about them is true, but still the USA has an obligation to Israel. For 40 years we have encouraged them to go way out on a limb, and now we should cut down the tree?

No, we owe Israel. So the USA should encourage Israelis to send their children to the USA where it's safe. And also old people. And women. And noncombatants. No one should stay in israel except the military who will actually do the fighting. And as they see that it is hopeless we should help evacuate them too.

We owe it to them to provide this support.

RAGLIMIDECHI

6:51 PM ET

What's behind the unrest

This article is pretty much on target except for: "They are not about the existential plight of the Palestinians under Israeli occupation."

I tend to disagree with this. I think the Arab street universally has "Palestinian suffering" on the brain. The continuous Al Jazeera coverage of the demonstrations in Egypt has included numerous references to Palestinians. The Mubarak administration has been heavily involved in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, but not in a way that earns much praise on the street. Saddam Hussein manipulated Iraqis with the vision of a "Jerusalem Army," a legion of volunteers to march on Jerusalem and "liberate" it from Israeli control, and I think an opportunistic Egyptian demagogue would find success with a similar gambit.

ZENWICK

4:13 AM ET

While Kaplan is correct that the origins of the current uprisings don't involve Israel, it is inevitable that the outcomes will. Similarly to what happened in Iran, it will behoove whoever takes power in these countries to rattle the pro-Palestinian saber, if only to to solidify their public support.

NUMAN OZTURK

6:42 AM ET

Israil Fans

Why such as these entelektüel thihk about or so interest israil future. Israil do not accept demokratic regim on middle east we know about this. Because arabs citizens do not like israil position on middle east. But regim leaders like Mubarek accept Israil authority on this geography. therefore such as these writer who support israil sovereign on middle-east can not democracy. Because they consider on this idea:
Democracy become between equal humans so we are equal so arap (that is muslims) not egual as us

KASSANDRA

6:46 AM ET

BBC showed shots of Egyptian

BBC showed shots of Egyptian police vans covered with the Star of David images. Now why is that?
The Military Museum in Cairo is full of images extolling the heroism of the Egyptian forces in the 1973 war. The walls of the various Egyptian military installations have similar pictures.
As the Egyptian public has discovered that Mubarak can be confronted, maybe something similar is lurking in the minds of the Egyptian army. The Army has moved into the Sinai Peninsula, a breach of the peace treaty with Israel. Now, are they there with Israel's approval, or what?
S

DJ6UAL

2:43 AM ET

Egypt WILL = America

Now that the protests are hitting there peak I think things are sure to move quickly. Soon this scenario will play out here on the streets of America. There are forces at work trying to usher in the last days, Revelations, the Apocalypse... call it the Illuminati, the New World Order, or whatever you want... it is coming... hell it is already here! Step by step we will all watch as the reality around us unravels, that is unless we are lucky enough to be awake. Those of us who have our eyes open can avoid the initial blows but it will take a strong Army to fight the wars that are ahead. Be prepared, be safe, and awaken those around you, they will be next to you in the battle.

~ DJ6ual

Americans Being Evacuated from Egypt
Phone Numbers and Web Sites Available Here

http://dj6ual.viviti.com/entries/news/the-tear-gas-smoke-bombs-used-against-egyptian-protesters-were-also-used-at-g-20

Tear Gas Causes Anti American Sentiment in Egypt
US Weapons Being Used Against Egyptians

9:27 AM ET

see the truth

Man ? think the rage in egypt is not game of ?llun?nat?. I th?nk this is a god's game. Do not forget Human makes plan, but also god makes a plan and finally god's plan defeats the opressed and losers' plan....

9:29 AM ET

and do not forget about it.

and do not forget about it. The future will be good for us

THE GLOBALIZER

10:55 AM ET

Bizarre comments here...

The Egypt situation seems pretty simple to me -- uncompetitive economic policy = high unemployment and income disparity; income disparity + repressive government = popular discontent; popular discontent + high unemployment = large protests.

To be sure, certain conditions need to be met to "trigger" the revolution; but once it is triggered (the Tunisia example) it's hard to see how this returns to anything the US / West could consider "normalcy". There are two main routes here: Democracy (in the Arab / Egyptian manner) or a bloodbath in Tahrir Square. The former adds uncertainty to our relations (particularly vis-a-vis Israel), and the latter makes our heretofore ally unsalvageable.

I get that all things in foreign policy largely boil down to realpolitik, but power must not be narrowly defined so as to imply control. Democracy in Egypt, and in the Middle East, is the victory of the philosophical underpinnings of America, even if in the short term it works to our detriment (or just discomfort).

Don't mistake the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt for 1978 Iran. But that doesn't mean that U.S. diplomacy in the Arab world is going to be any less complicated going forward.

BY ROBERT D. KAPLAN | JANUARY 28, 2011

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