February 03, 2007

Raising SADDAM After Burying Saddam

I guess I've become too cynical and depressed about our policies in the Middle East (at least on this bitterly cold icy day) to raise a passionate call either for or against this move. Though I guess a big reason for my lack of response to it is that I don't see much there there. Is this really an alignment, much less a realignment? The authoritarian Arab states have tended to be united in distrusting Iran for many years now (I mean, why was the GCC created when it was created, if not at least partially as an alignment against Iran), so I don't see any "re" to the realignment. And if they actually are aligning in concrete ways ... what are those exactly? At this point it looks like a lot of Team Bush visions - more talk than action, though even the talk could lead to deleterious consequences that harm US interests.

Posted by armand at February 3, 2007 11:35 AM | TrackBack | Posted to International Affairs


Comments

I think the "re" in the alignment would be attributed to the softening of pressure on these regimes to democratize. In exchange, the Bush team is courting them for support on going after Iran.

While these states have always had an interest in countering Iran, they haven't always had an interest in seeing that manifest in military action. The Bush team is trying hard to sell these regimes on stepping up their confrontationalism and willingness to endure pain to actually attack Iran.

See also some of the discussion over at Abu Aardvark recently about the surge in anti-Shia sentiment being stoked in places like Egypt, Pakistan and elsewhere.

Posted by: Eric Martin at February 9, 2007 10:52 AM | PERMALINK

Ah, okay, on those terms I guess I get it. Though I'm still unclear on just how far these states are willing to move toward a more confrontational policy toward Iran, and how much they are united on that topic. Clearly the anti-Shia fires are being stoked of late - but when it comes to confronting Iran itself directly ... I guess I'm just still hazy on the specifics. But thanks for the comment.

Posted by: Armand at February 9, 2007 11:58 AM | PERMALINK
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